According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Klay Thompson has agreed to a five-year deal with the Golden State Warriors worth $190 million

Sources: Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors plan to reach agreement on a five-year, $190M maximum contract, with the Warriors sending a front-office contingent to Los Angeles to visit Thompson within the next day.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2019

Golden State Warriors Re-Sign Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson’s contract will go until the 2024-2025 NBA season. Thompson averaged 21.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 40.2 percent from three last year with the Golden State Warriors. He had an up and down year, but really rounded into form as they went deeper in the postseason

He sent shockwaves through the NBA and free agency landscapes when he tore his ACL during Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Thompson went up for a contested dunk but tweaked his knee with an awkward landing. Slow-motion replay showed that his knee bent in a direction that it had no business bending in.

He was so pumped on adrenaline and committed to his team that he walked back out from the locker room to nail his free throw attempts. Shortly after he was forced to go back in for re-evaluation, then he was pictured leaving the arena on crutches. This happened only one game after Kevin Durant tore his Achilles tendon. In the span of three wild days, the Golden State Warriors went from prohibitive favorites to a total question mark for the following NBA season.

Klay Thompson Timetable To Return

Klay Thompson’s timeline to return to action isn’t set in stone. ACL injuries take almost a year to recover from. Nick Friedell of ESPN reported that the Warriors are targeting a February or March return date for Thompson. That translates to a 9-10 month recovery period filled with grueling rehab.

Even when he returns, it’ll take time for him to get back to the same high level he was before. ACL injuries whittle away at a player’s explosiveness. One can see that in the case of Derrick Rose in 2012. Thompson’s game isn’t as dependent on rim-attacking explosiveness as Rose, but he does move without the ball often to get good looks. Not to mention, his defensive prowess is dependent on his ability to stay with his man. Klay Thompson may have signed a new deal, but nobody knows when that same player will take the hardwood again.

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