Battling his frustrations from the most annoying of evenings, Klay Thompson looked up into Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center’s upper deck and saw one last supporter donning his No. 11 jersey.
The play-in tournament defeat to Sacramento on Tuesday night, where the Warriors fell short of a postseason berth 118-94, left him with a lasting recollection of that moment that will be much sweeter than his 0-for-10 shooting effort.
Nevertheless, I did glance up into the nosebleeds and noticed a man with a number 11 jersey. Given my history in Sacramento—from competing in a state championship game to facing the Kings in the playoffs—that gave me joy,” Thompson said on Tuesday. At the time, the main concern was whether he would continue to wear the same No. 11 jersey the next season.
For me, it was akin to a full circle. Just seeing the Warriors fan by himself, up in the 300 level, representing 11, was a great experience. That inspired gratitude in me.”
Before ending his career, Thompson intends to win a fifth championship. He is aware that he wants to keep winning.
One of the most important choices Thompson and Golden State will have to make this offseason is where that might be.
Thompson emphasized that he needs some time to unwind first, for the time being. It was a dull season. He came and went from the starting lineup, claiming to have learnt not to be a “front-runner.”
“You sulk, you pout when you´re not shooting up to your expected splits,” he stated. “I think I did better with that this year, just trying to exude great body language at all times and think deeper than just stats, think about your love for the game and why you do play this game.”
Prior to this year, Thompson stated, “I would love to be a Warrior for life.” He has stated multiple times that he wants to play his entire career for Golden State.
He has acknowledged that he still needs to consider his alternatives.
“So I really haven´t thought about that deep into the future because I still need to process the year we had and it was one filled with ups and downs,” he stated. “But ultimately, we – I personally and our team did everything we could to try and win as many games as we possibly could.”
Though Curry’s Splash Brother wasn’t prepared to make any bold statements about what’s next while still feeling the sting of the season ending far sooner than anyone would have imagined, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Warriors certainly hope he will stay with Golden State to try to win another championship and that this wasn’t his final game with them.
Additionally, Thompson missed all six of his 3-point attempts. Coach Steve Kerr found it particularly difficult to watch.
“I love Klay so much, I mean what he´s meant to me in the 10 years we´ve been together,” stated Kerr. “Over the past few years, I’ve watched him battle the sense of devastation left by his injuries, and with his attitude, I’ve seen him completely turn around his season. I watched him take pleasure in the second part of the season, playing with a little more fun and freedom.”
The 34-year-old Thompson’s five-year, roughly $190 million contract is set to expire in July, making him a free agent.
On Wednesday, teammate Kevon Looney noted, “He’s been here his whole career.” “Steph, him, and Draymond come to mind when you think of the Warriors, so it would be strange to watch him play for someone else or wear a different uniform. However, in the NBA these days, players seem to swap teams more often than not. That would be difficult for me to imagine.”
Following surgery on his left knee and right Achilles, Thompson missed more than two and a half years of play, including the full 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons. He is still extremely proud of his remarkable comeback.