Klay, Warriors engaged in tense standoff ahead of NBA free agency

SAN FRANCISCO — A longtime NBA agent told me years ago, during the Warriors’ dynastic run, that Golden State CEO Joe Lacob might be the most competitive owner in the league. That he wants to win “everything.”

Not only championships, but also contract negotiations.

This assertion has proved ever more credible over the years, and it sheds light on the increasingly taut matter of the Warriors and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Klay Thompson.

The Warriors are sincere in their desire to retain Thompson — but on terms they consider a good value. Lacob has proven he will pay, but also that he wants to win the investment.

“We want him back,” Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy said Monday in his pre-NBA draft press conference. “We’ve said that all along. Hopefully he’ll come back. But as far as the specifics and discussions and those types of things, I think it’s important to keep in-house and that stuff. When we figure out a solution to all that, we’ll have news for you.”

Meanwhile, Golden State is exuding patience at the level that only comes when believing there is a reasonable chance of being rewarded.

They’re willing to wait, to let Thompson and his representatives explore the market and see what’s available. The Warriors have drawn a line in the sand and won’t voluntarily cross it. Won’t even consider crossing it unless provoked, at which time they might recalibrate.

Might.

It’s a form of chicken, the game in which, for example, two drivers set off on a collision course to see which one moves to avoid the other. Except this involves two groups with clear differences that will remain in place until one compromises.

Despite Thompson’s tremendous contributions to the greatest years the franchise has ever experienced, this strategy is risky but logical. The Warriors don’t know Klay’s precise value on the market, and neither does Team Thompson. What is known is that the two sides do not agree.

It also has become obvious that the warmth of past glory matters, but it’s not a determining factor for either side.

“I think I’m reasonable, I’m rational,” Dunleavy said. “That’s how I’m always going to operate. But to say a guy like Klay Thompson, who has meant so much to this franchise, to completely strip the emotion away from it, I think that’s almost impossible.

“But this is a business. We’ll talk through things and continue to talk through things. We are hopeful, but we’ll see. We’ve got to figure things out.”

From a strictly business viewpoint, the Warriors see a five-time All-Star and one-time All-Defensive team selection who is unlikely to regain such distinction. Thompson was 29 when he received either of those honors. Five years and two devastating injuries later, he no longer possesses the gifts that invited such lofty awards.

Golden State has watched Thompson’s last 2.5 seasons and concluded he no longer is a “max” player but still capable of making significant contribution on a winning team. He still can drop 40 points in a given game, but his scoring frenzies are less frequent. He can provide decent defense in some matchups, but he no longer can lock down a perimeter scorer.

Thompson, according to multiple league sources, wants a three-year contract and a chance to win a fifth NBA championship. That’s why a potential contender — the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Orlando Magic, the Philadelphia 76ers, to name three — would be interested.

The Warriors consider themselves contenders, but they want to see how far other teams will go to persuade Thompson to leave the franchise that drafted him 13 years ago. They don’t necessarily believe any team will wave a nine-figure bag under his chin.

If Klay is determined to leave, Golden State can’t and won’t stop him. If he’s willing to stay under agreeable financial terms while also embracing the Sixth Man role, the Warriors will open their arms with a fair proposal.

“Factoring all those things in is what’s most important,” Dunleavy said. “And that’s kind of what’s taken place, what we are looking at. That’s as simple as it is.

“There’s probably going to be varying degrees of what that value is, but that’s on us and that’s on me to figure out what’s the right amount for our team.”

The right amount is irrespective of Golden State’s luxury tax bill. It’s barely related to where Thompson would fit within the team’s salary structure.

The right amount, as defined by the Warriors, is whatever snags Thompson while also allowing Lacob and Dunleavy to walk away feeling successful.

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