"Final stage of being washed" - Klay Thompson's verdict on retirement has NBA fans in shambles

Klay Thompson had a season that's been defined by its ebbs and flows. However, Thompson recently erupted for a massive 35-point outing, against the Utah Jazz, but prior to that, he went through a rocky stretch that saw him pulled from the starting lineup. With plenty of ups and downs this season, there's been quite a bit of talk about Thompson's future.

This offseason, he's notably set to hit free agency. For quite some time, the expectation was that he would be seeking a massive contract, however, amid his struggles, he's changed his tune. Now, in addition to maintaining that he wants to retire with the Warriors, Thompson also stated that he will take a reduced role.

This, of course, will likely result in Klay Thompson making significantly less money on his new contract assuming he and the Warriors reach a deal this summer. Since then, he recently indicated that he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he knows his playing career won't see him reach 40.

“I would love to be a Warrior for life. Whatever happens though, I’ve got a few more years to play this game, so I’m gonna enjoy every second. I realize that I see light at the end of the tunnel, (and) I’m not sure if I want to play until I’m 40, man. That sounds really exhausting.”

Looking at Klay Thompson's upcoming free agency decision amid career decline

As previously mentioned, Klay Thompson will be faced with a big free agency decision this summer. Heading into the season, the talk surrounding his free agency decision was that he would be pursuing a massive deal with the Golden State Warriors.

Now, however, amidst his worst scoring season since his sophomore year in the league, and the worst shooting season of his career, talk has changed. In addition to his struggles, Steve Kerr has brought the aging standout off the bench, partly due to Brandon Podziemski's impressive play.

This has put Klay Thompson in a position to reassess things. Based on his comments, he has now come to the conclusion that staying with the Golden State Warriors likely means a reduced role, and less money.

As he indicated in the above-mentioned tweet, Thompson has decided that playing until he's 40 seems like a bit of a long shot. After recently turning 34, that doesn't mean that the Warriors standout will walk away from the game tomorrow, however, as he indicated, he sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

As Steph Curry indicated this week, regardless of whether Thompson is starting or coming off the bench, he's still Klay Thompson, one of the best shooters of all time. Although it's unclear just how many more years Thompson will play, it sounds like he's willing to do whatever is necessary to spend them with the Warriors.