The Golden State Warriors may not be done putting together a respectable team around Stephen Curry just yet, but there is a sense that the team everyone has come to love and respect is nothing but a thing of the past now that Klay Thompson is no longer part of the it. After a fraught past year or so, Thompson decided to join the Dallas Mavericks via sign-and-trade, ending his fruitful 13-year journey with the Warriors franchise.

The two parties simply did not see eye-to-eye when it came to contract negotiations. But, still, Thompson wanted to stay with the Warriors, what with him being a franchise legend and all. His camp gave the Warriors a chance to sign him to a two-year deal worth around $20 million annually, according to Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews of ESPN, but the Dubs simply did not want to pull the trigger, telling Thompson that they simply could not do that deal “yet.”

However, all Klay Thompson felt was that the Warriors simply did not want to bring him back, or if they did, then he did not feel as though the Dubs made the requisite effort to convince him to stay. There was reportedly a “revealing absence of counteroffers” from the Warriors, per The Athletic's Sam Amick, paving the way for Thompson to join a Mavericks team which he believes is the perfect partnership.

As heartbreaking as losing Thompson may be for a fanbase that holds the Splash Brothers near and dear to their hearts, Thompson's departure gives the Warriors a legitimate opportunity to retool around Stephen Curry. The Dubs are being cutthroat in their roster-building process, as sentimentality will never be enough to contend for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Klay Thompson, the Warriors, and the dissolution of a relationship

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Warriors reportedly offered Klay Thompson a two-year, $48 million extension. Thompson, as we all know, turned that down in hopes of securing a big payday. Alas, that strategy backfired on him, as after a tumultuous campaign, he managed to sign a three-year deal worth a total of $50 million with the Mavericks, or only $2 million less than what he would have made with the Dubs.

Of course, playing for a Texas-based team means that his take-home pay will be that much larger due to income tax exemptions. Still, Thompson blew a chance at making a similar amount of money while playing for a Warriors franchise that has been home to him since he entered the league in 2011.

From the Warriors' perspective, it became clear that Thompson isn't who he once was from a physical standpoint. He was noticeably a step slower, and in an offensive system predicated on off-ball movement, his decline in athleticism has led to an overall decrease in shot quality. Thompson is forcing tougher shots more often than ever, and his overall numbers as well as efficiency declined as a result.

With the Warriors being up against it in terms of luxury tax payments, they simply could not afford to give Thompson the contract he desired if they were to bounce back from missing the playoffs last season. Thompson can no longer be the second option on offense like he would have been with the Dubs had he stayed, which means that joining the Mavericks will allow him to make the most of everything he has left in his tank.

Thompson may feel disrespected with the way the Warriors handled business. Even joining Warriors owner Joe Lacob to hit the links couldn't save the relationship between the two parties. But this breakup, as sad as it may be, is the best for both parties.

The Dubs spread the wealth

The Warriors franchise knows that losing Klay Thompson is shaping up to be a blessing in disguise. They can now build a deeper roster, acquiring a few helpful players for what it would have cost them to retain Thompson.

Signing De'Anthony Melton gives the Warriors an audacious three-point shooter who can be very disruptive on defense. Melton is averaging 1.4 steals per game for his career and is a 37 percent shooter from beyond the arc on 4.1 attempts per night — solid numbers for a player they acquired for the MLE.

Moreover, signing Kyle Anderson gives them someone who could approximate Draymond Green's impact. Anderson is a heady playmaker, an underrated defender, and is, overall, one of the most cerebral players in the Association.

And then there's the Warriors' impending move for Buddy Hield; Hield is an all-time great sharpshooter fit to lace the boots of Klay Thompson, giving the Dubs their newest Splash Brother.