All good things come to an end, but they should not come down burning in flames. The Splash Brothers was the greatest duo in not just Golden State Warriors history but also arguably in all of the 77 years of the league.
Stephen Curry perfectly complemented Klay Thompson's playstyle and vice versa. The addition of Steve Kerr also made it so that they could alter the whole association's way of playing the game. Unfortunately, the way they are parting ways amid NBA Free Agency does not sound too great.
There are a lot of factors for the collapse of the Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson duo in the Warriors system. But it apparently boils down to being valued. The story of how this came crashing down started during the offseason in 2023, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN
“We have to flip back, pretty much a whole calendar year, really to last summer when the Warriors and Klay couldn't at first come to a new agreement, get him a new deal, and avoid this entire situation. It didn't happen. I'm told that the way last summer played out left a sour taste in Klay's mouth.
“The thing that has been repeated to me over and over and over again by so many different people is Klay wants to feel respected. He wants to feel appreciated; he wants to feel valued. How last summer went down? He didn't feel that way,” she said.
The Warriors contract situation during the season
Thompson still had a shot of running it back with the Warriors this year. However, it was the organization and the rotational calls made by Steve Kerr that may have really hurt their relationship. Being placed on the bench for Brandin Podziemski after a horrendous early-season stretch also didn't help that fact.
“So he enters the year already a little but unhappy. He starts the year off eventually playing poorly. He gets moved to the bench. His role for the rest of the season is bopping all around. Meanwhile, the contract negotiations? Nothing moved from the summer. All the while, he had a hard time adjusting to his game and his body after those two really difficult injuries a couple of years ago.
“So he's dealing with all of this in his head. Meanwhile, he isn't getting that respect and appreciation, that reassurance from people high up in the organization. And that really caused a splinter between him and important people in the Warriors,” she added.
The former All-Star still played 77 games for the Warriors. But his meager production of 17.9 points on 43.1 percent field-goal shooting was just not enough for the front office to give him the deal that he needed. Going scoreless in their elimination game against the Sacramento Kings despite playing 32 minutes also did not help.
Is there a possibility that Klay Thompson will stay?
All hope is not at all lost to get him back in NBA Free Agency although hurdles like the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers are clearly in their way. There would have been a chance for the Warriors to still sign him, but a sign-and-trade is looking more likely.
“Could the Warriors have eventually put an offer down for Klay? Yes … But the question was, by the time the Warriors offered Klay something, would it have been too late? Would he have already detached himself mentally from coming back from (sic) the Warriors? And that's pretty much what we've seen play out here these last few weeks,” Andrews concluded.
It was a fun ride with the big core of Steve Kerr, Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Thompson while it lasted.
Follow Us
Subscribe