It’s an end of an era. Shooting guard Klay Thompson, who was part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty that won four NBA titles between 2015 and 2022, will join the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal.
Thompson entered the free agency this offseason after being unable to come to an extension agreement with the Warriors. While Golden State explored options to retain one of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history, Thompson reportedly wanted a fresh start and was intrigued by the possibility of adding another NBA championship to his resume with the Mavs.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Thompson will join Dallas on a three-year, $50 million deal. As part of the sign-and-trade agreement, the Mavericks will send two second-round picks to the Warriors and forward Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Warriors issued a statement confirming Thompson’s departure and thanked him for his contributions to the franchise’s success. The team also added that it intends to retire his No. 11 jersey.
“The amount of joy and happiness that Klay provided Warriors fans, Bay Area natives, and Dub Nation supporters all around the world has been immense and cannot be minimized,” the Warriors said in a statement. ” … Klay’s legacy will live on forever and we look forward to the day we can retire his #11 jersey at Chase Center where he will join a host of Warriors immortals, including those who helped shape this recent dynasty — himself included.”
After the Golden State Warriors previously gave new extensions to their other two stars, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, it was widely expected that Klay Thompson would receive the same treatment. However, the relationship between the two sides became strained throughout the last season after a lack of progress in negotiations.
Another factor in Thompson’s decision to leave the Warriors was the fact that head coach Steve Kerr benched him several times last season and hinted at a reduced role for the five-time All-Star in the future.
Thompson played 29.7 minutes per game in 2023-24 and came from the bench in 14 games during the regular season. He finished the campaign averaging 17.9 points, his lowest since his second year as a pro.
