Warriors fans have had plenty of reason to expect Klay Thompson’s departure in recent months, but the possibility became very real on Saturday when Athletic reported that the team was bracing for Thompson’s departure.
The Warriors have reportedly had little to no communication over the past two weeks, when they had a window to exclusively negotiate his return, with both sides now believing Thompson’s time in the Bay Area is over.
Thompson himself had already warned by deleting all mentions of the Warriors on his social media.
With Thompson set to enter free agency for the first time in his 13-year career on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are reportedly strong suits for his talents. All three teams are looking to contend next season and could use more three-point shooting. Several other teams with salary cap space are also reportedly expected to show interest.
The Lakers and Mavericks could both offer Thompson the mid-range exception of $12.9 million, with LeBron James apparently willing to take less to help the Lakers. The Warriors are also reportedly open to facilitating a sign-and-trade.
Klay Thompson’s Warriors career was great
However Thompson’s time with the Warriors ends, his status as a pillar of a dynasty will not be diminished.
Owning four championship rings doesn’t even begin to capture Thompson’s full impact. Along with Stephen Curry, Thompson was one half of one of the best backcourts in NBA history, with the Splash Brothers revolutionizing the NBA’s 3-point shooting.
Thompson ranks sixth on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list, behind Curry, Ray Allen, James Harden, Damian Lillard and Reggie Miller, despite never being his team’s leading scorer. Along with Curry and Harden, he is one of only three players to make more than 300 three-pointers in a single season.
And of course, he still holds the record for most three-pointers in a single game with 14, not to mention the record for consecutive three-pointers made.
At his best, Thompson was capable of unstoppable offense like few others in NBA history. However, his health has been a major concern for him since 2019 when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. A torn Achilles tendon followed in 2020, resulting in an absence of two and a half seasons. He was able to recover enough to be a key part of the Warriors’ championship run in 2022, but it was very clear that the Warriors weren’t going to give him another big contract at age 34.
So Thompson now appears on his way out. Any exit is temporary, as he will surely enter the Hall of Fame after his retirement and live out the rest of his life as a Warriors legend.
