Klay Thompson thought for a short time about taking a Boston Whaler to Dallas because he thought it would be fun to keep at one of the lakes in the area. He planned to use it to enjoy his love of boats after moving out of the San Francisco Bay Area. But, after giving it some thought, he chose not to do it. Thompson decided that he didn’t want to try to repeat his old life in the Bay Area. Instead, he wanted to start a whole new adventure in Dallas.
Thompson was relaxed in his locker at the American Airlines Center, which was next to Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving’s. “I don’t need a boat,” he said. “That is what summer is for.” I went boating in the Bay in cold water enough to last me a while. Thompson used to boat on the open waters in his Axopar 37 Cabin, which he playfully named the “Nordic Knife” and the “Splash Express.” Now, when he wants some water and fresh air, he rides his bike from his home in Dallas to White Rock Lake. It’s a more peaceful way to spend time outside. It’s a better way to relax in his new city because it’s easier.
Thompson is leaving Golden State to start a new life, and it’s not just because he loves boats. Also, it’s about his mental journey and how heavy the choice that had been on his mind for months felt. Even though he won four titles with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as a member of the Warriors, Thompson was becoming more and more worried about his future with the team, especially during his last season. Because he had doubts and was hurt badly, the choice to leave was both hard and necessary.
Thompson knows that he is only human, just like every other professional player, and that the stress can get to him. It got worse as the years went on. He had to deal with two major injuries and a smaller part with the Warriors. Thompson thought, “We’re all human.” “You can feel its weight.” The last few seasons have been especially hard for him because he had to work hard to get back to normal after tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals and his Achilles tendon during the summer. Even though he came back and helped the Warriors win the title in 2022, things started to change on the team, and Thompson started to feel more and more left out and undervalued.
When Thompson became a free agent, he chose to join the Dallas Mavericks over the Los Angeles Lakers, who were also interested in him. Considering that the Mavericks offered him a starting spot, he thought they were his best chance to fight for a fifth NBA title. The Mavs had just lost the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, which was very disappointing, and Thompson saw a chance to help them without adding another player. Thompson was 34 years old and had been hurt a lot, but he was eager to show that he could still play a big role on a winner.
Thompson said, “I honestly feel refreshed.” “This is exactly what I needed for my physical and mental health.” The job has been good for me. He didn’t just want to play basketball; he wanted to find meaning in his life again and feel valuable in a new place. Also, “I feel the love here,” he said. “I feel highly valued and like I can still do great things.”
Scottie Pippen, who left the Chicago Bulls at age 34 and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers, is another player who made the same choice Thompson did. Thompson was only nine years old and lived in Portland, where his father, Mychal, had played baseball in the past. The day Pippen joined the Blazers was one of the most exciting times in his life, he says. Thompson was very excited and said, “That was like the best day of my life.” “It was so amazing.” Even though Pippen didn’t win a title with the Blazers, Thompson was inspired by his play. This was especially true since the Blazers were so close to making it to the NBA Finals in 2000, losing Game 7 to the Lakers by just three minutes.
Seeing players like Pippen, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tom Brady leave their original teams and do well on other teams gave Thompson a sense of security. For example, after leaving the Lakers, O’Neal won a title with the Miami Heat. Similarly, Brady won a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after leaving New England. These examples helped Thompson remember that switching teams can be a good thing, even if it’s hard to do.
As of now, Thompson’s main goal is clear: he wants to win. He knew the Mavericks were almost there, and he wanted to be a part of their hopes for a title. “I just wanted to be a part of that when free agency hit on July 1,” he added. “It’s human nature to think about your future, and now that I’m locked in here for a few years, I feel free.”
Thompson’s last few years with Golden State were rough. Thompson came back to help the Warriors win the 2022 title after a long recovery from knee and Achilles injuries. But over the last few seasons, he’s felt less and less attached to the team. The front office seemed to be more interested in other players, and talks about extending the player’s deal never really got going. Thompson turned down the Warriors’ offer of a two-year, $47 million extension because it didn’t seem like a serious enough pledge to keep him with the team. On top of that, Thompson’s part was cut down as coach Steve Kerr tried out different lineups. Late in the 2023 season, Thompson even came off the bench for the first time in his career. There were whispers that the Warriors would be traded, and Thompson knew that his time with Golden State was almost up.
Thompson met with both the Mavericks and the Lakers, but finally chose to sign a $50 million, three-year deal with Dallas. There was a longer deal with more money from the Lakers, but Thompson chose the Mavericks because he thought they would help him reach his goals better. Curry, Green, and the rest of his Warriors friends had already said goodbye, and he had told them not to try to get the front office to keep him.
Thompson said, “I always think about the guys I beat.” “They were very in favor of it.” There isn’t any bad blood. Even though he was no longer with the Warriors, Thompson said that the relationships he had with his peers, especially Curry, Green, Iguodala, Wiggins, and Looney, would last forever. He said, “When you win, that lasts forever.” “That’s greater than any salary you could ever earn.”
Thompson has changed how he gets ready for games as he gets used to life with the Mavericks. Thompson got used to a certain morning routine while playing for the Warriors for 13 years: getting to the court early to shoot while hip-hop and rap music played in the background. He’s still hitting early for the Mavericks, but there are some changes. The music in the arena has changed, and Mavs assistant coach Jared Dudley now works out with him before games. Balkan folk and pop music is now playing over the speakers instead of the normal hip-hop tracks. This gives his routine a new twist as he gets used to his new home. This small change is a sign of the bigger change Thompson is accepting as he starts a new part of his career with the Mavericks.
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