Steve Kerr hopes Klay Thompson is offered new deal after what could’ve been his last Warriors game

After Sacramento got their revenge over Golden State this Tuesday night and eliminated them from the 2023/24 season, all eyes turned to Klay Thompson who doesn’t have a contract extension deal with the team and might’ve played his last game with the Warriors that night.

His coach sent him to the bench with 2:13 remaining on the clock, as the crowd witnessed him exiting the court with his head hung low. With last night’s 118-94 defeat, the Kings not only sent their rivals into their earliest offseason in three campaigns, but also sent the sharpshooter straight into unrestricted free agency.

Steve Kerr was quick to address the situation. “We need Klay back,” he said postgame. “He’s still got good years left. And I know I speak for everybody in the organization: We want him back. … What Klay has meant to this franchise and as good as he still is, we desperately want him back.”

“Klay Thompson is very open to seeing his marketplace in free agency.”

– @ShamsCharania

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Even though Klay barely spoke after the match, he was very sentimental in the team’s locker room. “That’s life,” the veteran said. “Had so much success here, I’m not going to let whatever future happens make me salty about what I’ve been able to accomplish in a Warriors uniform. I don’t let that seep in at all.”

Unfortunately for him, his season finale made clear he’s lost his magic. The player was held scoreless on 0-for-10 shooting, including 0-for-6 from beyond the arc. This was only the fifth contest in his entire career in which he wasn’t able to drop in a single point.

Kerr admitted that it wasn’t easy to see him fail shot after shot this Tuesday evening. “I’ve watched him the last couple years fighting the feeling of devastation from injuries and I watched him this season flip his season around,” the tactician shared. “I saw him enjoy the second half of the season and play with a little more freedom and joy, so tonight was tough to see him struggle.”

In other news, after 77 games played, the shooting guard competed in his most amount of games in 6 years, since back when he tore his ACL and Achilles heel in 2018/19.

His teammates were the first to say that they hope the franchise will do “right by Klay” this summer

Once the game was over, the press was all over the locker room asking about Klay’s potential last game for the franchise. However, teammate Draymond Green was the first to guarantee that the Golden State organization will honor Thompson with a new contract, or at least will do what’s best for him this offseason.

“[Klay is] going to make the best decision for him, the team’s got a decision to make and they’ll make the best decision for the team. … I don’t think there’s any scenario where Klay leaves and that’s the best decision for this team and organization,” the forward said. “[The organization] has shown nothing but respect, loyalty, love and trust. I’ve got no reason to think, oh man, they’re not going to do right by Klay.”

Negotiations for a new contract stalled between the sharpshooter and the team back when the campaign began, but they never really restarted throughout the competition. Stephen Curry believes he played a great season.

“It’s about commending him on a hell of a year,” the point guard assured. “Everyone is going to talk about one game, and I know he wanted to do better. We go through so much over 82 games, and the fact that he was able to turn his season around with a new role and adjusting … just really having fun playing basketball and being at peace out there with it all, I’m more worried about that.”