Regrets, old wounds and a new team: Inside Klay Thompson’s final chapter

WHENEVER STEPHEN CURRY tunes into a Dallas Mavericks game, he mentions it’s an «instinctive reaction» for his gaze to track Klay Thompson across the floor.

«This actually occurred last night,» he mentioned.

This week, Curry seated himself with ESPN in the corridor outside the Golden State Warriors’ locker area. He remarked on the spot where, in 2022, his eldest son, Canon, expressed his «Hello, Klay Thompson» phrase that turned into a viral moment symbolizing the Splash Brother bond.

«It’s one of my cherished recollections,» Curry shared.

Just a night after netting 48 points in Portland on Sunday, he was unwinding at home with Canon, who is now 7 and a bit more attuned to the nuances of the NBA.

They switched on the Mavericks matchup against the Utah Jazz. Curry cheered as Thompson made two of his four 3s — «Go for it, Klay!» he shouted — early in the fourth quarter, piquing Canon’s interest.

«Hello Klay Thompson» – Canon Curry 💛💙 https://t.co/Fyt0hraXQ9 pic.twitter.com/E8pxBO0vp2

— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2022

«Klay’s on the court?» Canon inquired. «What are you doing here?»

Curry reminded Canon that Thompson is now part of the Dallas team. He has left the Warriors.

«Those are the instances when reality strikes,» Curry stated. «Life has transformed. However, there are reminders of how phenomenal it was and also a reminder of how regrettable … the situation is now.»

Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green once shared dreams of enduring together with the Warriors, a team with whom they clinched four NBA championships. When Green notices social media or broadcast graphics dubbing him and Curry as the league’s longest-running duo, he shakes his head.

«It ought to be a trio,» Green voiced. «That strikes me as odd.»

However, situations shift. Injuries have impacted Thompson’s career. The ACL and Achilles ruptures in 2019 and 2020, respectively, deprived him of NBA action for 941 days. He made a comeback and aided Golden State in securing a championship in 2022, but the fallout initiated his eventual exit.

«Here was a player who believed he contributed everything for [team owner] Joe [Lacob] and the organization, only to be perceived as damaged goods,» a league source revealed.

Thompson is now in the midst of his second campaign with the Mavericks, who dealt Luka Doncic last season, the very player Thompson aspired to team up with. They’re currently out of the Western Conference playoff picture, while the Warriors, at 13-14, aren’t far ahead, having struggled due to injuries, aging, and prevailing discontent.

Thompson and the Mavericks are set to visit Golden State on Christmas Day (5 p.m. ET, ESPN), once again highlighting the NBA’s most unexpected divide. Seventeen months post-separation, multiple sources informed ESPN that reflection and remorse have melted some of the iciness, despite some residual resentment regarding the way it concluded.

«I wish he was still with us,» Curry expressed.

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IN FEBRUARY, SIX days subsequent to the Warriors acquiring Jimmy Butler III, they traveled from Milwaukee to Dallas during a six-game journey. Curry and Green expressed excitement about the immediate impact of their new associate.

Yet this particular stop focused on confronting their past.

«I knew I had to make sure I got over there,» Curry said.

Curry arranged beforehand to spend the night before this game at Thompson’s residence and coordinated a dinner including Green, assistant coach Chris DeMarco, and Thompson’s acquaintances. Thompson provided him with the address. He booked an Uber for both Green and himself to arrive.

«Wow,» Thompson noted. «I had to move to Texas just to get this guy over to my place.»

The atmosphere was cheerful. Thompson unveiled a chess set and Binho, a tabletop soccer game. Curry gravitated towards the putting green. They engaged in competitions. They caught up on life. Thompson showcased his cherished biking route nearby.

«We didn’t need to tackle any feelings or the circumstances of his departure,» Green mentioned. «It was just friends hanging out. He was sharing, ‘Yeah, this is my life here.’

«But you could sense he’s working through it. It felt peculiar for him.»

Curry found the dinner to have a healing aspect, describing it as an «acknowledgment of the finality» of their circumstances.

«I didn’t attend for that reason,» Curry recalled. «Yet that’s what it turned into.»

They remained at Thompson’s place «late into the night,» according to Curry, departing with a renewed appreciation for everything they achieved despite how abrupt and icy the split was.

«You don’t share 12 years with your friends and simply let that dissipate,» Thompson noted. «That was a really enjoyable moment last season, which was quite up and down.»

Much of Thompson’s professional identity is intertwined with his history with the Warriors, as he reminded a chirping Ja Morant last month. Curry perceived Thompson’s altercation with the Memphis Grizzlies and disapproved of it.

«The notion that he carries the Warrior success no matter what jersey he dons, I appreciate that sentiment,» Curry said. «But I dislike seeing him take hits when he lacks that support and his teammates aren’t around him.»

Green had similar sentiments. A couple of nights later, he observed a clip of Thompson engaging with a Miami Heat rookie, reminding Myron Gardner that he couldn’t «sit at my table.» Green could only watch through his phone.

«That was two consecutive instances I witnessed him arguing alone,» Green emphasized. «What the heck?»

