NBA veteran Klay Thompson felt betrayed by his contract negotiations with the Warriors this summer. In a report by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the root of the problems were in that Klay believed he was back to his pre-injury form — and wanted to be paid like it.
“More information is coming out about why Klay Thompson left the Warriors for the Mavericks, and it seems both sides were at fault. Thompson, despite missing two full seasons with injuries, felt he was nearly the same player he was before and the Warriors didn’t agree. Thompson felt as if he should have been compensated with a four-year deal similar to Draymond Green’s and Andrew Wiggins’s, especially since neither has lived up to their contracts.”
The Warriors faced a crossroads last season when it came time to extent their core players. Rather than settle with Klay right away, they decided to secure Draympmd Green and Andrew Wiggins instead. Thompson perceived it as disrespect that’s when the damage became irreversible.
To Klay’s credit, he was still a valuable asset for the Warriors last season with averages of 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game but it’s also fair to say that he’s slipped defensively. His efficiency and shot selection have also been heavily criticized over recent months.
Mix those things along with his refusal to accept a new role on the team and it created a perfect storm of trouble for the Warriors. When it came time to pay his next contract, the team was unwilling to give Thompson what he felt he deserved.
As a 4x champion, 5x All-Star, and Steph’s backcourt teammate for years, Klay thought that the Warriors would do more to keep him around but there’s no going back on the move now. He’s officially a member of the Dallas Mavericks and will spend the next phase of his career alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
If Thompson can return to even a smidgen of who he was at his price, it will make the Mavericks extremely difficult to beat and potentially favorites in the West. But if he continues his sharp decline, it could lead to disappointment with his new team.
For the Warriors, it remains to be seen how Thompson’s departure will impact their play on the court. After the trade for Buddy Hield, they do have an answer for the loss of Klay’s shooting but they will need more than that to compete with the likes of the Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Mavericks in the West.
If not, they may come to regret letting Thomson go this summer and letting him walk when they could have succumbed to his demands. At this point, how this ends falls entirely on Klay himself and what else he’s able to do in his career.
Clearly, he’s betting that he can return to his All-Star form but after two major injuries and 11 years of mileage in the NBA, there are reasonable doubts that Klay has enough in the tank.
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