The Dallas Mavericks signed former Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50 million deal, ESPN’s Adrian Wojanrowski reported Monday.
The deal comes together in the form of a sign-and-trade, which will also send former Mavericks swingman Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets, according to Wojnarowski.
BREAKING: Free agent Klay Thompson plans to join the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50M deal with a player option, sources tell ESPN. Thompson ends his historic Warriors run as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade that’ll also send Josh Green to Charlotte. pic.twitter.com/4GJ5hR3H5o
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2024
The trade marks the end of a 13-year run for Thompson and the Warriors that saw him win four NBA Championships, make five NBA All-Star teams and drain 2,481 three-point shots, the sixth most in NBA history. (RELATED: Once-Great NBA Superstar Klay Thompson Puts Up Total Stinker With Playoffs On The Line … Could Be The End Of An Era)
His historic run and shooting prowess earned him and backcourt mate Steph Curry the title of the “Splash Brothers” given Curry is by far the best three-point shooter in NBA history with 3,747 three-pointers made.
Thompson made five straight All-Star teams from 2014-2019 during one of the most dominant stretches for a two-guard since Michael Jordan graced the hardcourt. But tragedy struck when Thompson tore his ACL in 2019 and then his Achilles the following year. He would miss two straight seasons and, upon his return in 2021, become markedly less efficient than he was in his All-Star years.
Still, Thompson averaged over 20 points a game in his first two seasons back from injury before dipping slightly under that number in the 2023-2024 season at 17.9 points per game.
While he likely isn’t the 60-point threat he was in his heyday, he joins a Mavericks team who came just short of winning the NBA Finals, losing to the Boston Celtics in five games. The addition of Thompson and his four rings will, if anything, give Dallas some veteran leadership to help guide budding young superstar Luka Doncic and co. back to the Finals in 2025.
