Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green revealed he had no interest in convincing longtime teammate Klay Thompson to stay with the franchise, saying he believed Thompson’s departure was necessary for his personal and professional growth.
On the latest episode of Network with Rich Kleiman, Green reflected on Thompson’s exit after 13 seasons with Golden State — a partnership that spanned four NBA championships, six Finals appearances, and a shared Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games. Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2024 offseason, marking the end of one of the NBA’s most successful dynasties.
“No part of me wanted to try to talk him into staying because I knew he needed that so much for him,” Green said. “Like, it was so much bigger than, man, I just want to finish with you guys and finish as a Warrior. He needed that for him, and being a good brother you got to see past yourself and our situation and what we got. And sometimes it’s right to just support and move on.”
Draymond Green said Klay Thompson joining Mavericks was right move
Green added that trying to persuade Thompson to stay would have been a mistake, emphasizing that his close friend needed a reset after a challenging final season in San Francisco.
“Like the absolute wrong thing to do would’ve been to try to talk him into staying,” Green said. “Because the reality is he didn’t need to. He needed to go because he needed that to feel like Klay Thompson again. And the most important thing for me as his brother is for him to feel like Klay Thompson.”
The former Defensive Player of the Year also recalled the phone call when Thompson officially broke the news.
“You know, that last year he was here, it wasn’t Klay,” Green said. “He didn’t have his same joy…and when he first called, I said, ‘This Klay, he about to tell me he leaving.’ And I answered the phone, and he said, ‘Dre, I’m leaving.’”
Thompson told Green he wanted a change of scenery after spending nearly his entire life in California, citing the Mavericks’ competitive roster as an appealing challenge.
“I just want to go try something different,” Thompson said. “Still have an opportunity to compete for championships…they got Luka, they got Kyrie. I just think it’s the right thing for me.”
Green voices confidence in Warriors’ championship outlook as Thompson enters second season with Mavs
Thompson’s first full season in Dallas saw him average 14 points, 3.4 rebounds, and two assists per game on 41.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent from three across 72 games. In the Mavericks’ 2025-26 season opener, he scored 10 points in a 125-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Green, meanwhile, helped the Warriors open their campaign with a 119-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. New addition Jimmy Butler III led the way with 31 points, while Green added eight points, nine assists, and seven rebounds.
Looking ahead, Green expressed confidence in Golden State’s ability to compete for another title despite the roster changes.
“We got Steph, Jimmy, myself,” he said. “When I take a step back and look at it, I’m like, man, who can’t we match up with? I’ll take us against anyone.”
The Warriors will host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN in their home opener at Chase Center.
