Even though Klay Thompson technically left in free agency, the move was actually a sign-and-trade. And that trade keeps getting better for the Golden State Warriors, because Thompson just hasn’t panned out with the Dallas Mavericks. Obviously, that isn’t completely Thompson’s fault, but the reality is what it is.
Thompson joined the Mavericks with the hopes of playing alongside Luka Doncic. He likely saw Doncic and Kyrie Irving make the NBA Finals the year prior and wanted to be a part of that sort of thing again. But fast forward to the present day, and the Mavericks look a lot different from the way they did when Thompson signed on board.
And now, it’s clear that the Warriors won the trade.
The Warriors keep winning the Klay Thompson trade
The Thompson sign-and-trade ended up being a six-team deal that also included the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, let’s focus on the Warriors and Mavericks for the purpose of this article, because that’s what really matters when assessing the deal for Golden State.
In the trade, the Warriors parted ways with Thompson (obviously). They also gave up a second-round pick swap in 2031, which went to the Timberwolves in the deal.
By sending out Thompson and that second, Golden State was able to bring back Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield in the trade, both of whom were crucial assets.
The Warriors ended up flipping Anderson in the trade that landed them Jimmy Butler, and at this year’s trade deadline, they sent Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in their trade for Kristaps Porzingis.
But the real reason that Golden State won the Thompson trade stretches beyond the pieces they got back. It’s more about how poorly Thompson has played since the Mavericks imploded.
As of now, Thompson is playing the fewest minutes of his career this season, sitting at just 22.1 minutes per contest. The Mavericks were likely even trying to trade him at the deadline. That didn’t end up happening.
Maybe if Thompson had stuck around in Golden State, he would have been able to continue progressing back toward being the player he once was by playing in a system he knew.
Maybe if the Mavs didn’t trade Doncic, Thompson would have been able to thrive for longer.
But those things didn’t happen, and the Warriors are better off for making the deal. And based on the reality of the current situation, the Warriors just keep on winning the Thompson trade.