One of the most astonishing NBA stories of the past few months involved Klay Thompson rejecting the Golden State Warriors to sign with the Dallas Mavericks at the beginning of free agency because of a severe deterioration in their relationship. After establishing a dynasty and winning four championships alongside his close friends Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, Thompson left the Bay Area for Dallas, believing he was no longer needed.
Their differing views on Thompson’s diminishing play and his value as a free agent were probably major factors in his seeming estrangement from Golden State. He obviously felt belittled by their contract offers; in fact, he accepted a comparable, if not worse, offer to play with Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić.
So the question is, has the media and internet discourse gone too far because this sharpshooter isn’t the same guy he used to be, or is he really that much of a washed up guy?
Unquestionably, one of the greatest high-volume shooters is still Thompson.
Having multiple players who can spread the floor for the team’s on-ball scorers and discourage rival defenses from sending help to those guys is one of the key components of a championship team. Take a look at the Boston Celtics; they placed a high priority on forcing defenses to guard Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown one-on-one, which led to disastrous outcomes. The team needed zero weak shooters on the floor at any given time.
Thompson will now team up with Dončić and Irving, two of the greatest shot creators ever. He is a huge improvement over spot-up shooters like PJ Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. and the ideal complement to their offensive strategy.
People tend to forget that Thompson is still an excellent deep shooter, maybe because he is nearing the end of his career and isn’t the same player he was in the past, particularly as an athlete and defender. Klay Thompson is still as good of a catch-and-shoot player as he was in his prime, making him one of the few players in the league that a team would rather have on their roster.
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