![Setter Emma Lee (9) sets the ball to the middle during the match against Pinewood on Sept. 12. “[I’m looking forward to] getting more skilled, learning more about my position and also becoming better friends with all of my teammates, Emma said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/DSC_4917-2-1200x795.jpg)
![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasnt been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but Ive had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. Theres so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesnt exist, you can build it yourself, Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“Animation just clicked in a way. I had been interested in art, but that felt different. [Animation] felt like it had something behind it, whereas previous things felt surface level. I wasnt making that crazy of things, but just the process of doing it was much more enjoyable, Carter Chadwick (22) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Screen-Shot-2022-08-16-at-9.44.08-AM-900x598.png)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and its played such a major role in who Ive become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something Im [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala (21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“Im not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that theres a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyones so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you arent going to get those championships if you arent fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
The Golden State Warriors lost to the Sacramento Kings 118-94 on April 16, eliminating Golden State from the 2024-25 postseason contention. The 20-point loss in the play-in tournament marks the latest stumble for the Warriors, who won four championships between 2015 and 2022.
During the contest, Klay Thompson, who holds high status on the team as a core member and part of the reason for the franchise’s historic success, went 0-10 from the field, including 0-6 from three.
Unfortunately, these poor performances have increasingly characterized Thompson’s game since the team’s last championship in 2022. In fact, head coach Steve Kerr benched the star shooting guard in February, only bringing him back to the starting lineup after a prolific hot streak late in the season.
The streak cooled leading up to the play-in disaster. Since then, Thompson’s woes have only been compounded by the fact that his contract expires after this season, leaving the front office with the tough question of whether or not to keep the guard around.
Losing a player like Thompson may seem ridiculous to fans. After all, Thompson carved out a place in the history books with his incredible shooting ability, nicknamed a “Splash Brother” along with legend and fellow guard Steph Curry.
Thompson occupies a special place in the hearts of Warriors fans, largely based on past achievements. With that being said, the equally beloved Curry still puts up incredible performances night in and night out, outpacing his former duo-mate. This provides the Warriors with a blueprint for contention: Give Steph help.
In that regard, the question becomes a lot simpler. Curry’s supermax contract occupies tens of millions of dollars in cap space. Coupled with the contract of facilitator and top defender Draymond Green, the money left is scarcer than that of other contending teams.
Thompson is not worth max contract-level money anymore. While Thompson can still contribute on a championship roster with a return to top shooting form, there is no justification for handing him superstar money or minutes. It might seem disrespectful to offer a franchise stalwart a greatly reduced contract, but the Warriors should not stay bound to the star of a bygone era.
Redirecting Thompson’s massive salary towards building a roster that compliments Curry, perhaps with the addition of a true star center or athletic defenders, especially wings, could make the team a much more formidable contender. The short-term emotional value of “running it back” pales in comparison to the sweetness of a championship, something that is still in reach for this Warriors team, whether that includes Thompson or not.
