After leaving the Mavericks in the offseason, the now-Mavericks guard volunteered to assist his old team.
Every dynasty must come to an end eventually. The Golden State Warriors could have hoped that the big three, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, would retire from the club, but that did not happen. Instead, Thompson is now a member of the Dallas Mavericks, where he will be able to compete for a fifth NBA title after the team reached the NBA Finals last season.
While it can be perceived as an emotional move given Thompson’s stint in the Bay Area—resulting in four banners and one of the biggest dynasties the NBA has ever seen—it may have been best for
Both sides. Thompson’s productivity has fallen, and he wasn’t helping Curry get the Warriors over the hump to even make the playoffs. While there were no on-court results, the Warriors were paying a high price to keep the nucleus of the previous dynasty while trying to supplement them on the roster and develop a competitive team.
During an appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, Green suggested Thompson did Golden State a favor by joining the Mavericks.
“What Klay did—and no one will give him credit for—was to alleviate this organization of the financial difficulties it was beginning to face. He still did it for the organization, but no one will admit it. Nobody will suggest that he left because he was unhappy.
“He wasn’t the happiest last year,” Green explained.
The five-time All-Star saw his role diminish with a team he previously helped win 73 games with. It had to be frustrating, which explains why his production and happiness have declined in recent seasons.
With his departure, the team used the cap space that would have been used to sign him to bring in players such as De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, and Kyle Anderson. Bringing in a variety of players, the Warriors are hoping to claw their way back into contention at least one more during Curry’s illustrious career.
“On his way out, he helped this charity by providing cap relief. Do you understand what I am saying? “He had some picks returned to the organization on his way out,” Green stated.
Thompson won a payout in Dallas, where he will join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in their pursuit of a championship. Irving and Thompson have a history of competing for championships against one another, and both provide vital experience to a team looking for a second title.
Follow MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA offseason.
Leave a Reply