To any Warriors fan, losing longtime 34-year-old star Klay Thompson was like a punch to the gut, but somewhat expected after an already difficult 2023-24 NBA season for the Warriors. Despite Thompson’s generally poor performance throughout the season, fans still counted on him as a solid second option to assist point guard Stephen Curry, who was often double teamed during games.
On July 1, Thompson chose to leave the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks on a 3-year, $50 million contract after negotiations for his next season with the Warriors organization fell through.
Many fans, of course, mourned the loss of Thompson, while others saw value in his departure.
“We supported and stayed with him through his injuries and his struggles, and I feel like he just left us,” avid Warriors fan sophomore Emma Williams said. “But his leaving will give younger players a chance to prove why they should have a spot on the team and give other players the chance to lead and improve the culture.”
Popular social media banter about Thompson’s infamous 0-10 shooting performance in the play-in elimination game against the Sacramento Kings on April 16 may have led to the negative consensus on his current skill level, but these criticisms, while fair to make, should not overshadow his past accomplishments with the Warriors.
After having been drafted by the Warriors out of Washington State with the 11th pick in 2011, Thompson has proved to be an incredibly valuable part of the team throughout the years.
Warriors fans as a collective will never forget his 37-point quarter in 2015 against the Kings, his famous nickname — Game 6 Klay — or his record for the most 3-pointers in a game against the Chicago Bulls in 2018.
Additionally, Thompson’s remarkable performance in the 2022 season in which he played a vital role in the championship victory was all the more impressive knowing he had returned from back-to-back multi-year injuries.
Although it’s sad that the “splash brothers” era of Thompson’s camaraderie with Steph Curry is over, Thompson’s move to the Mavericks is definitely a step in the right direction for him as an individual player. Going from a star player on the Warriors to a bench player likely was a huge confidence breaker for him, and the chance to start on a championship contending team like the Mavericks — with established stars like Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — will certainly be a fresh start, and hopefully a good one.
However, the Warriors and their fans will surely miss his presence — not only as a player but also as a veteran that knew the team inside out.
Thompson thanked the Warriors in a now-deleted Instagram post, saying, “The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime. My family and I would like to thank all of the amazing people who work tirelessly to make the Warriors organization world-class. Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened. Until we meet again.”
Certainly, every Warriors fan is glad that it happened, and that he managed to be a guiding force to four championships during his tenure. In our hearts, Thompson remains a Warriors legend, and one of the most vital assets to the Warriors’ many past successes.
