Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson bashed a supposed rumor that he might retire after the 2024 season.
Klay Thompson’s contract with the Warriors expires after the 2024 season. Thus, some have suggested that he could retire, rather than seek another deal in Golden State or elsewhere.
Thompson refuted those suggestions in a press conference Thursday.
“There’s a report out there . . . I have no intention of retiring in 2024,” Thompson said. “If you write some dumb s–t like that, just be held accountable. That’s crazy. Just because I didn’t play 5-on-5 doesn’t mean I’m going to retire. That is absurd. That’s all I got to say.”
Thompson is fresh off another NBA Title, and only a few seasons removed from major knee surgery. While his health is always in question, it doesn’t mean he’s thinking of hanging up his sneaks anytime soon.
Warriors: What report was Klay Thompson talking about?
Klay Thompson appeared to reference comments made by San Francisco Chronicle sportswriter Connor Letourneau in a radio appearance. Now, to be fair to the writer at hand, Letourneau did not say Thompson will definitely retire. He merely referenced the possibility and gave his opinion on the matter, which is far different from having a sourced report.
“The reality is that Klay does have two more years on his deal,” Letourneau said. “I personally would not be shocked if Klay just retired from basketball at the end of that contract.
“I don’t think it’s going to be between this season and next season. If he does retire in the near future it would be after his contract ends. He’s had no interest or desire to talk about extensions, even though he is extension eligible right now.”
Thompson’s harsh criticism stems from a miscommunication in the process. It’s Letourneau’s job to form opinions based on his sources. He knows this team quite well. However, he did not say, definitively, that he is hearing anything about Thompson’s future.
We’ll chalk this one up to a breakdown in communication.