SAN FRANCISCO – Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy on Thursday joined the club established two days earlier by Steve Kerr, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry.
The “Keep Klay Thompson Club” – with the idea of maintaining the core that has won four NBA Finals – now has four members of significance among Golden State’s decision-makers.
“Well, considering they won four [championships] before, I would say it's well within the realm of reasonability,” Dunleavy said. “But we got to, you know, certainly we want Klay back, first and foremost. I expressed that to him yesterday. Our players have expressed that, our coach, front office, ownership.
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“Look, everybody wants Klay back.”
Thompson, 34, will become an unrestricted free agent in July. Drafted by the Warriors in 2011, he has spent his entire career sharing the backcourt with Curry, the team’s longtime franchise player.
But there have been indications – followed by considerable speculation – that Thompson wants to remain a Warriors, though he is open to shopping the market.
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The GM not only is on board with Klay’s return but feels optimistic about getting it done.
“I think it’s a mutual feeling,” Dunleavy said. “The guy has been here a long time. He means so much to the organization. We really, really value him. So, there’s nothing that would make me think he wants to go somewhere else, or we don’t want him back. For that reason, I’m hopeful we can make it happen.”
“But it’s a deal. Both sides got to be good with it. And we’ll work through that.”
Kerr expressed a similar desire Tuesday night in the immediate wake of Golden State’s season-ending play-in tournament loss to the Kings in Sacramento. Minutes later, Green came to the podium with the same hope. Curry, the last of the Warriors to speak, also made his pitch.
One thing is certain: A massive roster decision, such as this, ultimately will be made by Warriors CEO Joe Lacob and Dunleavy.