“When Moses Malone signed for $6 million a year back in the 80s, people went crazy”: Klay Thompson points out the stark differences in NBA Finances between the Michael Jordan era and today

Klay Thompson used the example of Moses Malone signing with the 76ers in the 80s to illustrate the differences in NBA finances between eras.

Klay Thompson has not featured in a professional basketball since the 2019 NBA Finals. Klay went down in Game 6 of the finals with a torn ACL and the Warriors eventually lost the game and the championship.

Klay missed the whole of the 2019-20 season before another fatal injury ruled him out of action for another season. The five-time all-star tore his Achilles Tendon in a preseason pick-up game and was due to undergo surgery which kept him out of action for the 2020-21 season.

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Thompson who is one-half of the renowned Splash brothers is a three-time  NBA Champion with the Golden State Warriors and made it to five straight NBA Finals with the Californian team. The son of Mychal Thompson, a former number one overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft, Klay was drafted to the Warriors in 2011 with the 11th overall pick.

Klay Thompson opens up about salaries, financial management, and player’s association

Klay Thompson agreed to terms with the Golden State Warriors on a 5-year, $189,903,600 contract, with $189,903,600 guaranteed and an annual average salary of $37,980,720. Thompson will earn a base salary of $37,980,720 in 2021-22, with a cap hit of $37,980,720 and a dead cap value of $37,980,720.

In an interview with Maverick Carter, Thompson discusses the importance of player’s association, salary caps, and financial management. Thompson speaks about the major difference between the impact of player’s association now and back when his father plied his trade in the NBA.

Klay further speaks about how money has drastically increased in the NBA over the years and how nothing could’ve prepared the all-star guard for the amount of money he would come into in his career. Thompson highlight’s how the star-driven league has seen drastic changes in NBA salary caps over the years.

Thompson recalls conversations with his dad about player salaries, BRI (Basketball-related income), and the increase in average player salaries from the 1980s to the 2020s. The average salary in the 1980s was $173,500 compared to the $7.9 million average salaries in the NBA as of 2021.

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Thompson further talks about the importance of financial management in the interview and voices his astonishment over the salary he earns. The NBA is eagerly awaiting the return of Klay, with the Warriors boasting a top 5 offense and defense to which the former champion will add a lot of quality and class.