Klay Thompson leaves the Golden State Warriors to join the Dallas Mavericks, marking the end of an era in the NBA franchise. Despite the sadness over Thompsonās departure, Warriors owner Joe Lacob has expressed his deepest respect and gratitude to the player.
Despite the difficulties in his final seasons, Thompson leaves an indelible legacy in the Warriors. His iconic moments, such as 41 points in Game 6 in 2016 and 37 points in a single quarter against the Kings in 2015, make him a franchise legend.
The Warriors are preparing for a new era without Thompson, but his impact on the organization will remain. Lacob even mentioned the possibility of building a statue for Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green in the future.
What does Lacobās message say?
In an interview with The Athletic NBA Show, Lacob revealed his first text message to Thompson following his trade: a video of himself bowing to Thompson after his heroic performance in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he scored 41 points to save the Warriorsā season.
Owner Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors waves to fans during the Golden State Warriors Victory Parade on June 20, 2022 in San Francisco, California. The Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 to win the 2022 NBA Finals. Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
āI sent him that little video of me bowing to him. It was just my way of saying, he meant so much to us and so much to this organization and everything weāve accomplished as a group and that I still feel that way about him. And I always will. It will never change,ā said Lacob.
A solid and strong relationship
Lacob made it clear that his relationship with Thompson goes beyond basketball: āI donāt care what, you know, people think happened or didnāt happen. He will always be welcome in my life. I hope he feels the same. Honestly, I get a little teary-eyed about it. I hope weāre gonna be friends forever. Heās just gonna be in Dallas for a few years, weāll have to kick his a**. Thatās just the job.ā
Thompson and Warriors: face to face
The Warriors and Thompson will cross paths again, as both teams will meet in the 2024 season. Undoubtedly, these matches will be full of emotions and nostalgia for fans of both teams.
