Draymond breaks his silence on Klay leaving the Warriors: "All great things must come to an end"

This week has not been good for Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green . Aside from Chris Paul—a former rival he came to know and enjoy being around last season—getting waived, his longtime friend and teammate Klay Thompson also decided to leave the Dubs in search of a fresh start with the Dallas Mavericks.

In his first public comments regarding Klay's departure, the former Defensive Player of the Year tried his best to express his thoughts and feelings. Although the 34-year-old native of Saginaw, Michigan, had difficulty sounding coherent, the message was loud and clear: he was sad that Thompson left but is confident he'll rediscover playing with joy alongside Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavs.

The relationship is forever

Whenever anyone talks about Golden State, the first thing that comes to mind is their transcendent superstar, Stephen Curry. Next would be Klay and Draymond, as they were responsible for elevating the Warriors from the basement of the NBA to the top of the mountain. Together, the "Big 3" won four championships and transformed the franchise into the global powerhouse it is today.

The four-time All-Star emphasized that Thompson's departure doesn't change the bond they forged or their accomplishments in the Bay Area.

"It was just like, 'Wow, all right. Congrats bro, I'm happy for you. That's dope,' to obviously reassure that changes nothing for us. It changes the basketball court, obviously, but the relationships, they are what they are they are forever," Green said on the latest episode of "The Draymond Green Show."

Dray may be one of the fiercest competitors in the league, unafraid to get in an opponent's face or verbalize his frustrations to officials. However, he rarely shows his emotions off of it. This time, he admitted shedding a tear or two.

"The connection, the bond, even as far as all of us being mentioned together, that is forever. That will never change, but it's, I don't know. I haven't really been able to process the feelings. Earlier today, I think I might have dropped a couple tears, a tear or two, just kind of sitting there and thinking," the 6-foot-6 forward from Michigan State quipped.

Related: Michael Jordan opens up about his older brother Larry not making the NBA: "He has always been a good player, but he just didn't grow enough"

Lack of joy in Thompson's play

Anyone who has come across Klay knows a few things that bring immediate joy to his heart: his boat, his dog Rocco, and basketball. Unfortunately, the struggles with his shot last season deeply impacted his mental state, causing him to lose the joy he once had for playing the game. The former Washington State's difficulty finding his form became so pronounced that Golden State head coach Steve Kerr demoted him to the bench in favor of a rookie.

"For me to watch him go through what he went through last year, like I know how much he loved the game of basketball. Klay, I don't think there's something that he loves more than like playing basketball, and I didn't see that last year," Draymond relayed.

Although they would now find themselves on opposite ends of the floor, the eight-time All-Defense team member said he hopes his former running mate finds the same joy he once had for basketball.

"We're way closer to the end than we are to the beginning, that's for sure. Knowing and understanding that, I hope to see him have the same joy at the end that he had at the beginning," Green commented. "All great things must come to an end, and ultimately, my hope is that the organization, which I know they do, appreciates Klay and everything that he's done."

The end of an era has come in Golden State, and while it may be bittersweet, there's no denying the impact these players have had on the franchise and the sport as a whole. From his incredible chemistry on and off the court with Dray and Steph to his remarkable achievements, Klay will forever be remembered as a key piece in one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.

Related: Mychal Thompson says he's "really disappointed" Klay chose Dallas over Lakers: "It was close"