Klay Thompson has surprising comment about taking reduced role

Klay Thompson has struggled to accept a reduced role with the Golden State Warriors this season, but that does not mean the franchise icon is looking for a way out.

Thompson said he would be willing to accept a reduced role going forward if it means he can remain with the Warriors. He acknowledged that he turns 35 next year, and added that his bond with his teammates is far more important to him than anything else.

“I mean, just for where we started. The Warriors before we got there had a good history as far as Wilt and Rick Barry and TMC and We Believe. I think we elevated that to another level,” Thompson said, via Logan Murdock of The Ringer. “I just think it’s a special, special group, and then when we win and go to so many championships together, … it’s like a bond for life. It’s probably the best part of the job, honestly. Trumps the money, trumps the fame, just being able to have a bond for life with those guys.”

Thompson has recently seen himself benched in crunch time, a humbling experience for a player who was once one of the core players on one of the league’s great dynasties. That has not been easy for him, which he has openly admitted. It certainly speaks to his bond with his teammates and the organization if he is willing to accept that sort of arrangement permanently if it means he gets to stick around.

Thompson will become a free agent this summer. The two sides did not get far in contract negotiations earlier in the season, but the door is clearly still open from his side.