Warriors Had Gutting Response To Klay Thompson's 'Final Offer'

Five-time All-Star Klay Thompson has agreed to sign with the Dallas Mavericks—but not before reaching out to the Golden State Warriors one final time.

On Monday, Thompson came to terms on a three-year deal with the Mavericks worth $50 million. Dallas completed the move via a sign-and-trade with Golden State. Klay's latest contract figure is a far cry from the five-year, $190-million deal Thompson signed with the Warriors back in 2019.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews, Thompson's camp had made "one final offer" to the Warriors before bolting for the Mavericks. Obviously, the Warriors' front office didn't budge. Their response was probably a hard pill to swallow for the four-time champion sharpshooter.

"Two weeks prior, Thompson's camp had made one final offer to the Warriors, a two-year deal for roughly $20 million per season, sources said. The response was the same as it had been for nearly a year: We just can't do it yet."

The deal Thompson sought from Golden State wasn't too far off from what he eventually got from Dallas. However, the Warriors are also coming off several years of having one of the worst salary cap situations in the NBA.

With draconian penalties now in place to harshly punish repeat luxury tax offenders, the Warriors appear to be prioritizing a clean cap sheet more than anything—even loyalty to one of its former franchise pillars.

Related: Klay Thompson Named As Comp For 2024 NBA Draft Prospect