Klay Thompson, a key contributor to the Golden State Warriors dynasty, has agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks that includes a player option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
This deal is reportedly part of a multi-team signing and trade that will take some time to finalize.
The sign-and-trade framework that would ultimately send Klay Thompson to Dallas also has a full concept of sending Josh Green to Charlotte, but a return to the Warriors is not yet finalized, the source said. Three years, $50 million was the most the Mavericks were willing to offer.
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) July 1, 2024
The 34-year-old averaged 19.6 points per game (on 45/41/86 shooting splits), 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 11 seasons with the Warriors, earning five All-Star appearances and four championships.
Thompson remained one of the league’s best shooters, making 39 percent of his nine 3-point attempts per game last season. He lost a step both off the dribble and on defense after missing the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with torn left ACLs and right Achilles tendons, respectively. He returned midway through the 2021-22 campaign and helped the Warriors win the redemption title in 2022.
Thompson’s workload has decreased despite making nearly double-digit 3-pointers per game. The utilization rate dropped to 24.2%. He attempted fewer shots per game (14.7) than he did after his rookie season. He also played less than 30 minutes per game for an entire season for the first time since his rookie season, even coming off the bench briefly. His 17.9 points per game last season were as inconsistent as ever.
But then again, Thompson is one of the best shooters in the history of the game when the game demands it. Often overshadowed by Golden State’s splash brother Stephen Curry, Thompson needs to make 79 3-pointers to catch Reggie Miller for fifth on the career 3-point field goal list. He led the NBA with 268 shots last season and 301 shots in 2023. His career 3-point percentage (41.3%) is also among the top 20 of all time.
Thompson is also one of the best players in the game. He and his bulldog Rocco, born April 20, regularly boat to work in the Bay Area. He likes the simple things in life, like ladders. That seems to be a good thing in the locker room. That and the flamethrower he does from 3-point range.