Klay Thompson, a key contributor to the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, has agreed to a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 34-year-old has averaged 19.6 points (on 45/41/86 shooting splits), 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in 11 seasons with the Warriors, making five All-Star appearances and winning four championships.
Thompson remains one of the league’s leading shooters, making 39 percent of his nine three-point attempts per game last season. He’s lost a step, both off the dribble and defensively, since missing the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with a torn left ACL and a torn right Achilles tendon, respectively. He returned from both midway through the 2021-22 seasons and helped the Warriors to a title win in 2022.
Thompson’s workload has decreased, even as he’s nearly hitting double-digit 3s per game. His usage rate dropped to 24.2%. He’s attempted fewer shots per game (14.7) than he has since his rookie season. He’s also played fewer than 30 minutes per game for the first time in an entire season since his rookie campaign, including some time off the bench. His 17.9 points per game last season were as inconsistent as ever.
Then again, Thompson is one of the greatest shooters of all time at a time when the game needs them. Often overshadowed by his Splash Brother in Golden State, Stephen Curry, Thompson needs 79 made 3s to pass Reggie Miller for fifth place on the career 3-point field goals list. He made 268 last season, and his 301 in 2023 leads the NBA. His career 3 percentage (41.3%) also ranks in the top 20 in history.
Thompson is also one of the best guys in the game. He and his bulldog Rocco, born April 20, regularly took the boat to work in the Bay Area. He appreciates the simple things in life, like scaffolding. This seems like a good thing for a locker room. That and the flamethrowing he does from three-point range.
