In the end, Klay Thompson made the tough decision to leave the Golden State Warriors after 13 years with the organization. Although he ultimately signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson had difficult conversations throughout the negotiation process. One of these conversations was with his close teammate, Steph Curry.
Reports suggest that negotiations with the Warriors had stalled in the weeks leading up to free agency. During this time, Thompson spoke to Curry and asked him not to pressure the Warriors front office into re-signing him. Curry respected Thompson’s wishes and did not use his influence to push for his return to the team.
Thompson’s departure from the Warriors was ultimately a decision he made on his own. The team had minimal communication with him and his representatives in the weeks leading up to his signing with the Mavericks. Now, Thompson will be facing off against Curry and the Warriors as a member of their Western Conference rivals in Dallas.
Although Curry is known for having organizational influence within the team, he respected Thompson’s decision in this instance and did not try to sway the front office. This season, Thompson will be joining a new team and facing his former teammates at least three times during NBA action.
