Klay Thompson’s departure from the Golden State Warriors wasn’t just a business decision-it was the culmination of years of quiet tension, emotional fallout, and a relationship that slowly unraveled behind the scenes.
While the public narrative painted his five-year max extension in 2019 as a gesture of loyalty from the Warriors-rewarding a three-time champion who had just torn his ACL in the Finals-the full story, as reported by ESPN, reveals a more complicated picture. Thompson didn’t always feel the love the organization claimed to be showing. In fact, there were moments when he felt more like a liability than a legend.
Sources say Thompson was stung by comments he overheard from team owner Joe Lacob, who reportedly pointed to Klay’s declining production and implied he should be grateful for the contract. For a player who had given everything-his body, his prime, and his pride-to the franchise, that cut deep. One league source put it plainly: “This was a guy who felt he left it all out there for Joe and the organization, and was then viewed as damaged goods.”
That feeling only intensified after another devastating injury-an Achilles tear during a pickup game the following year-that sidelined him for a second straight season. Thompson later admitted he could’ve handled his ACL rehab more carefully, but by then, the trust between player and front office had already started to erode.
By the time the final years of his deal rolled around, the relationship had cooled. The Warriors reportedly offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension in the summer of 2023.
But from Thompson’s camp, the offer didn’t come across as a firm commitment. Instead, it felt more like a formality.
According to ESPN, Thompson came to believe the Warriors were strategically nudging him out the door during his 2024 free agency.
Now in Dallas, Thompson is focused on the present. He’s told those close to him that he still wants to compete for championships, and he believes the Mavericks give him a shot at doing just that. The fire still burns, and the goals haven’t changed.
As for a potential reunion with the Warriors? Thompson hasn’t ruled it out.
One league source suggested that if Stephen Curry made the call, Thompson would seriously consider coming back. That bond-formed over a decade of shared battles and banners-still holds weight.
“There’s no one that carries more weight with Klay than Steph,” the source said.
And Curry? He’s not closing the door either.
“It would be unbelievable,” Curry said. “If that time comes and that conversation is had, of course I’m calling him and saying, ‘We want you back.’
And hopefully that would be a welcome message to him. But as we stand right now, that does seem like a far-distant reality.
But so did him leaving.”
So while Thompson may be wearing a different jersey now, the story between him and Golden State might not be over just yet. The chapter has closed-for now-but the book might still have a few pages left to write.