Klay Thompson’s exit from Golden State may be in the rearview mirror on paper, but the feelings around it still seem very much alive.
The former Warriors sharpshooter recently found himself back at Chase Center for a reunion with Stephen Curry, yet the conversation around Thompson keeps circling back to the same question: has he really gotten over how things ended with the organization?
NBA reporters Marcus Thompson and Nick Friedell don’t think so. In a podcast discussion shared by NBABase, they suggested Thompson still hasn’t fully made peace with his departure from Golden State.
“Even when he's saying great things about it, oh, I love the fan base, it's through gritted teeth,” one reporter said. “Like he just, he ain't over it fully yet. He thought he would still be here.”
That’s the tension here. Thompson can speak warmly about Warriors fans, and he has done exactly that, but the reporters’ read is that the appreciation and the pain are still two separate things.
Thompson left Golden State in 2024 after 13 seasons and four NBA championships, with contract disagreements and uncertainty about his role helping push the breakup along. It was the end of a long run that had defined both player and franchise.
Since then, the veteran guard first landed with the Dallas Mavericks before moving to the Miami Heat in 2026. His return to Chase Center only added another layer to the emotional aftermath, even if the reunion with his old teammates was a friendly one.
Curry, for his part, has stayed connected to Thompson. The Warriors star recently said their trash talk now centers on a college basketball bet, a reminder that the bond between them hasn’t disappeared even if the uniform has changed.
Thompson has also continued to show love for the Bay Area and the fans who watched him help build one of the league’s great dynasties. Still, the latest reporting points to something unresolved underneath all of that goodwill.
For Warriors fans, that’s what makes the whole thing linger. Thompson was central to the run, but the breakup clearly left a mark that hasn’t fully faded.
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Klay Thompson Just Reopened A Warriors Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Klay Thompsons first game against the Warriors as a member of the Heat had the kind of emotional backdrop that always seems to follow him around the Bay Area. He scored 11 points and added three assists in Miamis loss, but the bigger takeaway came after the final buzzer, when Thompson made it clear he still carries thoughts of a possible reunion with Golden State and appreciates the support he continues to get from fans in the region.
For Warriors fans, that is the part that keeps the conversation alive. Thompson is under contract with Miami now, but he also has a player option for next season, which leaves the door open just enough to keep the speculation going. Even with the move already made, his connection to Golden State has not gone away, and this latest visit only reminded everyone how hard it is to fully close the book on a player who helped define an era. [Read more 🡒]