5 reasons why the Warriors could force Klay Thompson to take a pay cut

Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors is entering the final year of his contract. Thompson is set to earn $43.2 million this season and could look to sign the last big deal of his NBA career. However, the Warriors might not offer him a max contract.

According to ESPN's Ramon Shelburne, the Warriors and Thompson have begun discussing a potential extension. It's in the early stages, and there's no rush on both sides about finalizing a deal. Thompson had a solid regular season but was terrible in the playoffs.

"My understanding is that they have opened contract extension talks with Klay Thompson," Shelburne said on 'The Lowe Post' podcast.

"This is a slow process. This idea that he's been eligible for a while, and they haven't done anything. ... They've exchanged proposals. There's no hurry to these discussions. The optionality goes both ways."

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Why Klay Thompson could take pay cut for his next contract with Golden State Warriors

Klay Thompson has been a pillar of the Golden State Warriors' success over the last decade.

His partnership with Steph Curry has resulted in four NBA championships. If he hadn't suffered two major injuries in 2019 and 2020, he could have been up for a max contract.

However, Thompson is no longer the player he used to be, especially on defense. He's still a capable scorer and a key part of Steve Kerr's offense. With Curry, as well as Draymond Green, signed for a few more years, the Warriors are expected to retain their "Big 3" core.

On that note, here are five reasons why Thompson could agree a contract extension with the Warriors

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#5 Thompson is no longer a two-way player

Before tearing his ACL and rupturing his Achilles tendon, Klay Thompson was one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Thompson could explode on offense while making life a living hell for the opponent's best perimeter defender.

However, his two major injuries robbed him of his lateral quickness to defend the best perimeter players in the league. One example of Thompson's diminishing defensive ability was when Devin Booker cooked him last season for 34 points.

If Thompson hadn't suffered those two injuries, there would have been no debate about the Warriors offering him a max contract.

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#4 Draymond Green took a pay cut

Many people thought that Draymond Green would sign a max contract in free agency and leave the Golden State Warriors. However, he re-signed with the Warriors and took a pay cut to help extend the franchise's championship window.

If Green can leave some money on the table, Klay Thompson could do it, too, for the Warriors. With an estimated career earnings of $222.9 million, Thompson would not hurt his pocket if he took a pay cut to help prolong the Warriors' dynasty for a few more years.

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#3 Taking a pay cut could help the Warriors move forward

One of the perks for Golden State, if Klay Thompson signs a discounted extension, is the ability to build a proper championship roster. Thompson's next contract could mirror what Draymond Green received this summer.

With Chris Paul's salary for the 2024-25 season non-guaranteed, the Warriors will have some money to build their depth and add role players. One of the reasons why Golden State pulled off the 2022 NBA championship was the quality of their bench.

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#2 Adding ring No. 5

The Warriors proved that their dynasty was not over when they won the 2022 NBA championship. As mentioned above, Golden State won that title on the back of solid squad depth, as well as the greatness of Steph Curry.

If the Warriors want to build another contending team in the next few years, Thompson will have to agree to take a pay cut. If doing so leads to a fifth ring, Thompson would have no problems with it.

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#1 Perfect ending to the 'Big 3' era

Steph Curry has a contract until the 2025-26 NBA season while Draymond Green has a player option following the same season.

If Curry decides to retire after that campaign, Green could opt out and end his career elsewhere. If Curry signs an extension, Green could opt in and end his career alongside Curry.

As they're the Warriors' "Big 3," Klay Thompson definitely deserves the same treatment, be it a three-year or a four-year extension. With all the things they have accomplished in the Bay Area, they deserve to go out together, if that's what they want.

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