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The Golden State Warriors snapped their six-game losing streak with a 121-116 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday. Klay Thompson secured his first 20-point game of the season to provide hope that his shooting slump is coming to an end.
However, Warriors fans were doubtful if they should be excited over Thompson's performance. The veteran wing was once seen as a top-5 shooter in the NBA. Yet, it has taken him almost a month to record a high-scoring night, despite being one of the feature members of his team's offense.
Klay Thompson isn't the only member of the Warriors roster to endure a slow start to the season. Andrew Wiggins and Chris Paul have also stuttered out of the gates, while Draymond Green has been in and out of the rotation due to injury and suspension.
While some fans will be holding Thompson to a much higher standard than a single 20-point game, his performance should be encouraging. The Warriors need the veteran wing to be impactful on the offensive end. His scoring gravity creates driving lanes for others and elevates his team's overall chances of success.
Klay Thompson is on an expiring contract with the Golden State Warriors
Another reason why Golden State Warriors fans have been concerned with Klay Thompson's slow start to the season is because of his contract status with the franchise. The 33-year-old is in the final year of his current $189 million deal and will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Last season, the Warriors front office allowed Draymond Green's deal to run down before making a decision on his overall value and inking him to a four-year $100 million extension in the offseason. Currently, Thompson's performance levels won't be enticing for the front office, which could lead to a low-ball offer and potentially see the future Hall of Famer head elsewhere at the end of the season.
Of course, if Thompson can turn around his slow start to the season and get back to being the 40% 3-point shooter who was there throughout the last campaign while also providing stern defense, it's unlikely Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy Jr. will let him leave for nothing.
Klay Thompson's future rests on his production on the court throughout the season. It's probably part of the reason behind his slow start. His mind isn't fully focused on the Warriors' goal of being a championship-level team. However, now that he's snapped his scoring slump, there will be hope that fans begin to see the best of the former All-Star scorer moving forward.
