Is winning good? Of course it is. Is winning better when you're the one who's contributing the most to it? Absolutely.


Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson is currently one of the NBA's premier players. He's a top-five shooter who makes a difference when he's on the floor, and you can't argue with three rings. The experience he has gained in Golden State is truly invaluable and can't be taken away.


However, an important question that Thompson will eventually need to ask himself is this: ​how much longer can he tolerate being the third -- or even fourth -- fiddle on this team?


You shouldn't have to much longer, Klay.

Of course, the talk of the league has been 2019's free agency class set to include Thompson, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, and others. Should Thompson re-sign with the Warriors, he'd receive approximately $188 million.


But Klay should look past the dollar signs and more towards his legacy. Who does he want to be remembered as?

If he stays in Golden State, he'll be known as Steph Curry's sidekick, followed by Durant's sidekick's sidekick. He won't be known as one of the all-time greats, he'll just be known as a productive and reliable guy, and any smart player who wants to cement a respectable legacy in the NBA would retract from such a fate.


The championships seem sweet now, but your legacy won't be remembered as an epic one if you're just tagging along for the ride. That's not to say that Thompson isn't a big contributor to this dynasty, because he certainly is -- he's just not the biggest, or even the second biggest, on arguably the greatest team ever assembled.


If Thompson signs with another team in free agency and can win another ring, the narrative surrounding his legacy will certainly change for the better.