The Golden State Warriors moved on from Klay Thompson last summer in what looks like an incredibly wise decision as the anniversary of the sign-and-trade approaches. Klay was a five-time All-Star and helped the Dubs win four championships. He became a legend in the Bay Area, but the 35-year-old wanted a massive contract (subscription required). Golden State knew they had to watch their spending and it ultimately led to Thompson’s exit for the Mavericks.
The trade turned into a record-setting six-team deal that saw Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield come to the Bay Area. This move opened the room to sign De’Anthony Melton. The guard’s injury forced the Warriors to flip him for Dennis Schroder and ultimately played a key role in bringing in Jimmy Butler at the deadline.
Jimmy Buckets was the star Golden State needed to replace Thompson, and they kept Buddy Hield. It looks like a massive return after Klay produced his worst numbers since his rookie season in Dallas.
Klay Thompson’s decline makes Warriors trade look genius
The 35-year-old averaged 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 steals in 27.3 minutes per game this season. He shot 41.2 percent from the field and 39.1 percent on his 3-point attempts. It was the worst field percentage of his career and the lowest minutes and points averages since his rookie season in 2012. Thompson is clearly declining and things may be worse than they seem.
The Mavericks were outscored by 2.1 points per 100 possessions with Klay on the floor and just 0.4 when he was on the bench. Warriors fans saw his defense slip with age. He has gone from elite to problematic on that end of the floor. The Mavs’ offense improved with Thompson, but the defense was significantly worse.
Klay went to Dallas to play with Luka Doncic, but a stunning midseason trade changed everything. The Mavericks just won the draft lottery. This is not the same team Thompson signed up to play with. He left the Bay Area to compete for a championship in Dallas, but the Mavs missed the playoffs entirely in 2025. Flagg may reverse their fortunes. It needs to happen fast as Klay isn't getting any younger and still wants to start.
The Warriors reached the second round of the playoffs before Stephen Curry was injured. No telling how far Golden State would have gone if their superstar stayed healthy. They were certainly better off without Klay.
That takes nothing away from his greatness with the Warriors. It was time to move on. Golden State fleeced the Mavericks into thinking Thompson would be a key contributor and undoubtedly won this deal when factoring out nostalgia and legendary status with the franchise.
The Golden State Warriors face another crucial offseason. They need to upgrade their roster again to become a serious title contender. Mike Dunleavy Jr. must nail the draft and make shrewd trades to add talent. The Dubs don’t have Klay Thompson making significant money on their books. It improves their flexibility and gives them a shot to build their roster out.
Credit to the Dubs for making the difficult but right choice to trade Klay. Moving on from a legend is never easy. It needed to be done, and the Warriors made it happen. Hopefully, they keep building and are back with a shot at another ring in 2026.