In the NBA, the highest temple of basketball, every player has the dream of becoming a superstar, hoping to achieve both fame and fortune at the same time. But the road to superstardom is not easy, and many players have to face the huge gap between reality and ideals in the process of chasing this dream, and they may only stay at the level of "pseudo-giants", making difficult trade-offs between fame and profit. Recently, two players who have been in the limelight, Thompson and George, are at the crossroads of their careers.
Thompson, who was once the unshakable cornerstone of the Warriors, worked hand in hand with Curry to create the glory of the Warriors dynasty. They reached the Finals six times in eight years and lifted the NBA championship four times, which is enough to make him famous in basketball history. But as the years passed, the glory of the Warriors dynasty seemed to be receding, and Thompson's salary cap contract had expired.
In the face of new contract negotiations, the Warriors' offer of a two-year, $50 million contract extension clearly failed to meet Thompson's expectations. He may still be reminiscing about the glory of the past, and it is difficult to accept that the prosperity of the past has disappeared like a dream. Therefore, Thompson blatantly deleted the commemorative photo of the team's championship, and shut down the team, along with Banchero's social media. Thompson's approach disappointed the Warriors, and the Magic offered a three-year contract of $81.9 million, and the Warriors almost regarded Thompson as a player of the Magic!
At the same time, George was in a similar predicament. His career started with the Pacers, went through the Thunder, and eventually settled with the Clippers, and the journey was full of twists and turns. When he teamed up with Xiaoka, high expectations were placed on them, but their performance fell far short of expectations.
This season, in the absence of Jr. due to injury, Qiao Zhi should step up and carry the team's beams, but his performance has been a big disappointment, and his average points per game have failed to exceed 20 points. Such a performance put the Clippers in an awkward position in contract extension negotiations.
All things considered, the Clippers are willing to offer George a three-year contract worth just $150 million, but that falls far short of his appetite, and his ideal salary is $221 million over four years. In this context, George refused to renew the contract on the one hand, and on the other hand, he played the image of a victim, saying that he did not want to leave his hometown, but at the same time he was also eye-to-eye with the 76ers, which made the Clippers very disappointed, but thinking that the team could not live without George, the Clippers could only swallow their anger and persuade each other to renew the contract!
Both Thompson and George have been the souls of their respective teams, enjoying the glory and treatment of being superstars. However, the brutality of reality and the fierce competition on the NBA court have forced them to re-examine their place and value.
At this important moment, their choice will be directly related to the future direction of their careers. If they choose to stay and accept a pay cut, then they will have the opportunity to prove themselves again in the new season and try to get back to the top of their game. However, if they choose to switch to another team in pursuit of a higher salary, then they will have to face new challenges and unfamiliar circumstances. This is undoubtedly a decision full of unknowns and risks.
From the team's point of view, the departure of Thompson and George will also have a profound impact on the future of the team. Without these two core players, the Warriors and Clippers will have to readjust their tactical systems and roster configurations to fill the void they left behind. And if they choose to stay, then the team will be able to maintain some stability and competitiveness and continue to attack the championship goal.