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THE NIGHT AFTER sharing a meal as longtime friends, the former teammates faced off once more.

Thompson scored 17 points, intercepted a Green pass early in the final quarter, and blocked a Curry floater during crucial moments. The Mavericks triumphed 111-107.

News reached the Warriors that Thompson was expressing his glee in the home locker room afterward and abounding in complaints about the error the Warriors made in pursuing other players instead of prioritizing him.

«That was to be expected,» Green remarked recently. «I caught wind of some of the things he mentioned. We competed with Klay for 12 years. We are familiar with his emotional intensity.»

There was a retaliatory essence to his remarks. Three months prior, in Thompson’s inaugural game against the Warriors, Curry hit a decisive 3-pointer in the closing moments and shouted to the camera what seemed to convey: «You better stay here!»

«That’s why we secured championships together,» Green noted. «We all harbor that fiery side. You don’t achieve the success we did without it.»

Curry confirmed his intention that evening.

«That was my manner of expressing the significance this place has for me,» he stated. «And how much I desire to exclusively be here.»

Thompson once shared that sentiment, yet his journey took an alternate route.

He notoriously tore his ACL in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, leaping for a dunk attempt during one of his signature scoring bursts, putting everything on the line in his pursuit of delivering the franchise a fourth title in five years — even limping back to the court to sink two free throws before departing for medical attention.

One month thereafter, the franchise bestowed upon Thompson a five-year max contract extension, a symbol of dedication that eventually turned contentious between him and the management, league insiders revealed.

In the ensuing years, sources mentioned that Thompson learned Lacob was disseminating to various individuals that Thompson ought to express gratitude for the deal, alongside expressing dissatisfaction about his diminishing performance. Thompson had sustained an Achilles tear during an unsanctioned practice far from the facility and later acknowledged he might have approached his ACL recovery with more caution, yet felt he had done more than enough to earn that contract and ongoing loyalty from the organization.

This led to tense negotiation discussions over an extension during the summer of 2023 that went nowhere, and frustrations erupted during the contract season of 2023-24, leading to a midseason benching and several behind-the-scenes outbursts from Thompson following particular coaching choices.

«When I was in the Bay, donning that No. 11 jersey, I believe any performer would attest, any athlete, that you set a particular standard for yourself,» a contemplative Thompson shared with ESPN this month. «After breaking records, achieving milestones, and experiencing the sport’s zenith — and thinking that was the norm — I was consistently in pursuit of that within Golden State.»

The Warriors assert they offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension in the summer of 2023, though Thompson’s camp never genuinely regarded it as sincere or substantial as claimed. Leading up to the 2024 free agency, communication between Thompson and the Warriors dwindled. He played golf with Lacob, but that topic remained unaddressed.

The Warriors aggressively sought free agent Paul George and informed Thompson he’d need to wait until other matters were resolved. An offer never materialized. Thompson interpreted it as a sign that he was a minor concern in their future plans.

Feeling sidelined, he initiated a search for options elsewhere, eyeing the Lakers and Mavericks as potential destinations. Ultimately, Thompson made the decision to part ways, though sources close to him indicated he felt subtly pressured in a tactical manner.

Lacob shared a thread of his favorite moments and pictures of Thompson’s career after he made his choice to depart. He promptly proclaimed the Warriors’ intention to retire his No. 11 jersey and organized a heartfelt celebration for Thompson during his first return game.

«People generally comprehend some of the conflicting issues from both sides that occurred,» Lacob stated days before Thompson’s November 2024 return. «However, I genuinely think everyone cherishes the history. You cannot remove what he contributed to the franchise. Truthfully, to me as an owner — he was incredibly significant. He was the first player we ever drafted. I truly felt like he was a son… Regardless of anything — how it concluded, or didn’t conclude. Any of that is irrelevant.»

Thompson chose Dallas, and the Warriors orchestrated it into a sign-and-trade, securing him a little more compensation. However, he wasn’t pleased with how management attempted to wring extra value from Dallas at the end, league sources indicated.

«Everything is all good, my man,» Thompson stated. «I am still focused on winning. What they do doesn’t concern me in the least. I remain intent on my objective, and that’s to position myself for the best shot at winning again. So whatever manifests from their end, whatever business decisions they make, don’t impact how I feel.»

While his connection with his long-time former teammates endures firmly, his sentiments towards management remain somewhat frosty.

«[The Warriors’ front office] achieved the result they desired,» another league source noted.

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SITTING AT HIS space in the FedExForum visitors locker room after the Mavericks were ousted in the previous season’s concluding Western Conference play-in match, Thompson let out a heavy sigh and hung his head upon hearing the inquiry.

If he had been aware in the summer of the upcoming changes in Dallas, would he have still opted to sign with the Mavs?

«Please don’t do this. Don’t go there. Don’t put me in that position,» Thompson responded, declining a more lucrative offer from the Los Angeles Lakers because he felt Dallas afforded him the best opportunity to win another title.

«That question is rather absurd as I lack a time machine and don’t believe in revisiting or reflecting. If I did so my entire career, I wouldn’t be where I am, and I wouldn’t have managed to get through two tough injuries. So, I’m here in Dallas, enjoying my journey, and anticipating what lies ahead.»

