Richard Jefferson shared a very interesting story about Klay Thompson and his desired Warriors contract.
Jefferson and Thompson crossed paths back in December, when the longtime Golden State guard voiced his frustration about the then-only team of his entire 13-year NBA career. Here’s the rest from Jefferson on ESPN’s latest episode of “NBA Today.”
“I never have shared this before out of respect to Klay,” Jefferson said Monday. “Getting off an elevator on Christmas Day of this past year, I see Klay, ‘Oh, Klay. What’s up?’ He says, ‘What’s up?’ I’m like, ‘Hey, man. Keep your mentals right.’ He’s like, ‘Man, tell them to pay me my money.’”
"This is on Christmas Day [of this season] … I get off the elevator and I see Klay [and say], 'Klay, what's up? Hey man, keep your mentals right.' He's like, 'Man, tell 'em to pay me my money.' … He has a right to be mad."
– Richard Jefferson 😳pic.twitter.com/vGTTdoVvAj
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 2, 2024
On Dec. 25, Golden State suffered a 120-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Jefferson didn’t specify when the conversation with the now-former Warriors guard occurred, but Thompson did finish the game 3-for-12 with nine points, six rebounds and one assist — and he likely wasn’t happy before or after.
While many are divided about whether Thompson or the Warriors drove the dreaded split to fruition, Jefferson was clear about who he supports.
“This was on Christmas Day,” Jefferson said. “So on Christmas Day, a guy that has won four championships — and I don’t give a damn how much money [Golden State] gave him over the years because he turned their franchise around. That franchise is worth billions of dollars.
“Not just because of Steph, it’s also because of Klay. They changed the game. It wasn’t just Steph changing the game, it was Steph and Klay in that backcourt. So I say [Klay] has a right to be mad.”
Jefferson clearly has Thompson’s back, and he has for a while.
The two, of course, were Warriors teammates during Thompson’s first two seasons beginning in 2011-12.
Thompson’s departure seemingly shocked Dub Nation and the greater NBA world, but as more information comes out, it appears No. 11 never was going to be with Golden State for the 2024-25 NBA season.
As Jefferson recalled, Thompson truly did want his money. And he was willing to switch sides to get it.