Klay Thompson quietly had another lethal shooting night on Thursday in a 126-113 Warriors win over Minnesota. The forgotten man shot 9-of-13 from the field and hit 7-of-9 treys for a typical 25-point game that was lost in the midst ofKDs 28 points, Steph Currys 25 and Draymond Greens loud, demonstrative and antagonistic presence.
The NBAs best three-point shooter – contrary to popular belief – is banging down a league-high 45.7 % of threes and shooting about 49 % from the field.
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@KlayThompson went 7-for-9 from and helped lift the @warriors over the T-Wolves at home! #DubNation https://t.co/W3oQOEiMW3
If not for the two MVPs he often bails out on rare bad nights, Thompson could easily average 27 points per game. He could easily be another teams first option and have the spotlight on him for once. He could get a bevy of plays called for him. Theres no reason to believe he couldnt do it.
He just happens to be the James Worthy of the Golden State Dynasty. Worthy was a remarkable player who could have definitely padded his stats on a lesser team, but he instead sacrificed major aspects of his game and development as a player to be the third-option, high-flying, fast-break obliterating bucket crusher for an elite Lakers franchise winning multiple championships.
Klay is in the same box. His soft-spoken demeanor and respect, character and humility make folks think he likes being an ignored All-Star. In my opinion, hes definitely undervalued by the fans and hoops analysts. Its possible that Thompson enjoys being lost in the sauce sometimes. He doesnt face the same pressure or scrutiny as a Curry, Durant or LeBronon a nightly basis. He can basically go about his business of being an undervalued assassin.
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Klay still has two years remaining on his contract. That gives him a shot to win a few more championships and then he needs to bounce and capture his own long-awaited glory.
Most players of his ilk would jump at the opportunity to finally be the man after years of sacrificing to win, but Thompson has said that he would consider taking a discount to remain with the defending NBA champions and keep the party flowing.
“If it’s a few million,” Klay said back in an October interview with Marcus Thompson II and Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, “…whatever contract I sign. I would definitely consider it ’cause I don’t want to lose anybody.”
Right now everything is peachy for the Warriors franchise. They are loaded with talent and almost unstoppable. In a few years, that may change and Klay might want to finally expand his horizons and see how he handles superstardom.
Kyrie left LeBron because getting his proper due and developing as a player was more important than winning championships. His ego and ambition made the decision for him. People eventually respected Irvings decision.
The same can be said for Thompson. Warriors fans will hate to see him leave because he means a lot to the team, but he’s taken for granted by the NBA world. When he gets to spread his wings as Kyrie has, everyone will understand why he left.
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Its not like he isnt getting paid in full. Splash Brother No. 2 is making an average of $18.4 million each of the next two years, but could potentially make even more on the open market based on the latest deals around the league.
Its not like he doesnt have a major sneaker deal, normally reserved for the NBAs elite. In June of 2017, while on a multi-city tour with Chinese sneaker entity Anta, Thompson inked a 10-year extension with the company keeping him in the fold until 2026. The extension could be worth as much as $80 million if Thompson meets certain incentives as the deal progresses.
It aint Nike, but hes caking. At just 27 years old and an All-star the last three seasons, Thompson will be ready to lead a team when his deal is up. Somebody is going to make it tempting for him.
Dont be surprised if hes thinking about that , but saying all of the right things for now. There no reason for him not to.
