Klay Thompson recently shook the hoop world by signing with the Dallas Mavericks. As rumors about a tussle between him and the Warriors came up, many believed that the franchise had betrayed the SG by not paying him for his loyalty. However, Stephen A. Smith presented a different side on The Stephen A. Smith Show. The media veteran quashed the rumors that Thompson was wronged by the Warriors while detailing everything they did for him in the past.
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Smith said that people like to cook up these theories, but the reality is something else. He reminded viewers that even though Thompson tore his ACL, in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Raptors, the Warriors still offered him a $191 million extension.
After that, Thompson tore his Achilles in a pickup game and was out for the 2019-20 and 2020-2021 seasons as well. Smith said,
“He got paid $32 million and $35 million. He got paid damn near $68 million for not playing a game. So, in the world of business…we can’t sit up there and look at a guy who was paid for not playing.”
The ESPN analyst added that a lot had changed between Thompson and his former franchise since then. As per him, the four-time NBA champion moved to Dallas because he wanted a change.
The media veteran also said that Thompson sensed a threat coming his way because of Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga. It’s worth noting that the five-time All-Star lost his spot in the team to a rookie, Podziemski, last season. While this is Smith’s theory regarding Thompson, Draymond Green had a slightly different take on why he let his teammate leave Golden State.
Draymond Green unveils why he didn’t talk Klay Thompson into staying
The Big 3 of the Warriors, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson have been like brothers in the organization. So, when an integral part of them decided to leave, many wondered why Steph or Green didn’t try to convince him to stay.
On The Draymond Green Show, the Warriors vet detailed why he felt it was better for Thompson to find a new home. Green said,
“The highs and the lows of last year I think was very hard on Klay…When he called me, I didn’t even attempt to wanna talk him out of leaving… because to see him struggle the way he did last year, if you ever care about someone’s well-being… I hope that care you would have for that person would go far beyond what you may feel is best for you or what you wanna see.”
Green hinted at something fans already had cooked up stories about; all is not well in the Warriors camp. In the end, the dynasty is over, and it’s time for the franchise and its players to look ahead and prepare for the next season. While in his yesteryears, Steph still seems capable of leading the team on the floor. Can the franchise add one more ring before he calls it quits?
