The Golden State Warriors parted ways with Klay Thompson in 2024 as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade, receiving Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson. Neither player is still in the Bay, but you know who is? Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porziņġis, the two players the Warriors acquired using Hield and Anderson. There's more to it, though.
It's not so much about what the Warriors got in return, but more so about moving on from Thompson at the right time, no matter how much it hurt to see the first member of their dynasty go. He signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks, thinking he'd play a key role in helping Dallas contend for a championship.
Not only did that plan go up in flames when the Mavericks stunningly traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers at the beginning of 2025, but Thompson's play has declined on both ends as he's now in the latter half of his 30s. He's still a solid shooter, shooting 38.3% from three this season (he's shot over 40% from deep just once in the past five seasons), but that was in a largely reserve role. He started just eight of the 69 games he played.
Warriors moved on from Klay Thompson at the right time
Thompson will officially be on an expiring contract this offseason, set to make $17.5 million in 2026-27. There is no need for the Mavericks to keep him as they build around Cooper Flagg, but it might be hard to trade him with that salary. And if you're wondering, the only real path for him to return to San Francisco would be if Dallas (or another team) bought him out.
It would be nice to see Klay end up somewhere he can help a team make a push for a title, which is the situation he thought he was stepping into in Dallas. He can still try to redirect the path he's been on with the Mavericks by being a positive addition in a bench-scoring role for a contender. It wouldn't feel right if Thompson's career ended on the spiral he has been on.
He would've been better off had he signed with the Lakers, but he wanted to sign with the team that had reached the NBA Finals a few weeks earlier. He thought it would be the prove-it opportunity he needed. Nico Harrison had other plans, though, which is why he's no longer around.
It would've been nice to see Thompson retire after spending his career with the Warriors, but things change. Golden State ended up getting the better end of the deal, and there's no reason anyone should think otherwise.
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