Klay Thompson has agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Initially, there were complications regarding the trade details with the Golden State Warriors, but these have been resolved. The finalized trade will be a sign-and-trade arrangement, involving Josh Green moving to the Charlotte Hornets and two second-round picks going to the Warriors. Thompson, a five-time All-Star and four-time champion, has played his entire career with the Warriors until now.
The Warriors, after years of hefty luxury taxes and multiple draft picks aimed at finding Thompson’s successor, have decided not to retain him. Their attempts to acquire high-profile players like Paul George also factored into this decision. The Warriors had previously offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million contract last offseason, which he declined. This offer was considerably less than the four-year, $100 million contract given to Draymond Green and the four-year, $128 million deal for Jordan Poole, who was initially seen as Thompson’s potential replacement.
During the past season, the Warriors began to shift their focus towards rookie shooting guard Brandin Podziemski, with Thompson even being benched for a period. This shift indicated the beginning of the end for the iconic trio of Thompson, Green, and Stephen Curry. Together, they accumulated 98 playoff wins, making them the third-most successful trio in NBA history, only behind Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Cooper, and the San Antonio Spurs trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. Curry and Thompson are both among the top six all-time leaders in 3-pointers, with Curry holding the top spot.
Thompson’s move to Dallas will see him join forces with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Mavericks struggled offensively in the NBA Finals, averaging only 106.7 points per 100 possessions. Thompson’s shooting prowess is expected to bolster their offense significantly. However, he will need to adapt to a new playing style, as the Mavericks’ offense, centered around Doncic’s individual playmaking, differs from the Warriors’ motion-based system.
Klay Thompson was also reportedly considered by the Los Angeles Lakers and the Clippers. His connection to the region, where he grew up and where his father, Mychal Thompson, played for the Lakers, made these teams appealing options. However, with the Lakers finishing as a Play-In team and the Clippers missing Paul George, the Mavericks presented a more promising opportunity, especially as they look to build on their recent success as Western Conference champions heading into the 2024-25 season.
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