Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were upset with Warriors handing massive extensions to upstarts

Klay Thompson took less money to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were upset with Warriors handing massive extensions to upstarts

Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were upset with Golden State Warriors handing massive extensions to upstarts

Since winning the 2022 NBA title, the Golden State Warriors have endured a tough time. First, it was the incident with Draymond Green that led Jordan Poole to be traded out. Then, this season, they exited the play-in game after enduring a trying year. Now, one of their long-time core pieces, Klay Thompson, has left the team. These incidents raise doubts about how the Warriors handle their business.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews took a deeper dive into the affairs of the Warriors over the past few seasons. They found out one of the culprits of all the negativity that has surrounded the Warriors. The revelation from Shelburne and Andrews suggested that the Warriors preferred to push Green and Thompson down the preference line.

The Warriors prioritized extending Poole for four years and $140 million, and young swingman Andrew Wiggins for four years, $109 million over Thompson and Green the summer after they won a championship, which didn't sit well with either of the two veterans, sources said.
Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews via ESPN
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Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins were major reasons why the Golden State Warriors won their last NBA title. Prioritizing their contracts over that of two of their longtime core players would have surely left a mark on their egos. Now, it seems to be one of the reasons Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks.

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This could be one of the reasons why Draymond Green had problems with Jordan Poole. After all, Poole suddenly felt that he was the main star there. The punching incident and a general lack of being wanted almost led Green out of the door as well.

Klay Thompson wanted a fresh start in Dallas

Shelburne and Andrews continued to report that one of the main reasons Klay Thompson left the Golden State Warriors was because he wanted a fresh start. They explain what he looked forward to doing in the last few years of his career.

All Thompson had talked about in the two weeks since he had decided and accepted that his time with the Warriors was over was wanting "new experiences" and a "fresh start." Dallas seemed like a better place to get that.
Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews via ESPN

It suggested that he wanted to get out of the mess he was in the Bay Area. Rather than sit around and accept the situation, he wanted to try something ‘fresh.’

That search for freshness meant he disregarded the Los Angeles Lakers. He felt it was just as tough to be there under the bright spotlights, just as he had endured for all these years in San Francisco. Dallas, meanwhile, is a different prospect.

Most of the spotlight is on Luka Doncic. So much so that the often ‘never shy to talk about his feelings’ Kyrie Irving continues to stay away from controversy in his life in Dalls. No wonder Klay Thompson studied the team during the playoffs and pitched his case to the Dallas Mavericks front office. Then, the eventual sign and trade took place and ensured that Thompson would don a different shade of blue.

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