LAS VEGAS — One day, fans will flock to his statue outside Chase Center. When Klay Thompson’s career is over, his uniform will hang from the ceiling along with those of some of the franchise’s greatest players. No Warriors player will ever wear No. 11 again.
The Warriors also needed to pivot quickly, and with one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports in decline, they couldn’t waste time in a crucial offseason.
Knowing that Thompson wanted to leave the only NBA team he’s ever known and join the Dallas Mavericks as a free agent on a three-year, $50 million contract, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy quickly had to shift his focus to finding creative ways to bolster a team that missed the NBA playoffs last season.
He’s thought so at one point. Steve Kerr’s sole focus for the time being is leading the USA men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The Warriors coach has consistently followed every decision Dunleavy has made, and Kerr couldn’t be happier with the thread Dunleavy has been able to pull so far, no matter how much he would have liked Thompson to stay with the Warriors.
“I thought Mike Dunleavy did a great job,” Kerr said Sunday at UNLV following the second day of U.S. team training camp.
Thompson wasn’t the only future Hall of Famer the Warriors lost last week. Chris Paul’s one-year experiment with Golden State fell far short of expectations. In order to move on after Thompson took his talents to Dallas, Dunleavy had to do something unprecedented in NBA history.
He completed the league’s first six-team trade: Thompson was acquired by the Mavs in what was technically a sign-and-trade, while the Warriors added Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson, and the other teams involved in the deal included the Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets.
Hield, a Philadelphia native, was acquired by the 76ers from the Indiana Pacers at last season’s trade deadline, while Anderson spent the past two seasons in Minnesota after four years with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Warriors also signed versatile veteran guard De’Anthony Melton to a $12.9 million contract through the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Prior to making the big-name acquisitions, Dunleavy also made some smaller moves, such as acquiring Lindy Waters III in a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder, reacquiring the 52nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to acquire Quinten Post from Boston College and signing back-to-back ACC Defensive Player of the Year Reece Beekman to a two-way contract.
“After losing Chris and then Clay, he and his team have done a great job using the cap to their advantage,” Kerr said. “We’ve got three really good players, we’ve managed our finances well and Mike’s done a great job all around.”
“He’s also been a great partner through these difficult times. He’s a great guy to rely on.”
There’s no one to replace Thompson, especially emotionally, and Kerr and Dunleavy know that, as do Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
Few players have the basketball IQ of Paul, who will be playing for the San Antonio Spurs next season at age 39 in his 20th NBA season.
While the Warriors have many needs addressed, they are also still searching for a second star to complement Curry. They added Hield, who is a 3-point shot ace. Melton also brings shooting, secondary scoring, athleticism and offensive defense. Anderson gives them length, defensive ability and plenty of experience.
In a league where continuity is paramount, the Warriors, after all the twists and turns, are closer to their goal than they were just finishing near the bottom of the deep-stacked Western Conference. They’re ready to pull out all the stops on a daily basis.
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