END OF AN ERA: Klay Thompson leaves Golden State after completing deal with Dallas

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Klay Thompson not wearing a Golden State Warriors jersey is just one of the most bizarre things NBA fans will have to get used to when the next season kicks off later this year.

On July 2, 2024, multiple reports announced that Thompson would no longer suit up for the Warriors next season after completing a sign-and-trade contract deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

According to ESPN’s veteran NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Thompson is bound to sign a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks.

To complete the deal, a three-team trade happened involving the Charlotte Hornets where they will be receiving Josh Green from the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Golden State will be receiving two second-round selections from Dallas.

Thompson’s exit from the Warriors already became the hot topic of the league after reports surfaced that the sharpshooter will not be exploring contract negotiations to stay in San Francisco.

Days after the event, multiple teams showed interest in signing the shooting guard including the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.

Thompson then broke his silence after choosing to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving at Dallas in hopes of winning another NBA championship title.

It is truly the end of a dynasty for the Warriors after Thompson spent his first 13 NBA seasons playing for Golden State.

He was picked 11^th overall by the Warriors during the 2011 NBA Rookie Draft and formed one of the winningest trios in the history of the league together with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

In his 13 seasons with the Warriors, Thompson won a total of four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) and was a five-time NBA All-Star from 2015-2019.

However, Thompson’s role with the Warriors diminished when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the 2019 NBA season.

Unfortunately, Thompson’s comeback with the Warriors was again delayed after suffering an Achilles tear that kept him out of the NBA for a total of 30 months.

Thompson returned to Golden State in 2021 but was not the same during his pre-injury state. Aside from his dipped shooting percentage from the three-point range, his defensive ability was also affected due to his slower lateral quickness.

The veteran shooting guard will now be looking to boost Dallas’ chances of a return trip to the NBA Finals. Despite losing to the Boston Celtics in just five games, it was still a great playoff run for the Jason Kidd-led squad after taking down most of the top teams in the Western Conference to book a ticket to the grand final stage.