Klay Thompson discussed a variety of topics with Tim Kawakami and Marcus Thompson of The Athletic on their podcast Warriors Plus/Minus (transcribed by Chris Barnewell of CBS Sports):
Kawakami: “Could you (take a discount?”)
Klay Thompson: “I probably could, yeah. That much? I don’t know. I don’t make as much as Kevin off the court.”…
“If it’s a few million … It’s a blessing whatever contract I sign. I would definitely consider it cause I don’t want to lose anybody.”
Durant took a major discount this summer, signing a two-year contract worth $53 million.
Durant took his discount so that the team could keep vital role players like Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston on board. Thompson may have to take a similar action if he wants to keep the integral pieces of the roster together.
Thompson has plenty of time to figure things out, however; he won’t hit free agency until 2019.
If Thompson isn’t amenable to taking a discount when the time comes, then the Warriors will have a choice to make: Pay Thompson the max to keep him with Durant, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green but lose other key players, or give up on Thompson and build depth behind the trio of Curry/Durant/Green.
