See what Klay Thompson has to say after leaving the Golden State Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks.
This summer marked the end of Klay Thompson's tenure with the Golden State Warriors as the future Hall of Famer was unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.
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Thus, Thompson became a part of a massive sign-and-trade deal to join the Dallas Mavericks. Although he fits in well with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, it will still be weird to see Thompson play for a team other than the Warriors.
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On Tuesday, Thompson was asked about his decision to leave the Bay when he was asked to talk with the media after being introduced by the Mavericks.
Although Thompson was open about his feelings, it was evident that he thought this was the correct thing to do.
Klay Thompson on joining Dallas Mavericks
He said, “Sometimes, breakups are necessary to do what’s right, and I’m not the first athlete in the NBA to go through this.
“I did grow up in Portland, and I remember when Scottie Pippen came to the Blazers, that was, like, the biggest day of my life.
"And I’m not saying I’m Scottie, but they were right there, against the Lakers, almost won a chip, so.
"I take a lot of inspiration from past athletes and how their careers might have gone astray when they either left a team, or joined a new team, and some guys thrive. And I look forward to just kind of being rejuvenated here. A lot of good basketball left in the tank.”
Thompson shot 43.2% from the field, 38.7% from beyond the arc, and 92.7% from the free-throw line in 2023–24 while averaging 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks for the Warriors.
In the 2011 NBA Draft, the Warriors selected Thompson, a Washington State graduate, as the eleventh overall choice.
With the Warriors, Thompson was a member of five All-Star teams, two All-NBA teams, and one All-Defensive team. He contributed four championships to the team's victories.
19.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks are Thompson's career averages as he turns 35 Next season.