Recently, the folks at HoopsHype released an article listing the most overpaid players in the history of the NBA. Klay Thompson ranked in the top three. HoopsHype’s article utilized data taken from their “Real Value” metrics, which has the Golden State Warriors overpaying Thompson by $21.3 million.
The veteran’s two major injuries, which cost him more than two years of basketball, are significant factors in Thompson being so high on the “overpaid” list.
Buy Warriors TicketsHowever, longtime NBA writer Mark Medina isn’t on board with Thompson being classified as an overpaid star. When speaking to Give Me Sport, Medina noted Thompson was arguably underpaid before signing his current $189.9 million deal.
“But with Klay, you have to keep in mind with a few things here. … From a market value standpoint and from what his value was to the Warriors, he earlier in his career was underpaid,” Medina said. “So I think that from the Warriors’ end, no doubt his production hasn’t been the same post-injury, but they wanted to compensate for the fact that he had team-friendly contracts earlier in his career
“Klay would evaluate himself with a sharp, critical eye and fully knows he’s not the same player he was pre-injury, they’re looking at it through the lens of what he’s meant to the organization earlier on in his career.”
Thompson’s value to the Warriors has been immense. The veteran’s ability to score off the catch or the dribble, along with his high-level perimeter defense, are primary reasons Golden State has been so successful. If that means the Warriors have had to overpay to keep him, most fans would be on board with that trade-off.
