Klay Thompson has been a fixture in the Golden State Warriors’ lineup since he was selected by the franchise as the eleventh overall pick in the 2011 draft. The sharp-shooter started 29 games in his rookie year and never looked back. Since then, he has established himself as one of the league’s premier players and been an essential part of the Steph Curry-Draymond Green-Thompson trio that has guided the Warriors to four NBA Championships over the last decade.
That is what made it so strange when Thompson was spotted on the sidelines during the opening tip-off of the Warriors matchup against the Utah Jazz on February 15. It was the first time the 34-year-old guard had come off the bench since his rookie season.
Thompson responded to the benching in the perfect way. He finished the night as the game’s tied top scorer with 35 points shooting 13-22 from the field.
In a recent article in The Athletic, the five-time All-Star opened up about his new role and future in the league.
“I would love to be a Warrior for life,” said Thompson. “I’ve got a few more years to play this game. I’m not sure if I want to play until I’m 40. That sounds really exhausting.”
Klay Thompson acknowledges that his career is approaching its conclusion and he does not intend to play until the age of 40
“I would love to be a Warrior for life. Whatever happens though, I’ve got a few more years to play this game, so I’m gonna enjoy every second. I realize… pic.twitter.com/jRlPK92u2f
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 27, 2024
Thompson is set to become a free agent this offseason and after finishing 44-38 last season (and struggling this year with a 29-27 record), the organization may be looking to go in a new direction.
There will still be plenty of interest for a player who remains one of the game’s top shooters. This season Thompson is averaging 17.1 points, 2.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. If the Warriors decide not to re-sign him, there will be plenty of NBA teams interested in adding that type of productivity to their roster.
