After 13 years with the Warriors, Thompson departing represents the official end of an era.
Warriors legend Klay Thompson is heading to the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thompson’s deal with Dallas is worth $50 million over three years with a player option. The signing is expected to be part of a sign-and-trade deal, which would clear cap space for Dallas to add Thompson to its books.
Thompson’s departure officially ends an era in Golden State. He made up one half of the greatest shooting backcourt of all time — the Splash Bros — penned several iconic playoff moments, and helped the Warriors win four NBA titles.
Thompson spent 13 years with the Warriors, the team that drafted him with the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft. Two of those seasons were spent recovering, first from a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and then when he suffered a torn Achilles, before he made a valiant return to the court in the 2022 championship season.
A five-time All-Star, Thompson became beloved in the Bay Area for his embracing of the region, his quirky personality, his fiery competitiveness, his toughness and his postseason moments.
The Warriors reportedly offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension before the 2023-24 season, but didn’t come to an agreement. Thompson then struggled to start the season and was eventually replaced by Brandin Podziemski in the starting lineup for a stretch. He finished the season with the fourth most 3-pointers in the league, but struggled defensively and ended the year with an 0-for-10 dud in the play-in game.
Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and Draymond Green each publicly expressed a desire to keep Thompson in a Warriors uniform, but Thompson instead sought a fresh start.
In Dallas, Thompson will join MVP candidate Luka Doncic and star guard Kyrie Irving — a former Warriors rival. The Mavericks made a surprise run to the NBA Finals after augmenting their roster with shrewd trade deadline acquisitions, and expect to contend once again.
Unlike the Warriors, the Mavericks play a more rigid style of offense, with a heavy emphasis on high pick-and-rolls surrounded by shooting. Thompson could add a new dimension as an off-ball shooter curling around pin-down screens, but he just as easily could be placed in a corner as a stationary floor-spacer.
One day, Thompson’s jersey will hang in the Chase Center rafters and a statue will be erected outside the arena. But before then, he’ll be in the same conference as the Warriors as their competitor.
