Klay Thompson went 0-for-10 from the field on Tuesday, going scoreless for the 1st time since his rookie season.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Klay Thompson has provided many memorable moments during his decade-plus run as Stephen Curry's splash brother running mate in the Golden State Warriors' dynasty.
Game 6 Heroics. Marks of 3 points. A shut-down defense against some of the game's top scorers.
Those were all distant memories as Thompson had one of his worst games in a big moment, missing all 10 of his shots on Tuesday night. 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in a play-in game that was Thompson's last game before an uncertain summer of free agency.
“Everybody's going to talk about a game,” Curry said. “I know he wants to play well. … I know he's a true champion. We all prepare ourselves to play our best when the lights are bright. When that doesn't happen, nobody has to tell you anything.
Thompson spent the final minutes of the loss staring blankly on the bench before slowly walking off the court in what may have been his final time in a Warriors uniform.
He was held scoreless for the first time since his rookie season And the most shots in a playoff game by a Warriors player in at least 50 seasons without a miss.
It was a far cry from his 37-point third quarter against the Kings in 2015, or his 60-point game against Indiana the following season, or his 11 3-pointers in the 2016 Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City. Helped force a seventh game and eventually return to the NBA Finals.
But Thompson has struggled to get back to form after missing two full seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21 with devastating injuries to his knee and Achilles. He returned in 2022 to help Golden State win its fourth championship of the era, but struggled for long stretches of the season.
With the Warriors eliminated after a play-in loss to the Kings, how should Golden State approach the offseason?
He was benched at times in key late moments, forced to come off the bench during one stretch, but found his groove late in the season before falling flat against the Kings.
The final season of a five-year contract worth nearly $190 million came to an end Now set to become a free agent in July. The Warriors will have to decide how much they're willing to pay the 34-year-old, who has had great seasons in the past after a pair of serious injuries, and how big a pay cut Thompson is willing or willing to take. His career is elsewhere.
Warriors' Steve Kerr: “We need Klay [Thompson] Again. … He still has good years ahead of him. I know I speak for everyone in the company: We want him back. … We love him so much.”
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 17, 2024
“We need Clay back. I know he had a tough night tonight,” coach Steve Kerr said. “I know I speak for everybody in the organization, we want him back. Obviously there is business at hand that needs to be attended to. … But what Klay means to this franchise and how good he is, we definitely want him back.
Thompson has been a key part of a franchise that won four championships and made six trips to the Finals from 2015-22. Thompson's 2,481 3-pointers in the regular season are sixth-most in NBA history and more than anyone other than Curry's 501 in the playoffs.
Thompson did not speak to the media after the game, but is expected to on Wednesday when the team heads home for an uncertain summer.
“He's got a decision to make,” forward Draymond Green said. “He's going to make the best decision for him. The team has to make a decision. They're going to make the best decision for the team. I don't think there's any situation where Clay leaves, and that's the best scenario for this organization. … They did me right. They did right by Steph. They're ours. Done right by everyone.”
It was the first time the Warriors missed the playoffs in a season when all three of Curry, Thompson and Green were healthy.. Their 12 seasons are the second most of any trio in NBA history, behind the 14 by San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
“I could never see myself with those two guys,” Curry said. “I understand these league changes, there are a lot of things that we're not always going to play. But we've been through a lot together. At the end of the day, I know they want to win, I know I want to win, and that's all I care about.
