The Klay Thompson goodbye from the Golden State Warriors seems to still reign foremost in a lot of minds. Then again, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise, we suppose. We had gotten so used to seeing him cruising around the Bay Area in his boat or with the image of Splash Brothers etched forever in our minds that nobody even considered the remote possibility that Thompson might not retire a Warrior. However, change is constant and Klay’s move served to remind Dub Nation of that painful reality.

But Draymond Green is looking at the 4x champion’s leave-taking in a positive light. The ESPYS 2024 witnessed a bit of ‘DrayMagic’ as the veteran forward arrived with his wife, Hazel Renee, looking sharp in a turquoise suit. Catching hold of him en route, former Carolina Panthers star, Cam Newton via ESPN, said just one word – Klay. Hearing his former teammate’s name, Green let out a huge sigh, before giving a succinct statement, one that should provide the Bay Area closure.

“We had a great run. 12 years. I’d rather us be remembered as dominant as we were and the Champions that we were than trying to just piece it all together and go out limping. So I’d rather be remembered as the guys who changed the game of basketball, not the guys that held on to it too long.” We don’t need to tell you that Klay Thompson was unhappy with the Dubs for quite some time.

From the steady decline in performances to the gradually increasing signs of distress, China Klay was dangerously close to his breaking point. Take, for example, Coach Kerr’s decisions like not closing with the superstar or relegating him to the bench. Although Thompson said that he was okay taking the Sixth Man role, he also admitted that it was really tough to not be the top choice anymore.

More importantly, and to the point, perhaps, was how much the 34-year-old has struggled post injuries.

Steve Kerr knew Klay Thompson was still “a really high-level player” even after his career-threatening injuries and the frustrations

The Warriors’ long-time coach has always raved about how low-maintenance Klay was. The key word being ‘was’. Handpicked by the talent God, Jerry West himself, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to the 5x All-Star’s skills. In fact, he proved ‘The Logo’ was, once again, right in his assessment. The Bay Area God was en route to becoming enshrined.

With so many things going for Klay, how did we reach this point of no return? Steve Kerr seems to have a pretty good idea of what went wrong where and when. “I would check in with him and he was always fine and loving life. That changed after the two injuries. He struggled to try to get himself back to that level,” the 9x NBA champion coach said in his appearance on 95.7 The Game Willard & Dibs. 

“Even though I think he played really well for us over the last few years and obviously helped us win a championship in ’22, and you look at the numbers, even though this wasn’t his best year, he still averaged 18 points and shot 39% from three, so he was still a really high-level player.”

“[But] In his own mind and in the minds of everyone watching, he wasn’t the same guy. And that was part of the injuries and Klay really struggled with that. All that stuff organizationally, I think they are just a by-product of the frustration with the injuries. We were always in great stead with Klay in terms of our relationship and communicating how we felt about him.”

“In the end, he really needed this career change, and I think it’s going to be good for him.”

Despite this speech, Kerr did admit earlier that Klay’s return to Chase Center “will be one of the strangest, most emotional nights of all of our careers.” To see him sporting a Dallas jersey, standing opposite his Splash Brother instead of beside him will certainly be a sight that would take a while to get used to.

Do you agree? Let us know what you think in the comments!

 Before you go, though, be sure to check this video of Leonard Armato’s take on the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe. Don’t forget to check back in for more such updates from our ES Fancast!