The sight of Klay Thompson in a Dallas Mavericks jersey still feels like a glitch in the simulation. For thirteen years, he was the heartbeat of the Bay Area, a guy who could go from a scaffolding enthusiast on the local news to an absolute flamethrower on the hardwood in a matter of hours.
He wasn't just a shooter. He was the "Splash Brother" who took the tougher defensive assignment so Stephen Curry could roam free. He was the guy who stayed behind on a kayak after practice.
Then, it just ended.
Honestly, the split between the Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson wasn't just a business transaction. It was the messy, public divorce of a family that had won four rings together. And while the record books will focus on the trophies, the real story is about how a legendary relationship frayed over ego, injuries, and the cold reality of the NBA salary cap.
Why Klay Thompson Still Matters to the Warriors Legacy
You can’t talk about the Warriors dynasty without mentioning the night of January 23, 2015. Most players are lucky to score 37 points in a full game. Klay did it in 12 minutes.
He didn't miss. Not once.
Thirteen shots, nine of them from deep, all in the third quarter against the Kings. It’s arguably the most "heat check" moment in the history of the sport. But that was the Klay experience—he didn't need the ball to dominate. In 2016, he dropped 60 points on the Pacers while only dribbling the ball 11 times.
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Think about that.
He held the ball for a total of 90 seconds. It was the purest form of basketball efficiency ever recorded.
But the "Game 6 Klay" persona is what really cemented his status. Whenever the Warriors were on the brink of elimination, Thompson turned into a basketball deity. His 11 threes against Oklahoma City in the 2016 Western Conference Finals saved the 73-win season from being an asterisk. He was the ultimate safety net.
The 941-Day Nightmare
The tragedy of the Golden State Warriors and Klay Thompson is the "what if" regarding his physical prime.
When he went down in Game 6 of the 2019 Finals, he had already scored 30 points and looked like the best player on the floor. He tore his ACL, hobbled back out to shoot his free throws like a modern-day Willis Reed, and then disappeared for two and a half years.
Just as he was about to return in late 2020, his Achilles snapped in a pickup game.
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He missed 941 days of professional basketball.
Most players never come back from one of those. Klay came back from both and helped the Warriors win the 2022 title. It should have been the perfect ending, but the aftermath was surprisingly bitter.
The Disrespect Factor: What Really Happened?
People often ask why a guy with a statue-worthy legacy would leave.
Basically, it came down to feeling "less than." While Steph Curry is the undisputed face of the franchise and Draymond Green got his $100 million extension, Thompson felt like he was being asked to take the "legacy discount."
The Warriors offered him a two-year, $48 million extension in the summer of 2023. To the front office, it was a fair offer for a 34-year-old with a massive injury history. To Klay, it was a slap in the face. He saw the team give huge money to Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins while he was told to wait his turn.
The tension boiled over on the court. During the 2023-24 season, Steve Kerr did the unthinkable: he moved Klay to the bench.
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It worked, but it hurt.
Thompson was visibly frustrated, often seen brooding on the sidelines. The guy who used to be the most "chill" superstar in the league had become sensitive to every critique. When he went 0-for-10 in a play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings, the writing was on the wall. He needed a fresh start away from the expectations of his former self.
The Mavs Move and the Future
Now, Klay is in Dallas, trying to prove he’s still that elite secondary option next to Luka Dončić.
Early returns in late 2025 and early 2026 have been a rollercoaster. He’s had games where he looks like the old Klay—like his 26-point outburst against the Jazz where he passed Damian Lillard for 4th on the all-time three-point list. Other nights, the lateral quickness just isn't there, and he’s been moved to the bench in Dallas too.
The Warriors, meanwhile, have moved on to a more depth-oriented style. They miss his gravity, but they don't miss the offensive stagnation that sometimes happened when Klay tried to "shoot his way" back into 2018.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking the tail end of the Splash Brothers era, keep these nuances in mind:
- Look at the Gravity, Not Just the Percentage: Even when Klay is shooting 35% from deep, defenses still treat him like he's 2015 Klay. That space is what makes Luka or Steph so dangerous.
- The Defensive Shift: Klay isn't a "stopper" anymore. He’s better suited guarding slower wings or "3s" rather than the lightning-fast point guards he used to lock down.
- Legacy vs. Production: When evaluating his Hall of Fame case, remember that his "3-and-D" archetype is what every team in the NBA has been trying to replicate for the last decade. He is the blueprint.
The Golden State Warriors will eventually hang #11 in the rafters. There will be a statue outside Chase Center. But for now, we’re watching the weird, slightly uncomfortable epilogue of one of the greatest runs in sports history. It’s okay to admit it feels wrong. It does.