3 Warriors who won't be back after dispiriting Play-In loss to Kings

The Golden State Warriors season from hell ended with a dull thud on Tuesday night. The Sacramento Kings ran all over Golden State en route to a 118-94 victory, securing the chance to battle the New Orleans Pelicans for the final postseason spot in the West.

Now, the Warriors start what should be an offseason of change. The roster, as currently constructed, with a $400 million payroll obligation, cannot win at the highest level. Golden State needs to get younger, faster, and more athletic. The Kings' tempo had the Warriors operating on their back heels all night.

There are a few obvious cuts upcoming. Some are less obvious, and could be determined by how the free agency landscape unfolds. The Warriors still have a franchise legend operating in the vicinity of greatness with Stephen Curry, but there is serious pressure to improve the roster around him. Even if it means making some hard decisions.

That said, here are the Warriors who won't be back next season.

3. Kevon Looney has lost his spot in the Warriors' rotation

Last season, we were collectively celebrating Kevon Looney's status as the master of small things. He was the Warriors' secret weapon, the perfect dirty work extraordinaire to complement Golden State's star apparatus. On Tuesday night, Looney notched two points and five rebounds in nine minutes. He was an afterthought.

The 2023-24 season was not kind to Looney. He lost his starting spot to Draymond Green, then to Trayce Jackson-Davis. Golden State's rookie center appears to have the standard 'Looney Role' locked up for the foreseeable future. He's on a team-friendly rookie contract; Looney is due $8 million next season, but only $3 million is guaranteed.

That gives Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office some flexibility. Golden State's No. 1 priority this offseason, unfortunately, is probably cutting costs. The Warriors could let Looney walk, eat the dead money, and move on. Or, Golden State can bring Looney back and float him in trade talks. It's not like $8 million for Looney is an egregious overpay — not in today's market, at least — but he's becoming obsolete.

Jackson-Davis and Green aren't going anywhere. Jonathan Kuminga will keep earning more minutes in the frontcourt and he's due for an extension in the near future, another financial complication for Golden State to navigate.

Looney is a three-time champ and he's well liked around the organization, but his Warriors tenure has probably come to an end. Whether he's cut straight up, flipped into another team's open cap space, or dangled as salary filler in a bigger trade, it's easy to imagine the 28-year-old in new threads next season.

2. Chris Paul was one-and-done with Warriors

Chris Paul managed three points, one rebound, and two assists in 18 minutes on Tuesday. It was an anticlimactic end to the CP3-Golden State experiment. It's still odd to watch Paul in those threads. After years of historically great postseason battles, Paul was relegated to sixth man duties and spot starts on basketball's most disappointing team.

Paul has $30 million on his contract next season, but it's non-guaranteed. As fun as the concept of Paul in Golden State was, the Warriors didn't trade for CP3. They traded away Jordan Poole, and happened to use Paul's expiring contract as a means to an end. With how high the Warriors' tax bill is, there's simply no chance Paul's option gets picked up unless there is extreme confidence in a trade that involves his salary.

The only path to Paul returning for another season in Golden State is for the Warriors to nix his current contract and re-sign him to a much smaller deal. That could happen, in theory, but Paul is sure to have more prominent contenders courting his services, perhaps with even more guaranteed playing time.

There's no reason to believe Paul didn't enjoy his time in the Bay, but Golden State was always an awkward spot for him. It was worth a shot, and the Warriors are glad to be free of their financial obligation to Jordan Poole, but this was nothing more than a transient relationship.

CP3 will be back next season, just not with the Dubs.

1. Has Klay Thompson played his last game with Warriors?

Klay Thompson was held scoreless on 0-of-10 shooting in 32 minutes in the Warriors' season-ending loss to Sacramento. That's a tough way for Thompson's Golden State tenure to end, but it feels more plausible than ever. Thompson's days as a full-time starter in the Bay are probably done. The Warriors need to shed salary and won't have interest in working out a serious long-term deal with Thompson. The stage is set for the offseason's biggest departure.

After the game, Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green all voiced their unambigious desire to bring Thompson back next season. In the end, however, two parties will determine the outcome — the Golden State front office and Thompson. We know other suitors are lurking in the shadows, with the Orlando Magic reportedly prepared to offer "a ton of money." If teams are willing to outspend Golden State, does Thompson prioritize familiarity and legacy, or does he chase one final paycheck?

There's no right or wrong option. Thompson has to search within himself. But, it's fair to wonder if Golden State is even the best spot to maximize the rest of his playing days, as strange as that sounds. The Warriors are an old team in need of youth and athleticism. Thompson could be better shielded, at least on defense, with a young, spry group like the Magic. Orlando can probably derive greater benefits from his shooting, too.

It's a thought Thompson, Golden State, and the entire NBA fanbase will have in the months to come. We have never had to seriously consider the possibility of Thompson bolting Golden State until this season, but reality evolves quickly in the NBA. The Warriors want Klay back, and Klay probably wants to be back, but how committed are both sides? All it takes is one dedicated party-crasher to really shake things up.

Thompson will have his number retired in Chase Center one day, but he might not be the Warriors Lifer we once thought him to be.