Klay Thompson emphatically refutes report of possible 2024 retirement

Klay emphatically refutes report of possible 2024 retirement originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea

SAN FRANCISCO – Klay Thompson crept into the interview room Thursday wearing an expression suggesting he wouldn’t have much to say. It later became clear the opposite was true.

Klay, in this instance, definitely had something to say and waited almost 13 minutes to utter it unprompted.

He is not retiring when his contract expires in June 2024.

“There’s a report out there . . . I have no intention of retiring in 2024,” he said with conviction and clear annoyance.

“If you write some dumb s–t like that, just be held accountable,” he added. “That’s crazy. Just because I didn’t play 5-on-5 doesn’t mean I’m going to retire. That is absurd. That’s all I got to say.”

Thompson was referring to comments made by San Francisco Chronicle sportswriter Connor Letourneau during a guest segment Monday on KNBR radio, which published part of the interview on its website.

To be fair, Letourneau did not say Klay would retire. Rather, he expressed his opinion on the possibility.

“The reality is that Klay does have two more years on his deal,” Letourneau said. “I personally would not be shocked if Klay just retired from basketball at the end of that contract.

“I don’t think it’s going to be between this season and next season. If he does retire in the near future it would be after his contract ends. He’s had no interest or desire to talk about extensions, even though he is extension eligible right now.”

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Thompson has two seasons remaining on the five-year, $189-million contract he signed in July 2019, shortly after undergoing surgery on his left ACL. Unless the five-time All-Star signs an extension before July 2024, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

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Now entering his 12th season, Thompson has said on several occasions that he would like to spend his entire career with the Warriors.

It appears he is determined to push his career beyond 2024

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