When Klay Thompson made the heart-breaking decision to leave the Golden State Warriors, he certainly wouldn't have envisaged what's going on with the Dallas Mavericks right now.
The veteran sharpshooter wanted to play alongside the playmaking of Luka Doncic, only for the franchise cornerstone to be shockingly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers before the mid-season deadline. At least Thompson could still play next to former Finals rival Kyrie Irving though right? Yet that too is no longer the case after the 9x All-Star suffered a devastating torn ACL against the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
With star acquisition Anthony Davis -- and fellow bigs Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford -- also on the sidelines, the Mavericks are on the verge of missing the playoffs after an NBA Finals appearance less than 12 months ago.
Should the Warriors consider reuniting with Klay Thompson?
Not only is this year seemingly doomed for Dallas, but they'll also start next season a step behind given Irving will miss the majority of the campaign (assuming he re-signs as a free agent). That raises questions on where to next for the Mavericks, and in particularly veteran players like Thompson who just turned 35-years-old.
All of a sudden Thompson's future is drawing speculation less than a year into his three-year contract, with Golden State fans even considering whether the 5x All-Star could return to the franchise this offseason.
I really wouldn’t be surprised if Klay is a warrior again this summer.
— Gary (@GaryFromTheBay) March 4, 2025
At the least, he won’t be on the mavs.
Sucks that Klay left for a team that doesn’t even look remotely similar to the vision he bought into, especially when Klay with this Warriors roster would unlock it to another level
— Emily Kate (@_PickEm) March 4, 2025
Do you guys want Klay Thompson back on the Warriors?
— Curry Flurry 😈 (@babyfacedubs) March 4, 2025
While a return to the Warriors would seem very unlikely at this stage, the idea of Thompson getting traded somewhere isn't that far-fetched given the uncertainty facing the Mavericks right now. Does Thompson want to stick it out with a team that sold him a dream that's failed to come to fruition, part of which has been their own doing?
As for the Warriors, Thompson could actually still play a role on this team who are now surging towards a playoff spot. It's not to difficult to imagine the franchise legend being an upgrade from Buddy Hield, having shot 40.1% from beyond the arc on 7.7 attempts per game with Dallas this season.
The same question marks from last season would still remain though -- would Thompson be okay with a lesser role, particularly if he's coming off the bench and not closing games? What would his joy and presence in the locker room be like as a result?
These are questions that don't need to answered now, but don't be surprised if Thompson's future become a bigger topic in the offseason if the Mavericks continue down this disappointing path as most expect.