The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently made an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, where he spoke about the Golden State Warriors in great detail. He discussed the current situation of the franchise, paying particular attention to the stalled contract negotiations with Klay Thompson. The sharpshooter, who is, of course, the second ‘Splash Brother’, is integral to the franchise’s success.
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This led to the conversation drifting to the Warriors’ hopes for the upcoming 2023-2024 season. Here, Charania suggested that the Dubs will constantly be in contention as long as they have Stephen Curry on the roster. However, he does acknowledge the role Thompson plays and the fact that neither side has been able to come to an agreement.
Shams Charania praises Stephen Curry and the Warriors while acknowledging Klay Thompson’s stalled contract negotiations
The Golden State Warriors kick off the regular season against the Phoenix Suns. But, prior to the game, respected reporter, Shams Charania appeared on the Pat McAfee show where he discussed the team’s chances for the 2023-2024 season. His main point, as expected, revolved around Steph Curry, a player he believes makes the Warriors contenders each and every year.
Comparing him to the likes of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, Charania heaped praise on Curry. He even suggested that Steph could be one of those players who could play until he is 40. Additionally, in the next two years, he and Nikola Jokic could be two players who will potentially earn $70,000,000 a year.
All that aside, the Dubs remain perennial contenders so long as Curry continues to keep performing at the high level he still does. With that said, he also acknowledged the Klay Thompson situation. Entering the last year of his deal, Klay’s contract negotiations have stalled, and according to Charania, the sides are far apart on an extension.
“As long as Steph Curry is there and doing what he does, they’re a contender. But, Klay Thompson, he’s entering the last year of his deal. They’ve had extension conversations as well to bring him back like they did Draymond Green over the summer. But, I’m told the sides are far apart on an extension.”
“As long as Steph Curry is in Golden State they’re a contender..
Klay Thompson and the Warriors have had extension conversations but I’m told the sides are far apart” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Cw68IdOVVw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 24, 2023
It will be interesting to see just how the season progresses for the Warriors. There is little doubt that the situation with Thompson will have an effect on the team. Nevertheless, they will all need to be focused on one thing, and that is winning an NBA Championship.
Klay Thompson is ready to test free agency once the 2023-2024 season comes to an end
Klay Thompson is undeniably a key part of the Golden State Warriors’ roster. However, with his future in the organization up in the air, many are wondering what his next move will be. As things stand, Klay starts the season without a new contract. And, as time progresses, this will likely have a massive impact on the Dubs as a whole.
In fact, with reports suggesting that an agreement is nowhere near being reached, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski claims that there is a “very real possibility” that Klay looks to test his value in free agency.
Reporting for NBA Countdown on the Klay Thompson extension talks, including ESPN analyst Bob Myers’ window into the negotiating stakes for the Golden State Warriors and the franchise’s storied guard pic.twitter.com/YpZaIppooU
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 16, 2023
This report is in stark contrast to what Thompson himself has stated. He recently claimed that championships are far more important than money. Regardless, at this point, only time will tell what the future holds for the 33-year-old. Either way, whether it’s in Golden State or somewhere else, he will continue to ball.