Klay Thompson’s departure from the Golden State Warriors last year was a huge shock to every Dubs fan. From being one of the cornerstones of a dynasty to being known as the ‘Splash Brother’ of Stephen Curry, Thompson redefined what it meant to be one of the highest-performing assets of a championship-calibre team.
Meanwhile, his time with the Dallas Mavericks seems to be drawing to a close, and we might see him return to the Bay.
As per journalist Anthony Slater, Klay Thompson might return to the Warriors if Stephen Curry pushes for him. Slater wrote:
“Those around Thompson say they believe it could eventually happen because ‘there’s no one that carries more weight with Klay than Steph,’ one league source said.
But Curry would have to push for it.”
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The Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors will face each other on Christmas, and these rumors about Thompson are quite legible for anyone to shrug them off. Though Thompson doesn’t rule out the possibility of returning to the Warriors, what Curry says could be a glimmer of hope.
“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.”
It was evident that since the 2022-23 season, Klay Thompson wasn’t happy as a Warrior. As per ESPN, Thompson spent most of his final season at the Bay being in a ‘miserable’ state, believing he wasn’t respected and valued like Curry and Draymond Green.
For now, Thompson has another year remaining on his three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavs. He has come up in conversations as a potential trade candidate if the Mavs decide to move him before the February 5 deadline.
How Would a Klay Thompson Trade Look Like?
In a more realistic term, the Warriors have their sights on someone who is a more dynamic scorer than 35-year-old Klay Thompson. However, there is a possibility that the trade market for such players runs dry. If so, the Dubs could target either Thompson or Daniel Gafford from the Mavericks.
Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield for Thompson and Gafford work perfectly in this scenario. Perhaps, signing Kuminga could be a great option as the Mavs look to rebuild around their rookie phenomenon Cooper Flagg.
If the trade takes place, Gafford could start as a center for the Warriors. He’s currently averaging 8.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in 22.3 minutes of game time. On the other hand, Thompson is shooting just 37% from the field and is averaging a career low 11.1 points per game. However, he has kept his shooting range intact despite the struggles, hitting 36.1% from the deep.
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