Joe Lacob on Klay Thompson’s contract extension talks: ‘Everyone needs to just chill a little bit’

Klay Thompson’s free agency looms next summer with reports indicating Thompson and the Warriors aren’t close to coming to a contract extension agreement. Golden State majority owner Joe Lacob implored everyone to relax about the stalled negotiations.

“I mean, we’re not in control of this,” Lacob said in a radio interview on Wednesday. “There’s two sides to every negotiation. We want him back. He wants to be back.”

Thompson is entering the final year of his five-year, $189.9 million contract signed in the weeks after his ACL tear during the 2019 NBA Finals. He’s eligible to sign an extension at any point this season, but without a deal, he will be a free agent when the 2023-24 season ends at age 34.

Thompson returned from ACL and Achilles surgeries in 2022 with his same 3-point-shooting impact but a different defensive skill set than his preinjured self – no longer tasked to defend the opposing team’s best player. Lacob likened Thompson’s contract situation to Draymond Green playing through his contract year last season without an extension in place; Green made known his intention to decline his player option for the 2023-24 season shortly after the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs and the sides didn’t come to an agreement until the first day of free agency.

“It’s kind of like Draymond,” Lacob said. “I think everyone needs to just chill a little bit. Let it take its course. My guess is it works out. I can’t control it. I can’t dictate it. You can’t dictate it. Fans can’t dictate it. These things have to take their course. There are different parties involved, but the intentions are really good.”

Also in the interview, Lacob reinforced the urgency Golden State’s front office feels to win another title before this contention window closes with Steph Curry, Thompson and Green in their mid-30s.

“I don’t think people understand how important this is because these guys are getting a little older, we’ve got a window here. We’ve got to try to win another title and I really badly, really badly want to see Steph and our guys, Klay and Draymond, get another one.

“LeBron (James) has four, they’ve got four. Let’s get five. Let’s beat him to five.”