Klay Thompson has firmly secured his place in Warriors history, but his future with the organization remains shrouded in uncertainty as the All-Star guard is poised to hit free agency next summer.
The Warriors guard is in the final year of a five-year $189.9 million contract and his sporadic play early in the 2023-24 NBA season has left more questions than answers about what his next contract will look like.
ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported on Tuesday, citing sources, that Thompson's contract negotiations have taken a toll on the Warriors star in the midst of an early season slump.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
While opponents will always respect Thompson for his all-time great shooting ability, he's struggled to be a consistent scoring threat this season, posting his lowest points per game total (15.0) since his rookie season (12.5), eclipsing the 20-point mark just once this season, while shooting a career-low 36.7 percent beyond the arc.
Thompson's early season frustrations have appeared to manifest on a few different occasions, including the first ejection of his 12-year NBA career during the opening moments of the Warriors' 116-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 12.
Despite Thompson struggling to establish a consistent rhythm, the All-Star insists he is not bothered by any of the chatter surrounding his play this season.
"I don't care what people say," Thompson told reporters on Monday. "They don't do what we do. They can't do what we do, that's why they talk. Like, come on. I don't care what people say at this point in my life."
Golden State Warriors
As Golden State attempts to make another deep playoff run, the Warriors will heavily rely on Thompson to return to form and provide the electric scoring ability he is capable of.