Even if Thompson re-scores 20+, the Warriors won't give him a big contract

After suffering a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee in the '19 Finals, many people thought that Thompson, who was in a contract year, would be difficult to get another big contract. After all, if you don't recover well from this injury, you may never be able to return to the top.

It's just that no one thought that in the 19 offseason, the Warriors gave Thompson a five-year, $190 million premium contract on the premise that they couldn't keep Durant - and didn't go through much "ideological struggle".

In fact, at that time, the Warriors management gave Thompson a five-year, $190 million contract, mainly because he was a meritorious player of the Warriors' "five-year triple crown";

However, before the start of the 20-21 season, just when the outside world was expecting Thompson to return to full blood and help the Warriors return to championship contention, Thompson suffered a torn Achilles tendon injury during a training game and was once again out for the season. And after experiencing these two major injuries in succession, Thompson after his comeback is no longer the Thompson we are familiar with.

In the first two seasons of Thompson's comeback, although his actual performance on the court declined a lot, he could barely maintain it in terms of statistics. In those two seasons, he averaged 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 42.9% shooting from the field and 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists on 43.6% shooting.

But after two seasons of adjustment, Thompson not only failed to regain his form, but even declined further. In the new season, he averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 40.2% from the field, and can no longer be a reliable second-in-command next to Curry, but he still wants a big contract.

Even if Thompson plays 20+ again, the Warriors won't give him another big contract

1. With a slump in defense and emotional offense, it is difficult for Thompson to bring positive help to the Warriors. At his peak, Thompson was able to effectively limit the opponent's offensive core on the defensive end, score efficiently on the offensive end, and even turn the tide when the team fell into adversity.

So Thompson, who had three points to defend and did not possess the ball, became the template of the league's "super second leader". But now, after two major injuries, due to the decline in body, speed, and reflexes, Thompson has declined on both offensive and defensive ends.

Thompson is now unable to lead the opposing offensive core or consistently output from beyond the three-point line. Especially when the Warriors are in adversity, he can no longer enter the "G6 soup" state and step up to turn the tide like he did at his peak.

In addition, Thompson's biggest weakness these days is that he plays too emotionally. Compared with the calm mind at his peak, Thompson is now easily provoked by opponents to break the defense, and then be ejected from the game;

2. Thompson's future is already foreseeable, and giving him a big contract will lock Curry to the rest of his peak. In recent years, Thompson's influence on both offensive and defensive ends has not been as good as before, and coupled with the fact that he is very emotional when playing, his positive role for the Warriors has indeed declined a lot.

Especially now that Thompson is about to turn 34, with his current form and physical fitness, it is almost impossible to return to his peak in the future. This also means that even if Thompson is still capable of playing in the NBA in the next few years, he will no longer be one of the most ideal pieces of the championship puzzle for the Warriors.

If the Warriors management gives him a contract with an annual salary of 15 million, it will not affect the future of the team too much. But if the Warriors offer him a contract of $30 million or $35 million per year, the Warriors' reinforcement space will be completely locked up. Curry will turn 36 next year, and while he is still in peak form, there is not much time left for him to compete for a championship.

So judging from Thompson's current state and Curry's remaining peak, unless Thompson is willing to lower the contract requirements next, the "Splash Brothers" may really disintegrate next year, because the Warriors management will definitely not give Thompson another big contract next year.