Klay Thompson left the Warriors as a free agent in 2024.
Signs of Departure:
Warriors coach Steve Kerr noticed Klay wanted to leave during the 2023-24 season. "Yeah, there were signs," Kerr shared on "The TK Show". "We all hoped he’d stay. I wanted him to be a Warrior for life, but only he knew what was best for him. By the end of the year, Klay knew he needed to go."
New Beginnings:
Kerr is happy for Klay joining the Mavericks and believes he’ll get many open shots playing with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Before his free agency, Klay never fully committed to staying with Golden State. In an April 8 interview with Draymond Green, he said he’d "prioritize mental health" over loyalty or familiarity.
Unlike other stars who changed their minds about staying with their teams, like Kyrie leaving the Celtics in 2019 or DeAndre Jordan leaving the Clippers in 2015, Klay stayed true to his words.
Professionalism Amid Change:
Throughout the 2023-24 season, even when coming off the bench for the first time since his rookie year, Klay remained professional. He supported rookie Brandin Podziemski who took his starting spot and didn’t see it as a demotion.
Fans think it’s great how supportive he was despite everything.
Sadly, Klay’s time with the Warriors ended poorly as he went
in their last game against the Kings during the play-in tournament. Maybe that final game was just fate’s way of closing this chapter.
