With free agency approaching this summer, it seems more probable than ever that he won’t be staying with the Golden State Warriors. He has seemed to be a shadow of his former self on the court.
After speaking with Warriors coach Steve Kerr recently, Thompson said that he had gained some much-needed perspective on his “last chapter.”
“Sometimes I forget just how successful and how lucky I’ve been to be part of a championship team, All-Star games, gold medals,” Thompson said. “You may sort of get in your own way because you want to get to that level so desperately. We spoke about enjoying the latter chapter of my career, how fortunate I am to still be playing this game at a high level, how I can be a better mentor to these young players, setting a good example, and how important it is for me to have the correct energy every game instead of pushing it.
“He assisted me in seeing how negatively my energy impacts the team when it does exist. We had a terrific talk, and it really helped me shift my perspective. Now, instead of worrying about shooting splits, points per game, or All-Star games, I simply want to enjoy wearing the Warriors jersey and be proud of what we’ve accomplished. Since it’s such a unique chance for a professional athlete to share in such great accomplishment, pass the baton to the next generation of athletes, and keep this thing continuing.”
This NBA season may be Thompson’s worst to date. Despite shooting a career-low 37.7 percent from the field, he’s averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists. It seems sense that after missing 30 months of activity due to leg problems, Thompson’s defensive ability has not even approached All-Defensive Team status, and he is now essentially a negative player.
When Thompson is on the court, the Warriors are outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions, but when he is on the bench, they are outscored by 3.7 points. While it wouldn’t be unjust to suggest that the Warriors would be better suited starting Chris Paul with Stephen Curry in the backcourt and benching Thompson, Paul’s ability to create plays has strengthened the team’s second unit.
Before the season, Thompson allegedly turned down a two-year, $48 million contract, so it’s improbable that he would now be able to get that much in free agency. Given the abundance of scoring in the NBA at the time, the contract may have even been a little overpaid.
Thompson is presently ranked 86th in three-point shooting and 69th in scoring in the NBA. We would be talking about Thompson as a mid-level exception talent instead of someone who is in charge of his free-agent future if it weren’t for his well-known name.