Monday marked the end of an era.
After 13 NBA seasons and four championships, Klay Thompson's Golden State Warriors career is over.
League sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole that Thompson has chosen the Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers as his next NBA home. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported, citing sources, that the longtime Warriors guard plans to join Dallas on a three-year, $50 million contract in a multi-team sign and trade that also involves the Charlotte Hornets.
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Wojnarowski also reported that Thompson had four-year offers for more money on the table, but he decided to take less to pursue a fifth championship with the Mavs, who represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics this summer. Dallas lost that series in five games.
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The Warriors still are working through sign-and-trade details with the Mavs, and a deal is "not close," TNT's Chris Haynes reported shortly after the news broke. Wojnarowski added that the Hornets are sending two second-round picks to Dallas for young guard Josh Green as part of the deal, and one of those selections could wind up with Golden State.
Thompson and the Warriors reportedly began negotiating a contract extension almost one year ago, and after a potentially uncomfortable standoff, the five-time All-Star now will take his talents elsewhere.
After missing both the 2019-2020 and 2020-21 seasons with consecutive leg injuries, Thompson triumphantly returned to the court in 2022 and helped the Warriors secure their fourth championship in eight years.
Thompson then led the NBA in 3-pointers during an up-and-down 2022-23 season before his inconsistencies persisted throughout last season.
Thompson averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 77 games (63 starts) last season, and shot 43.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from 3-point range. He also came off the Warriors’ bench for the first time in his career.
Both Thompson and the Warriors were vocal about their desire to work out a deal and for the Splash Brother to finish his illustrious NBA career with Golden State alongside longtime teammates Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but it appears Thompson's asking price was too high.
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