The Golden State Warriors may not be done building a competitive squad around Stephen Curry just yet, but with Klay Thompson gone, there’s a feeling that the team that everyone has grown to love and respect is no more. Following a turbulent past year or so, Thompson made the decision to sign a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his successful 13-year tenure with the Warriors.
When it came to negotiating the terms of the contract, the two sides just could not agree. Nevertheless, Thompson desired to remain with the Warriors, given his status as a legend in the organization. According to Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews of ESPN, his camp offered the Warriors the opportunity to sign him to a two-year contract worth about $20 million yearly, but the Dubs just did not want to pull the trigger, telling Thompson that they could not do that deal “yet.”
But Klay Thompson only believed that the Warriors were unwilling to bring him back, or if they were, he did not believe the Dubs had done enough to persuade him to stay. Thompson is now a member of the Mavericks, a team he feels is the ideal fit for him, after the Warriors allegedly made a “revealing absence of counteroffers.”
Although the loss of Thompson may be devastating for fans who adore the Splash Brothers, Thompson’s exit presents the Warriors with a genuine chance to realign their roster around Stephen Curry. In order to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy, the Dubs must be ruthless in their roster-building process because sentimentality will never be sufficient.
Klay Thompson, the Warriors, and a relationship’s breakdown
The Warriors reportedly made Klay Thompson an offer of a two-year, $48 million contract extension before the 2023–24 campaign began. As everyone knows, Thompson declined that in an attempt to get a large salary. Unfortunately, that tactic backfired on him because following a turbulent season, he was able to agree to a three-year contract worth $50 million with the Mavericks, which is only $2 million less than he would have made with the Dubs.
Naturally, because of income tax exemptions, his take-home pay will be significantly higher when he plays for a Texas-based team. However, Thompson lost out on the opportunity to earn a comparable salary while playing for the Warriors, who have been his home team since joining the league in 2011.
It was evident to the Warriors that Thompson had changed physically from what he once was. He was notably slower, and his decline in athleticism has resulted in a general decline in shot quality in an offensive system that is based on off-ball movement. More often than not, Thompson is forcing harder shots, which has caused a decline in both his overall numbers and efficiency.
If the Warriors were to make a run at the postseason after missing out on them the previous year, they would have to pay the luxury tax, and they just could not afford to give Thompson the contract he wanted. Thompson will be able to maximize his remaining energy by joining the Mavericks, as he can no longer be the second option on offense as he would have been with the Dubs had he stayed.
Thompson might feel that the Warriors treated him disrespectfully. Not even going to the golf course with Warriors owner Joe Lacob could salvage the relationship between the two. Even though it may be painful, this split is best for both of them.
The Dubs distributed the riches
The Warriors team is aware that Klay Thompson’s departure may actually be a blessing in disguise. By adding a few valuable players for what it would have cost them to keep Thompson, they can now bolster their roster.
The Warriors have added a daring three-point shooter who can cause a lot of havoc on defense in De’Anthony Melton. Melton is a 37 percent shooter from beyond the arc on 4.1 attempts per night and averages 1.4 steals per game for his career; these are respectable stats for a player they acquired for the MLE.
Additionally, they now have someone who can roughly replicate the impact of Draymond Green in Kyle Anderson, who is an explosive playmaker, a highly intelligent player overall, and an underappreciated defender.
And then there’s the Warriors’ upcoming acquisition of Buddy Hield, a legendary sharpshooter who would fit right in with Klay Thompson to give the Dubs a new Splash Brother.
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