The Golden State Warriors will look much different next season after Klay Thompson was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal. Thompson, one of the greatest Warriors in the history of the franchise, will play for a different team for the first time in his 13-year career.
Owner Joe Lacob invited Thompson to the Riviera Country Club to play golf six weeks ago. Instead of discussing a potential contract, they just played golf to strengthen their relationship, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
Thompson gave the Warriors multiple chances to re-sign him on a reasonable deal, and two weeks prior to the golf outing, he made them one final offer. Shelburne reported that his final offer to the Warriors was a two-year deal for around $20 million per season.
“ABOUT A MONTH after the round of golf at Riviera, with his future at Golden State increasingly uncertain, Thompson had a revelation,” Shelburne wrote on July 3. “After almost a year of despair, he needed an entirely new experience, sources said. Out of the fishbowl, away from all the history and people he had always known.
“Two weeks prior, Thompson’s camp had made one final offer to the Warriors, a two-year deal for roughly $20 million per season, sources said.”
The Warriors told Thompson, “We just can’t do it yet,” according to Shelburne.
Thompson ‘Loved’ How the Mavericks Played
Thompson had an interest in joining the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shelburne.
He met with Steve Kerr in Los Angeles and called Draymond Green and Stephen Curry to tell them he wanted a fresh start. He then called Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. and asked them to help him get to a team he wanted to play for.
The Golden State Warriors did just that.
Shelburne wrote that Thompson “loved” the Mavericks play style and believed he could help Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after they lost in the NBA Finals.
“Dallas was his top choice. He loved the way the Mavericks played and believed he’d be an ideal fit alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, sources said. He came into a dinner meeting with the Mavericks’ front office having studied tape of the team and already projecting out how he could help them,” Shelburne wrote.
How Thompson Will Help the Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks were already one of the better teams in the NBA last season, which was made clear by their run to the NBA Finals out of a tough Western Conference.
Doncic and Irving are viewed as one of the best duos in the NBA, and adding Thompson should only help their two stars on the offensive end.
The Mavericks shot the second-most 3-pointers per game last season at 36.9. They also made the third-most at 14.5 per game, so the fit for Thompson is clear.
Even in what was a down year for the former Golden State Warriors star, he still shot 38.7% from 3-point range on 9.0 attempts per game. Thompson has shot over 40.0% from 3-point range in every season besides two.
Despite their finals run, Dallas believed they needed more veteran leadership, which Thompson will give, especially in the playoffs, as the four-time NBA champion has played in 158 playoff games.
“The Mavericks were thrilled to get a player of Thompson’s ability and experience on such a reasonably priced contract. The team had a great run to get to the Finals this season, but sources said Dallas felt it needed more veteran leadership to build off the performance,” Shelburne wrote.
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