It will take some time for NBA fans to get used to a Golden State Warriors team that no longer has Klay Thompsonwho is now with the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State’s star point guard Stephen Curry is also trying to adjust to a new life without Thompson in the Bay Area.
The former teammates were, however, in the same building on Sunday to attend a Huge WNBA game between the reigning league champions, the Las Vegas Aces, and the New York Liberty.
At one point during the game, Curry saw Thompson and Mavs big man Dereck Lively II talking to each other. The two-time NBA MVP then tried to push his way past the Mavericks teammates while jokingly making a gesture of disgust. Curry and Thompson then had a discussion while Lively was left in the background, laughing and admiring the fake confrontation between two of the greatest shooters of all time.
The Warriors begin their life after the Splash Brothers era
Thompson’s departure from Golden State was painful for many Warriors fans, but it’s not the end of the world for the Dubs either. The Warriors will look to prove to themselves and the rest of the NBA that they can be an NBA title contender even after the Splash Brothers tandem disbands.
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In the 2023-24 NBA season, the Warriors missed the playoffs by winning just 46 games and losing 36. They had a chance to make the playoffs, but lost a playoff game to the Sacramento Kings. Thompson missed all 10 of his field goal attempts in the game against the Kings, which turned out to be his last in a Golden State uniform. But instead of trying to end his tenure with the Warriors on a better note by deciding to stay in Golden State, Thompson did the opposite and signed a three-year, $50 million contract (via sign-and-trade) with the Mavericks.
Curry remains the Warriors’ leader, and even without Thompson, he should be able to find help from his teammates. Brandin Podziemski should improve in his second year in the NBA. The same can be said for Trayce Jackson-Davis. The Warriors also acquired some new faces this offseason with the additions of Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson on separate deals.
Curry, who signed a one-year contract Warriors sign $62.5 million contract extension As of late August, he is averaging 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from behind the arc during the 2023-24 NBA campaign.
Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports journalist who covers a wide variety of sports including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and college football. He holds a degree in communications from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.
