The Warriors are trying to point Klay Thompson to a less-than-max offer. (USATSI)
I've been riding this train for a while, so I thought I'd pick back up on the "the Warriors' decision making about Klay Thompson makes no sense at all" train. To recap, quickly:
1. Warriors love Klay Thompson, because he shoots like this:
2. Warriors refuse to trade Thompson for Kevin Love, which is a little bit insane, and shows how much they value him.
3. Thompson, obviously, wants a max extension since the team loves him so much that they wouldn't give him up for Kevin Love. Leverage!
3. Contract extension talks open with Thompson.
4. The new TV media deal means that if Thompson signs an extension now, he's giving up on a substantial payday he'd hit if he found himself a free agent in 2016. Thompson, shockingly, actually would rather have the security than a substantially higher payday despite no injury issues.
5. Negotiations get stuck about "$3 million apart" reportedly. Which makes no sense, as I wrote at the time, because the Warriors abandoned all leverage when they didn't trade him for Love.
6. Over the weekend, Thompson is then reported to be "frustrated" with the process. From Yahoo Sports:
Klay Thompson's camp is frustrated that the Golden State Warriors haven't offered a maximum contract in their ongoing extension talks with Friday's deadline nearing, sources told Yahoo Sports.
Thompson is seeking a maximum deal paying upward of $15 million per season, a source said. The Warriors have improved their offer to get in the vicinity but have not offered a full maximum contract, sources said.
If Thompson and the Warriors do not come to terms on an extension by the Halloween deadline, he will be a restricted free agent next summer.
via Sources: Stalling contract talks between Thompson, Warriors causing frustration - Yahoo Sports.
I mean, from a business standpont, if you remove all logic and context here and just look at it from a "what's best for business" perspective, the Warriors are just trying to suck as many dollars out of the deal as they can. They know they can and will match any offer in restricted free agency for Thompson if they don't get the deal done by Friday. They know that they've expressed to Thompson their love of his game. They're just trying to get any money they can back. Every dollar is precious under a salary cap, and the Warriors want to get the best deal possible.
The bigger thing to remember here is that while it doesn't make sense to frustrate this guy that you've put so much faith and stock in, that you sacrificed the opportunity to get a top-ten player for, there's this reality: Thompson won't hold it against them. Players are always so happy and relieved to get that contract, and Thompson loves the team so much, that they never hold it against the front office.
Well, unless you do something stupid like refuse to offer Kevin Love the max. What's up, David Kahn?
It should be noted, however, a key differential here. In order to offer the five-year designated contract to Thompson, the Warriors must make it a max contract. Without it being a max deal, it can't be five years. That extra year of guaranteed money is big for players who naturally have concerns about injury. If Thompson's looking for security, he wants that fifth year, otherwise he'd be looking to maximize the payday to compensate for it.
So the Warriors aren't just saving money here, they're angling for flexibility, and that compromises the security which was the whole pitch for Thompson.
The most likely scenario is still that the Warriors relent and give Thompson a max, after all, they have no leverage here because Thompson knows at the least he can get a max four year deal in restricted free agency, or sign the qualifying offer this summer and then sign a max five-year deal as an unrestricted free agent, getting an even longer deal if it goes down that road. Thompson's not leaving the Warriors, because there's simply no indication that he'll get upset enough at this process to force his way out. But it is fascinating to see a team effectively print up giant love letters to a player publicly, and then say "Well, we're not quite willing to go that far in negotiations."
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67RIEFNS: Suns’ many point guards
The NBA is full of talent, personality and suspense. During the offseason, It’s easy to forget how wonderful the league can be. So, I’ve assembled 67 Reasons I’m Excited For Next Season (67RIEFNS). They’ll be presented in no particular order.
In this series, I’ve already written about Goran Dragic playing in the spotlight and Isaiah Thomas seeking revenge.
But that only cracks the surface of Phoenix’s point guards.
The Suns, after an offseason of uncertainty, re-signed Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe is an efficient scorer and awesome defender. He can stick in front of anyone on the perimeter. Few guards match his two-way skills, and he’s developed valuable chemistry with Dragic.
Phoenix also drafted Tyler Ennis from Syracuse in the first round. Ennis just knows how to play. He sees the court well and makes good decisions with the ball. He reportedly struggled in pre-draft workouts, which should justifiably raise questions about his athleticism. But, to me, his in-game savvy outweighs those concerns.
Between Dragic, Bledsoe, Thomas and Ennis, the Suns can use two point guards simultaneously as much as they want – a scary proposition for opposing defenses.
Phoenix coach Jeff Hornacek, whose team played at its fastest tempo in five years last season, wants to go even faster this year. Deploying two point guards more often should help a great deal. Either can take the ball and go.
Those two-point guard lineups often give up something defensively. Ennis, especially coming from Syracuse, will likely struggle on that end as a rookie. Thomas is not as pesky as you’d hope. But Dragic is big enough to hold his own, and Bledsoe is a downright defensive star.
The Suns’ point guards should defend well enough to allow themselves to focus on what they do best – push the pace, find open players and knock down shots. Phoenix’s stockpile of point guards is going to create one fun offense.
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