According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Klay Thompson, a key contributor to the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty, has agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks that includes a player option.
The deal was part of a multi-team sign-and-trade that was finalized Monday night. The Mavericks reportedly sent two second-round picks in 2025 and 2031 to Golden State as part of the deal.
The framework for a sign-and-trade that would ultimately send Klay Thompson to Dallas and Josh Green to Charlotte has been finalized, sources said, but the amount of money coming back to the Warriors has yet to be determined. The Mavericks were only allowed to offer $50 million over three years.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) July 1, 2024
The 34-year-old averaged 19.6 points (on 45-41-86 shooting), 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game during 11 seasons with the Warriors, earning five All-Star appearances and four championships.
Thompson is one of the best shooters in the league, averaging nine three-pointers per game last season and hitting 39% of them. Since missing the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament and right Achilles tendon, respectively, he has shown signs of decline in both dribbling and defense. He returned from both seasons midway through the 2021-22 season and helped the Warriors win the title in 2022.
Thompson’s workload has decreased despite him taking nearly double-digit 3-pointers per game. His usage rate has dropped to 24.2%. His shot attempts per game (14.7) are his lowest since his rookie season. He also played fewer than 30 minutes per game in a full season for the first time since his rookie season, though he did come off the bench at times. His 17.9 points per game last season was still shaky.
But then again, Thompson is one of the best shooters the game has ever had when the game needs it. Often overshadowed by Golden State’s Splash Brother Stephen Curry, Thompson needs to make 79 3-pointers to pass Reggie Miller on the career 3-point field goal list. He made 268 last season and will lead the NBA with 301 in 2023. His career 3-point shooting percentage (41.3%) also ranks in the top 20 all-time.
Thompson is also one of the best guys in basketball. He and his bulldog, Rocco, born April 20, travel by boat regularly for work in the Bay Area. He values the simple things in life, like scaffolding, which seems to be a good thing for the locker room. That and the blazing fire he delivers from the 3-point range.
