Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson was a casualty of Game 6 after he left the contest earlier than expected no thanks to a torn ACL.

But before he went out in crutches, Thompson actually intended to keep on playing.

It wasn't the ideal exit for Thompson at Oracle Arena's swan song — only made hurtful by the Toronto Raptors capturing their first NBA championship in thrilling fashion. Thompson was on his way to carrying the Warriors in Oakland to a Game 7. The All-Star shooting guard top-scored for both teams with 30 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point distance, until tragedy struck.

Thompson is slated to become an unrestricted free agent once contract and recruitment talks commence. In spite of the brutal injury, Thompson is likely to be worth max money even if it means he'll return in February or March of 2020.

His game is built to last and whatever team Klay ends up with in free agency will be welcoming a champion and consummate professional.

The Warriors built this dynasty on the way they revolutionized the game, where Thompson played a significant role. His injury compounds Golden State's woes as Kevin Durant had already been deemed as out for the entire 2019-20 campaign and DeMarcus Cousins regressed when he suffered a quad injury early in the postseason.

Legends are made in the NBA Finals and Thompson, despite being on the losing end, will always be remembered for his willingness to sacrifice his body in order to preserve his team's championship streak.