In November, Klay Thompson will suit up at the Chase Center. Only this time, for the first instance in 13 years, his uniform won’t watch the yellow and golden strings of his former teammate. Now a member of the Dallas Mavericks, the Dub Nation is anticipating the return of one of their franchise’s legends. But how will Thompson react to the festivities of revisiting his old ‘home’? Draymond Green has something in mind.

Green, despite his close fellowship with the ‘Splash Brother’, was “happy as hell” to see the 34-year-old part ways with the Bay Area franchise. However, with the emotions of seeing a ‘brother’ of his start fresh aside, he does consider him part of the “ops” now. And apart from having a plan to welcome him in a typical Draymond Green way, he also joked about how Klay Thompson will feel when he sees a “great tribute video” on the giant screen at the Chase Center.

“We’re going to be very happy to see him. He going to cry. He probably going to bring Rocko to the game… So unfortunately for him, he has to deal with those emotions,” he said on his podcast with Baron Davis.

But jokes aside, Green does wish for nothing but prosperity to greet Klay Thompson as he begins his new stint in Dallas. Having known him for over a decade, the defensive expert can contemplate the array of emotions his former teammate might experience. Additionally, despite hailing him as a “legend” who will have his jersey in the rafters and even Joe Lacob confirming a statue to reside outside the Chase Center, Green feels the sharpshooter might not view himself as highly as the Warriors do.

“I think it’s like a stain on him. Like I feel there’s a stain on it for him and Klay hasn’t said this by the way. It’s just kinda a little how I feel in my gut,” he said on The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis.

Given the turbulent season Thompson went through before his departure, even he admitted it was “tough” to watch his role and play decline with the Warriors. Now on the Mavericks, Draymond Green is hopeful that he plays “great”. Aside from immense respect for Thompson as a peer, he feels a solid stint could revive his confidence. “You just want him to feel how he’s supposed to feel even from a place that you built,” he proclaimed. And with vigor behind him, Klay Thompson might just be among the most threatening players in the league.

As part of the Mavericks, that’s the benchmark the three-point specialist has set for himself as well.

Klay Thompson feels the same as Draymond Green

The core reason for Klay Thompson deciding to leave the Warriors was far greater than stalled contract negotiations. While it did play a part, he wants to return to playing his peak basketball again. With the Mavericks, fueled by great words by Kyrie Irving, he sees that opportunity. As he said, “I look forward to just kind of being rejuvenated here — a lot of good basketball left in the tank,”.

With Dallas, it’s not just a fresh start with a new culture, but from a pragmatic standpoint, Thompson sees his best chance to rejuvenate as well. The Warriors, aside from Stephen Curry don’t have the myriad of scoring threats the Mavericks boast. Specifically, a tandem as lethal as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

As a veteran, the 34-year-old addresses he isn’t the same version of himself. But with KAI and Doncic he gets something that wasn’t possible in the Bay. “I don’t think you can stick to me as much as you could in the past with guys like Luka and Kai out there,” he revealed. Greater space without a doubt sounds like paradise for a shooter.

Additionally, it doesn’t discard his ultimate objective – to compete for a championship. Klay Thompson sees himself as the missing piece for the Mavericks. That’s an assumption held all over the franchise as well. A career 41% shooter, Thompson’s skillset is invaluable to the Mavericks, who lacked a floor-stretching wing during the NBA Finals.

Thompson had a sporadic preseason, as is expected with a new arrival. Eventually, with his resilience, shots will begin to fall. And it’s not a question that he will get cleaner looks with the removed defensive attention. Knowing that Thompson is confident he can contribute in many ways. “I know I can help this team, whether it’s the knowledge I’ve gained or big scoring nights,”.

How do you think Klay Thompson will perform in his debut season with the Mavs? Let us know your honest views in the comments below.