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Klay Thompson’s 2023-24 season has been nothing short of a nightmare. He’s looked like a shell of himself on the floor, and with free agency coming this summer, it’s looking more likely than ever his time in Golden State may be ending.

Thompson revealed a recent conversation with Warriors coach Steve Kerr has given him some much-needed perspective on his “last chapter.”

“Sometimes I forget just how successful and how lucky I’ve been to be part of a championship team, All-Star games, gold medals,” Thompson said. “You want to get back to that level so badly you can kind of get in your own way. Rather than forcing it, we had a conversation about enjoying the last chapter of my career, how lucky I truly am to still be playing this game, doing it at a high level, being a better mentor for these young guys, leading by example, having my energy right every game.

“He helped me realize if I do have negative energy how that affects the team in a poor manner. So we had a great conversation that helped me change my whole mindset and forget about shooting splits or points per game or All-Star games and just to enjoy being in this Warriors uniform and appreciate what we’ve built. Because it’s such a rare opportunity for a professional athlete to be a part of so much success and to pass that torch to the young guys and keep this thing going.”

Thompson is in the midst of arguably his worst NBA season. He’s averaging 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting a career-low 37.7 percent from the field. Understandably, Thompson’s defensive prowess has come nowhere close to returning to All-Defensive Team levels after he missed 30 months of action due to leg injuries and he’s become largely a minus on that end.

The Warriors have been outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions with Thompson on the floor and outscored their opponents by 3.7 points with him on the bench. It would not be unfair to say the Warriors would be better off starting Chris Paul next to Stephen Curry in the backcourt and bringing Thompson off the bench, but Paul’s playmaking skills have helped prop the second unit.

Thompson reportedly rejected a two-year, $48 million extension before the season, and it’s unlikely he would land that number in free agency now. The deal might have even bit of an overpay at the time given the proliferation of scoring across the NBA.

Thompson currently ranks 69th in the NBA in scoring and 86th in three-point percentage. If it weren’t for his name recognition, we’d be discussing Thompson as a mid-level exception talent rather than someone who has control over his free-agent destiny.