Sin City Raiders

The Klay-maker. The A-Klay-37. Game 6 Klay. Captain Klay. Fans have different nicknames for Klay Thompson, but one thing everyone must call him is a four-time NBA champion. After 13 historic years with the Golden State Warriors, Thompson is taking his talents to Dallas, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy.

Thompson’s departure is a change from how the franchise has done business under Joe Lacob’s ownership. The Warriors have been an outlier in the modern NBA. This is a franchise that has kept their core of stars together in an era where big names are constantly on the move. It has been a dynasty centered around homegrown talent, the likes of which we might never see again.

So, how did it get to this point?

How Klay bet on himself

Many fans are calling out GM Mike Dunleavy and owner Joe Lacob, but let’s not forget that Thompson rejected a two-year offer for $48 million shortly before the season. I’m all for a player betting on themselves. But when you lose a bet, you have to pay up.

With Thompson in a slump, Steve Kerr was forced into one of the toughest decisions that he has had to make as the coach presiding over this dynasty. Believe in the guy you’ve won four rings with, or go another direction? Kerr phased the slumping Splash Brother out of closing line-ups and then made the decision that Thompson would be replaced in the starting lineup.

Coming off the bench, Thompson’s numbers bounced back to the old Klay that Dub Nation has come to know and love. Thompson would eventually regain his longtime spot in Kerr’s starting lineup, but the inconsistencies continued throughout a season that came to an abrupt end in the play-in game, during which Thompson went 0-for-10 shooting.

So, about that new contract

The bet that Thompson made on himself didn’t exactly go how he wanted. He played his best ball in a sixth-man role; a role he initially wasn’t thrilled about. Although he had a more positive attitude publicly about coming off the bench and compared himself to other greats who did the same, it could be that he didn’t want to be at that point of his career quite yet.

As the beginning of free agency neared, word was that the Splash Brother wanted more than just the two years that was originally offered and that he could want as many as four. As if negotiating a contract in this situation isn’t already difficult, there are other factors worth noting.

2026

The great Warriors teams of the last decade revolve around Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Steve Kerr. And aside from being a part of this group that has won four rings, they have something else in common.

Where things stand right now, Curry (who is extension eligible), Green and Kerr all have contracts that expire in 2026. Also, Thompson’s two-year offer would have put him in line with his coach and teammates. Green does have a player-option for 26-27, but the fact that all contracts are aligned like that can’t be a coincidence, can it?

Remember the “two-timeline” idea that the front office was sold on? Does Joe Lacob envision the 2026-27 Warriors having a new coach with a starting lineup centered around Jonathon Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis and future draft picks?

Joe Lacob has made it known that he wants to hang as many banners in the Chase Center as he possibly can. Since becoming the owner, he has assembled great rosters year-after-year. But now, we’re getting into the years where one must choose between those who brought you past success and those who you think have their best days ahead. By allowing Thompson to walk, is Lacob beginning the transition from the old guard to the next generation?

Did they “do Klay dirty?”

On a side note here to respond to fans I’ve heard call into local radio sports talk shows in the last 24 hours, in this writer’s opinion the answer is no. I don’t see any way that the organization did Thompson dirty. This is the same organization that gave him a max contract while he was rehabbing from a career-altering injury. Because I have love for Mr. Game 6, I will say that they could have communicated with him better prior to pulling him from the closing lineup. His outburst on the bench looked like that of a player caught completely by surprise.

Paul George = Kevin Love

It has been a busy opening couple of days in free agency for Golden State and it could have been even busier if they pulled off a highly-speculated trade for Paul George. But much like when the Dubs were linked to Kevin Love, this trade not happening is great for the Warriors. Not to suggest that Love and George are the same player, but that the scenario is similar.

Remember way back when Jerry West stopped the Warriors from trading Draymond Green and/or Klay Thompson for Love? The blue-and-gold were wise to ultimately follow that same logic this time around. PG could have cost the Warriors well over $200 million over four years. The two biggest problems for the Dubs coming off of last season are age and money. George would be yet another aging player who would tie up far too much of the team’s finances and, if we’re being totally honest, would not be the one piece to win another Larry O’Brien in Curry’s window.

Goodbye Klay

All in all, this is a difficult goodbye for Dub Nation. Even with all the advanced stats that are used today, nothing on a stat-sheet can tell you what a great Warrior Thompson was. From his boat rides in San Francisco Bay to shooting those two free throws in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals to autographing a fan’s toaster, Klay’s time with Golden State was one of the best eras in history of the game. From this writer, “oh captain, my captain”, best of luck in Dallas.