It will take time for Warriors coach Steve Kerr to accept that Klay Thompson no longer is a part of his team.
How much time exactly?
Kerr sat down with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke to share his thoughts on when he believes it will sink in that Thompson, an undisputed Golden State legend, isn’t a part of the franchise.
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“It won’t sink in that Klay is not here until probably the first game when we go out there without him,” Kerr told Burke. “There were so many little Klayisms, nuances in pregame meetings and walkthroughs. The humor that he brought, the joy. It’s going to be weird without him.”
Thompson, who signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks in NBA free agency, is set to face his former coach and teammates of 12 seasons for the first time on Nov. 12, when his new team visits Chase Center.
Kerr knows emotions will run high that day.
“And then when he comes here with Dallas, it’s going to be, for sure, an emotional night,” Kerr added. “In some ways a difficult night, but I’m also looking forward to welcoming him back and reminding him how much we love him.”
Thompson, a four-time NBA champion, five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player, has experienced it all throughout his Hall of Fame career with the Warriors.
So, will the 34-year-old sharpshooter be like other players and go for a statement performance against his former team?
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Kerr knows it’s in Thompson’s nature to always give his best.
“I was going to say that I think Klay is going to shoot every time but that wouldn’t be a change from when he was here,” Kerr said. “The beauty of Klay is the mentality that he brings to the game. It’s the same one that Steph brings. Those guys are killers. They’re coming and they’re looking to launch and rip your heart out.
“It’s the same thing that we’ve loved over the last decade. The same thing that has made Klay who he is. He’s bringing that to Dallas, so we better be ready.”
Outside of a well-deserved pregame ceremony honoring his legacy, how Thompson's return will pan out remains a top talking point heading into the Warriors' season.
One this is for certain, however: Dub Nation will be anxiously waiting for its Splash Brother to return home.