Did Klay Thompson bid adieu to Warriors fans amid NBA trade rumors of potential departure? Debunking viral tweet

Amid his early struggles in the ongoing season and that of the Golden State Warriors, talk has been rife that All-Star Klay Thompson is on his way out of the Bay Area by way of a trade.

If a recent post on X is to be taken as a cue, one-half of the vaunted Splash Brothers is indeed to be shipped out, as it claimed that the 33-year-old second-generation player has already said goodbye to Warriors fans via X.

The viral tweet by NBA Centel has a photo of Klay Thompson exiting the floor with the words “Thats All Folks.” It captioned it with:

“Klay Thompson says goodbye to Warriors on his Instagram ”

It bears noting, however, that NBA Centel is a known parody account that posts fake news stories and videos for entertainment.

According to recent reports, the Warriors are still bent on keeping Thompson around, notwithstanding that he turned down a two-year, $48 million extension in contract discussions last summer.

In the ongoing NBA season, Thompson has been going for 17.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists, which are down from the numbers he had last season.

The Warriors, meanwhile, are currently at 18–20, 12th in the Western Conference. They were in action on Friday in Chicago, defeating the Bulls, 140-131, led by Thompson’s 30 points, to stop a two-game slide.

Klay Thompson declined two-year extension from the Warriors last summer

Klay Thompson's involvement in in-season trade discussions partly stems from his decision to decline a two-year extension from Golden State last summer.

As per published reports, the 33-year-old four-time NBA All-Star was offered to stay for another two years with the Warriors for $48 million.

Discussions stalled as the parties did not see eye-to-eye on the length and amount of money involved in a fresh deal.

Thompson is in the final year of the five-year, $189.9-million contract he signed with the team in July 2019. He is being paid this season $43.2 million.

By taking the $48 million he is being offered, the four-time NBA champion would only be getting $24 million per year if he decides to hook up again with the Warriors, a huge pay cut for him no doubt.

But despite the setback in contract negotiations, ESPN’s Zach Lowe believes that the Warriors are inclined not to trade Thompson, a popular figure in the Bay Area, and find a way to keep him in their fold.

He said by way of the Bleacher Report:

"To be clear, the Warriors do not want to trade Klay Thompson. They have no desire to do it. I would bet heavily against it ever happening."

Thompson has helped his cause of staying with Golden State by turning things around after a slow start to the season that saw him struggle with his shooting.