Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed his desire for Klay Thompson to return in free agency.

Kerr said that the team wants Thompson back "desperately" in an appearance on the Jim Rome Show (h/t Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area).

"I want him back desperately," he said. "And we will have our conversations and he's got to make whatever decision he makes, but we really want him back. He's Klay Thompson."

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. also told reporters on Monday that "we want him back" when speaking about Thompson, per ESPN's Kendra Andrews.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic revealed on Saturday that contract negotiations between both sides were essentially "frozen" and there was no offer "currently on the table."

The disagreement could stem from the length of a potential contract, as Thompson reportedly wants a long-term deal that lasts "at least three years" in free agency (per NBC Sports' Monte Poole).

The 34-year-old failed to meet expectations during the 2023-24 season, averaging 17.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He shot below 40 percent from three for just the second time in his career, although he still connected on 38.7 percent of his triples.

Thompson was benched by Kerr for the first time since his rookie season, appearing in 14 games as a reserve. He also struggled as Golden State attempted to earn a playoff spot, missing all 10 of his shots and failing to record a point in 32 minutes during a loss to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament.

Despite his tumultuous season, the Warriors have repeatedly made it clear that they want Thompson to return in free agency. Kerr called the veteran an "integral" part of the organization on Tuesday, referencing his "great connection" with his teammates and the city as a whole (via Rodriguez).

However, both Thompson and the front office will need to make some progress in contract discussions in order to keep him from negotiating with other teams once free agency begins on Sunday.