Thompson reported to training camp in Vancouver, British Columbia, this autumn with regained hope. He spent the summer gearing up for a season rather than pondering his free agency destination. His personal life was fulfilling, bolstered by his relationship with rapper Megan Thee Stallion, which had recently become Instagram official.

«Being in love certainly enhances everything a bit,» Thompson remarked after a practice session at Simon Fraser University.

At that juncture, Thompson believed the Mavericks could contend for a title with top draft pick Cooper Flagg joining their core group.

This optimism quickly dissipated as Dallas encountered a disastrous start fueled by persistent fan discontent stemming from the Feb. 2 trade that dispatched Doncic to the Lakers, culminating in general manager Nico Harrison’s termination on Nov. 11.

Thompson, who struggled significantly in a starting lineup that featured Flagg at point guard and severely lacked shot creation, lost his starting position after seven matches. He was removed from the lineup after registering a mere 31.8% shooting from the field, including 26.2% from beyond the arc, while Dallas finished last in offensive efficiency.

The coaches likely would have taken action sooner, were it not for concerns regarding how Thompson might react to a relegated role. This time, unlike his final season with the Warriors, he accepted the decision to come off the bench with composure.

«What facilitated the transition in Dallas was my capability to rebrand myself — a new number, a new team, a new experience,» Thompson remarked recently. «Being here in Dallas has afforded me the opportunity to reinvent myself and not cling to the past ghosts of striving for greatness. …

«So now here in Dallas, I feel much more at peace, acknowledging that whether I start or come off the bench, I will contribute. Making an impact in Year 15 is a remarkable achievement.»

Thompson has rediscovered his shooting finesse, achieving 40.7% from three-point range over the past month as the Mavericks have maintained a .500 record over 14 games. The new Mavericks front office is expected to assess his trade value near the deadline. League sources indicate Thompson’s aspiration is to play for a contender, but the $17 million owed to him next season might complicate any potential move.

«The landscape has shifted since I joined here — well, of course, the personnel,» Thompson noted. «But we still possess a talented roster, and ultimately, I’m playing to win, which hasn’t changed. My ambitions remain constant.»

The highlight of Thompson’s season thus far was a classic performance in a Nov. 29 comeback over the LA Clippers, where he scored 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter, the kind of scoring outburst that used to be regular for him.

That was during the second half of a back-to-back sequence following a loss to the Lakers, and Thompson was marked as out due to knee soreness on the first injury report released by the Mavs that afternoon. In characteristic «Captain Klay» fashion, he changed his mind after a boat ride on his new vessel — dubbed «The Stallion» — and a dip in the Pacific Ocean.

He reflected nostalgically that evening about accepting his current standing in the latter stages of his career and valuing the chance to mentor a promising prospect like Flagg as he embarks on his NBA adventure. He likened himself to Byron Scott, a three-time champion with the Showtime Lakers whose last season in the league was spent mentoring a rookie named Kobe Bryant.

«What I’ve gleaned, however, even in Year 13 and 14, is to focus on what I can control, and the basketball deities will duly reward you.»

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WHEN THE MAVERICKS visited San Francisco for a third time last season, the Warriors organized a jersey retirement and postgame ceremony for Andre Iguodala, specifically scheduled on Feb. 23 to allow Thompson to attend.

The Mavericks faced a tough defeat, yet Thompson — with gritted teeth — managed to grumble his way to a courtside seat for part of it before exiting the arena.

«It was disappointing because we got completely thrashed,» Thompson remarked. «It wasn’t enjoyable. There were definitely mixed feelings, man. I laid down my blood, sweat, and tears for that uniform.

«I gave everything for that — literally. Especially in a time when showing up every night isn’t a priority anymore.»

Did he sense that his sacrifices were genuinely valued?

«Only time can determine,» Thompson responded.

Curry referenced Scottie Pippen as a tale of caution. Pippen’s legendary tenure with the Chicago Bulls ended on a sour note, and those scars never seemed to mend completely. Curry desires for that not to be the situation with Thompson and the franchise.

«I didn’t want that to be part of our shared narrative nor something he has to bear that detracts from the delightful memories of his 13-year journey,» Curry stated. » I despise that this is part of the story.»

Curry expressed that, at minimum, he would anticipate a ceremonial one-day contract for Thompson to conclude his career with the Warriors. However, Thompson appears to possess a few years left in him. Could a reunion and at least another season or two with the Warriors be on the horizon?

«I can’t say,» Thompson responded. «That’s a long way off, man. There’s a lot of basketball yet to be played. I’ve no idea what the future holds.»

Those around Thompson assert they believe it may happen eventually, as «no one carries more significance for Klay than Steph,» one league source stated.

But Curry would have to advocate for it.

«That would be incredible,» Curry remarked regarding the prospect. «If that moment arises and that dialogue occurs, I would certainly reach out to him and say, ‘We want you back.’ And ideally that would resonate positively with him. But as of now, that certainly feels like a far-off possibility. Yet so did him parting ways.»