Klay Thompson was asked if he anticipates being in Dallas next season.
“That’s a hard hitter. I’m not sure. I’m under contract so I do, but I’ve definitely learned in my time in Dallas that things can change on a dime.”
Getty
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors had a lot to say about the NBA tanking problem.
The Golden State Warriors built one of the most decorated dynasties in NBA history. Four championships. A 73-9 regular season. A decade of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green redefining what a basketball team could look like at its peak. The core three won the 2015 title, broke the wins record, added two more rings with Kevin Durant, and then came together one final time to claim the 2022 championship without him.
Thompson departed for the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2024. Golden State reached the second round of the playoffs that season without him. This past year was a different story, with injuries to Jimmy Butler and Curry derailing what could have been a stronger campaign. The Warriors finished 37-45 and missed the playoffs entirely.
Green recently reflected on what Thompson’s exit actually meant for the franchise, and he did not sugarcoat it.
Getty/Ezra ShawStephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green pump each other up after Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Trailblazers.
Appearing on Candace Parker’s podcast Post Moves, Green opened up about the moment the Warriors’ dynasty shifted. He acknowledged that Thompson leaving changed the feel of the organization in a real way. In his words: “A part of this era ended when Klay left.“
It is a candid admission from someone who has been at the center of everything Golden State has built. Green did not frame it as a collapse or a failure. He was careful to point out that plenty of the people who helped build this run are still around, from longtime staffers to assistant coaches who have been part of the organization throughout the dynasty years. But he was honest about what Thompson’s absence represents. Something changed when that trio was broken up.
GettyKlay Thompson of the Dallas Mavericks and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Thompson is still under contract with the Mavericks, which means any conversation about a potential reunion in Golden State remains purely hypothetical for now. In comments from early April, Thompson was candid about his own uncertainty. He acknowledged that his time in Dallas has taught him that situations can shift quickly, noting that “things can change on a dime.“
That is not exactly a ringing endorsement of his long-term future in Dallas, but it is also far from a demand to return to Golden State.
Klay Thompson was asked if he anticipates being in Dallas next season.
“That’s a hard hitter. I’m not sure. I’m under contract so I do, but I’ve definitely learned in my time in Dallas that things can change on a dime.”
It is a telling admission from someone who has been at the center of everything Golden State has built. Green acknowledged the shift without dwelling on it. A part of the era ended, and he was honest enough to say so.
The Warriors are heading into an offseason full of uncertainty. Kerr’s future is unresolved. Green’s player option looms. Curry is 38.
But the foundation is still there. Curry is still one of the most impactful players in the league. Green is still one of the best defenders and connective pieces in the game. The dynasty may have shifted. But it has not disappeared, and what comes next is still worth watching.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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