Klay Thompson responds to critics who say Warriors’ dynasty is over

Klay Thompson has a message for critics who say the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty is over.

The Warriors lost Kevin Durant in free agency to the Brooklyn Nets and DeMarcus Cousins to the Lakers. They traded away Andre Iguodala to make room for D’Angelo Russell. Shaun Livingston was waived. And Thompson is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL. For all those reasons, many don’t view the Warriors as a championship contender entering the season. Moreover, some believe their dynasty has ended.

“I think that’s a little premature, to say there’s no more dynasty,” Thompson told ESPN’s ‘The Jump’ in response to such talk. “We still have Stephen Curry, a two-time MVP. Draymond Green, a Defensive Player of the Year. Adding D’Angelo Russell was an incredible get for us. That kid is going to blossom into a superstar in this league.

“I think I’m going to come back even more, even more athletic. It would not be smart to count the Dubs out.”

He’s right; it would not be smart to count out the Warriors. But expecting them to contend for the championship next season is equally unlikely.

One factor that should help the team is the way they’re being discounted by many. Seemingly being slighted by Kevin Durant and hearing that the “dynasty is over” should motivate them entering next season.

Here’s video of Klay’s comments:

Klay Thompson on those who say the Warriors' dynasty is over: "To say the dynasty is over is a little ignorant because I'm going to come back better and even more athletic. It would not be smart to count the Dubs out." pic.twitter.com/BVshD0xzR2

— Chris Montano (@gswchris) August 1, 2019

Klay Thompson drops special edition newspaper-themed shoes

Klay Thompson’s shoe company Anta is celebrating their client’s max contract with the Golden State Warriors by releasing a special edition sneaker.

ESPN/Nice Kicks sneaker reporter Nick DePaula shared on Twitter Monday that Anta is collaborating with the East Bay Times on the Anta KT4s, a special edition shoe that features newspaper clippings on it. The shoe references Thompson’s habit of reading the newspaper at his locker before games.

Klay Thompson is celebrating his new @Warriors Max deal with a special edition sneaker drop this weekend, highlighting his pre-game locker ritual of reading the newspaper.

The @EastBayTimes x Anta KT4s will drop at @Oaklandish’s downtown Oakland store this Sunday, July 7th. pic.twitter.com/qkCpFwcBr2

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) July 2, 2019

Thompson received a five-year, $190 million max contract from the Golden State Warriors, the team that drafted him in 2011. He will be recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Raptors.

Thompson has averaged 19.5 points on 45.9 percent shooting for his career. He is a career 41.9 percent 3-point shooter and has been especially clutch in the playoffs for the Dubs.

Report: Warriors planning max offer to Klay Thompson at start of free agency

Klay Thompson looks set to get the max deal from the Golden State Warriors he so badly wanted.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Warriors will offer Thompson the five-year, $190 million max deal he is seeking when free agency starts at 6 p.m. ET Sunday. Once that happens, a formal agreement is expected to come quickly.

Sources: Golden State is planning to offer All-Star Klay Thompson a 5-year, $190M maximum contract when free agency opens Sunday at 6 PM ET — which is expected to accelerate process of GM Bob Myers and Thompson’s agent, Greg Lawrence, quickly reaching formal agreement.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2019

The news doesn’t come as a massive surprise. Thompson has said all along that he wanted to stay with the Warriors, and Golden State appeared committed to giving him what he wanted even after he tore his ACL in the NBA Finals. While Thompson was ready to play hardball if the max offer from the Warriors didn’t come his way immediately, it doesn’t look like that will be necessary.

Klay Thompson is working the Warriors hard for a max contract

Klay Thompson is widely expected to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors this summer, but he and his representatives are working hard to ensure the team comes with a bag of cash.

Reports over the past two months have been linking Thompson to other teams in free agency, such as the LA Clippers. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Times’ Brad Turner reported that Thompson will be ready to listen to offers from the Clippers and Lakers if the Warriors don’t bring the max offer of five years and $190 million.

Sources: If the Warriors don’t offer guard Klay Thompson a max $190 million deal on Sunday when free agency opens, he will listen to both LA teams, the Lakers and Clippers. Lakers back in the runnings because they now have max slot of $32 million after today’s trade.

— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) June 28, 2019

Thompson’s team is playing hardball here. Klay may be chill and mild-mannered, but he wants the respect from the team in terms of a max deal that he has earned. If they try to do anything less, he is threatening to leave for two of their biggest rivals within the conference — teams that are emerging. The downside is those teams can only offer him a four-year deal, so the Warriors have the best position.

A few years ago, Andre Iguodala was forced to secure an offer from the Rockets in free agency before the Warriors stepped up to the plate. Thompson doesn’t want to be forced to do that, but he is willing to use that threat in order to get what he wants from Golden State.

Klay Thompson scheduled for ACL surgery this week

Klay Thompson will finally have surgery on his torn ACL later this week, according to Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers.

Myers said Monday that Thompson has surgery scheduled by the end of the week, and will start the recovery process afterwards.

Bob Myers said he's hearing Klay Thompson's ACL surgery has been scheduled for later this week.

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) June 24, 2019

The surgery will keep Thompson out for the majority of next season. It’s not even clear if Thompson will be playing for Golden State, though there are plenty of signs that he’d prefer to stay with the Warriors, and the Warriors seem equally intent on making sure that happens.

Thompson tore his ACL in the third quarter of Game 6 of the NBA Finals on June 13.

Details of reported cast for ‘Space Jam 2’ revealed

Details regarding the anticipated cast for “Space Jam 2” have been revealed, and one of LeBron James’ new teammates is expected to join him in the film.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are among the NBA players expected to have key roles in the movie, alongside LeBron, who will star in the film. Charania further says WNBA stars Diana Taurasi and Nneka Ogwumike will have key roles, with several other NBA and WNBA players appearing.

Sources: Space Jam 2, starring LeBron James, is expected to feature key roles for Damian Lillard, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson and WNBA stars Diana Taurasi and Nneka Ogwumike. Several more NBA and WNBA players, including Chiney Ogwumike, are expected to play roles in film.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 20, 2019

“Space Jam 2” has been discussed for several years, with LeBron’s film company working to put together a sequel despite warnings against it. A previous report said James was having a hard time securing stars for the film, with one MVP candidate saying he preferred to practice instead. Getting Lillard, Thompson and Davis on board shows there were still plenty of other players interested.

The movie was set to film this summer and has a July 2021 release date.

Beyond trying to prepare for their upcoming season together on the Lakers, Davis and James will first attempt to develop chemistry on the screen.

Mychal Thompson says ‘no question’ Klay will return to Warriors

All signs point to Klay Thompson remaining with the Golden State Warriors.

Thompson’s father Mychal said Friday there was “no question” that Thompson would remain with Golden State despite suffering a torn ACL during Thursday’s Game 6.

Just spoke with Klay Thompson's father, Mychal, who said there's "no question" Klay will re-sign with the Warriors. Golden State is expected to still offer him a full five-year maximum deal.

— Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) June 14, 2019

Thompson always felt likely to return to Golden State before the injury. The fact that the team is still reportedly willing to offer him a max deal should pretty much clinch it.

The focus would then turn to Kevin Durant, who is facing his own free agency with the reality that he probably won’t play next season. Of course, Durant himself may have already hinted at where he sees his future, though there’s a long way to go there.