In an alternate universe, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson —the duo nicknamed the "Splash Brothers"—would play out the remainder of their careers together, draining three-pointers and racking up championships for the Golden State Warriors . But in reality, that dream duo ended when the five-time All-Star departed the Bay Area for Texas a few days after the start of the free agency period to sign with the Dallas Mavericks.
Even though the departure of the five-time All-Star wasn't entirely unexpected, especially after a turbulent season that saw him in a bench role, the shock of the event was palpable. Former Golden State great Baron Davis , in particular, was taken aback by the turn of events.
A dynasty in shambles
Klay was by no means awful last season. He averaged 17.3 points on 43% shooting, including 38% from beyond the arc. However, Thompson is no longer the bucket-getter or the tenacious wing defender he was before. As he struggled to find the bottom of the net, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr replaced him in the starting five with then-rookie Brandin Podziemski.
That decision eventually played a significant role in Klay's desire to get a fresh start, something he hopes to achieve with the Mavs. However, B-Diddy still can't believe that a player of Thompson's caliber, who helped the Warriors win four NBA titles, isn't finishing his career with the franchise that drafted him 11th overall in 2011.
"I don't know how you just kill a dynasty without letting your gunslingers ride off into the sunset," Baron told Draymond Green on his podcast.
Davis, who has dabbled in Hollywood as an actor and executive producer, said he's always believed that the "Splash Brothers" would ride off into the sunset of their careers side by side.
"You know I'm a movie dude, and I'm like, damn, who did this? Who took my guy out? Where's the storybook ending? This is not the storybook ending that was supposed to happen. But, you know, the league is a business," the two-time All-Star stressed.
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Business got in the way
The 6-foot-3 guard out of UCLA played 13 years in the NBA, suiting up for six teams, so he knows how cutthroat of a business the league can be. With Klay's skills in decline, the Warriors played with fire and delayed negotiating a contract extension with the 34-year-old guard until it was too late. Although Klay's move stung, the one-time All-NBA selection believes both parties will benefit.
"I think it's good for Klay. He gets to go to a team that he can help win. I think it's good for the Warriors, too, because they're going to get better. You already got De'Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson," B-Diddy surmised.
While some legends like Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant got their fairy-tale endings, not every superstar in the league gets afforded such luxury. However, such is life in the NBA, where team dynamics and financial decisions can impact a player's future. In the case of Klay, both factors played a significant role in his departure from the Warriors.
Related: "I just pray it works out" - Curry says he fully supports Klay's decision to start anew in Dallas
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