October 25, 2013
Warriors Exercise Contract Options on Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Festus Ezeli
The Golden State Warriors announced today that the team has exercised the fourth-year contract option on guard Klay Thompson and the third-year contract options on forward Harrison Barnes and center Festus Ezeli, which are all for the 2014-15 NBA season.
Thompson, 23, has appeared in all 148 games (111 starts) over two seasons with the Warriors, averaging 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 30.7 minutes per game. Starting all 82 games in 2012-13, Thompson finished third in the NBA with 211 three-pointers and combined with Stephen Curry (272) to hit 483 threes, the most by a pair of teammates in NBA history. In 12 postseason contests, the 6’7” guard averaged 15.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 41.3 minutes. After only two seasons with the club, Thompson ranks 10th in team history with 322 three-point field goals and seventh in three-point field goal percentage (.406).
Barnes, 21, appeared in 81 games (all starts) as a rookie in 2012-13, posting averages of 9.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 25.8 minutes and garnering First Team All-Rookie honors. In 12 playoff contests (all starts), the 6’8” forward upped his averages to 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds in 38.4 minutes, becoming the first rookie to averaged at least 16 points and six rebounds in the postseason (min. 10 games) since David Robinson did so for San Antonio in 1990. Including the postseason, no rookie earned more starting nods than Barnes’ 93 starts last season.
Ezeli, 24, appeared in 78 games (41 starts) in his rookie campaign in 2012-13, averaging 2.4 points and 4.0 rebounds to go with 0.95 blocks, which ranked fourth among rookies last season. His 41 starting assignments were the most by a Warriors rookie center since Joe Barry Carroll started 80 games in 1980-81. In 12 postseason appearances, the 6’11” center averaged 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 11.2 minutes. Ezeli is currently recovering from offseason surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss a minimum of 6-9 months from the date of the procedure (June 12).
Under the terms of the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft picks’ contract are guaranteed, while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option. The Warriors selected Thompson with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and selected Barnes (7th overall) and Ezeli (30th) in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft.
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