Klay Thompson’s final contract offer to Warriors leaked

The Golden State Warriors may not be done building a respectable team around Stephen Curry just yet, but there’s a sense that the Dubs everyone grew to love and respect are a thing of the past now that Klay Thompson is no longer with the team. After a rough year, Thompson decided to join the Dallas Mavericks via trade, ending his successful 13-year run with the Warriors franchise.

The two sides simply weren’t on the same page when it came time for contract negotiations. But Thompson still wanted to stay with the Warriors, given that he was a franchise legend. His camp gave the Warriors a chance to sign him to a two-year deal worth about $20 million per year, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews, but the Dubs simply wouldn’t pull the trigger, telling Thompson they simply couldn’t make that deal happen “right now.”

However, Klay Thompson simply felt that the Warriors didn’t want him back, or if they did, he didn’t feel like the Dubs made the effort to convince him to stay. It seems there was a “telling lack of counteroffers” from the Warriors, paving the way for Thompson to join a Mavericks team that he believes is the perfect partnership.

As heartbreaking as the loss of Thompson is for a fan base that holds the Splash Brothers dear to its heart, Thompson’s departure gives the Warriors a legitimate opportunity to reorganize around Stephen Curry. The Dubs are ruthless in their roster-building process, because sentimentality will never be enough to claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Klay Thompson, the Warriors, and the Dissolution of a Relationship

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Warriors reportedly offered Klay Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension. Thompson, as we all know, turned down the offer in hopes of landing a big payday. Unfortunately, that strategy backfired, as after a tumultuous campaign, he was able to sign a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks, just $2 million less than he would have made with the Dubs.

Of course, playing for a Texas-based team means his take-home pay will be that much higher due to income tax breaks. But still, Thompson passed up a chance to earn a similar amount playing for a Warriors franchise that has welcomed him since he arrived in the league in 2011.

From the Warriors’ perspective, it’s become clear that Thompson isn’t the physical person he used to be. He’s noticeably slower, and in an offensive system that relies on off-ball movement, his athletic decline has led to an overall decrease in shot quality. Thompson is forcing tougher shots more often than ever, and his overall numbers and efficiency have declined accordingly.

With the Warriors struggling to pay the luxury tax, they simply couldn’t afford to give Thompson the contract he wanted if they wanted to bounce back from missing the playoffs last season. Thompson can no longer be the second option on offense like he would have been with the Dubs had he stayed, meaning joining the Mavericks will allow him to make the most of whatever he has left in his tank.

Thompson may feel slighted by the way the Warriors have handled their affairs. Even joining Warriors owner Joe Lacob to play golf couldn’t salvage the relationship between the two sides. But this breakup, as sad as it is, is the best for both parties.

Dubs Spread the Wealth

The Warriors franchise knows that losing Klay Thompson is a blessing in disguise. They can now build a stronger roster, acquiring a few useful players for what it would have cost them to keep Thompson.

The signing of De’Anthony Melton gives the Warriors a gutsy three-point shooter who can be very disruptive on defense. Melton is averaging 1.4 steals per game over his career and is shooting 37 percent from three on 4.1 attempts per night — solid numbers for a player they acquired for the MLE.

Additionally, signing Kyle Anderson gives them someone who could come close to matching Draymond Green’s impact; Anderson is a heady playmaker, an underrated defender, and is, overall, one of the most cerebral players in the association.

And then there’s the Warriors’ impending trade for Buddy Hield; Hield is an all-time great sniper, fit to lace up Klay Thompson’s boots, giving the Dubs their new Splash Brother.