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Klay Thompson's Departure from Golden State 'Shocked Me'; Claims Warriors Star
Klay Thompson left Golden State Warriors to join Dallas Mavericks and that has shocked his teammate. Let's read what he has to say.
It doesn't make Klay Thompson's exit from the Golden State Warriors any less strange for his former teammates, even if it was inevitable. Thompson decided this offseason to sign with the Dallas Mavericks after playing his whole career with the team that selected him No. 11 overall in the 2011 NBA Draft.
The Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga expressed that he was somewhat taken aback by Thompson's exit. According to what Thompson told ESPN's Cassidy Hubbarth, he took the 21-year-old "under his wing."
What did Jonathan Kuminga say?
Kuminga said, "I was a little shocked. Klay is somebody that took me under his wing when I first got drafted. He was one of my role models when I was out there. He always told me how the league functioned and things like that. And obviously, we all know in the league, the next day you can wake up and you happen to be somewhere else. Things just move faster."
Additionally, Kuminga stated that he's "happy for him at the end of the day" and that they continue to communicate. With the Warriors for 13 seasons, Thompson played in 11 of them while missing two because of injuries. The 34-year-old decided to move after his negotiations for a contract with the Warriors failed.
Thompson’s departure will give more game time to Kuminga
Though there have been many rumors regarding the offers the Warriors made to Thompson, he decided to sign with the Mavericks instead of accepting anything from Golden State. The Los Angeles Lakers have also reportedly expressed interest in Thompson.
Over 793 regular-season games with the Warriors, Thompson averaged 19.6 points while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three-point range. He averaged 19.2 points and shot 40.5 percent from beyond the arc in 158 career playoff games, contributing significantly to the team's remarkable dynasty.
With Thompson out of the picture, Kuminga—who had a breakthrough season in 2023–24, averaging 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds on 52.9 percent shooting in 26.3 minutes per game during the regular season—may get even more playing time.
Can the Golden State Warriors win the NBA title in the upcoming season without Thompson?
The Golden State Warriors have been recruiting smartly since Klay Thompson left the franchise. However, that might not keep them in the run for a title as other teams look far better equipped to challenge for the title. One of the early favorites for the title is Dallas Maverick after the arrival of Thompson.
ALSO READ: Dallas Mavericks Sign Klay Thompson in Massive USD 50 Million Sign-and-Trade; DETAILS Inside
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