For over a decade, Klay Thompson was the stoic sharpshooter who, alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, defined the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic run.
The era of the “Splash Brothers” was marked by four NBA championships, six Finals appearances, and a revolutionary style of basketball that cemented Thompson as a Bay Area legend.
However, in the summer of 2024, Thompson’s departure to the Dallas Mavericks signaled the end of an era.
His exit was bittersweet, marred by feelings of being “slighted” and “pushed out” by the Warriors’ front office, alongside a declining role and a scoreless performance in his final game.
As the 2024-25 season concluded with the Warriors’ second-round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves, speculation about a potential reunion with Thompson resurfaced.
Recent reports, including mock trade proposals and sentiments from fans and analysts, suggest that bringing Thompson back to Golden State could be both a strategic and emotional move.
But is a reunion feasible, and would it benefit a Warriors team navigating the twilight of its dynasty?
Klay Thompson’s controversial departure
Thompson’s final years with the Warriors were tumultuous. Injuries, including a torn ACL in 2019 and a torn Achilles in 2020, sidelined him for two full seasons.
When he returned, he was not the same two-way force. His defensive mobility waned, and his offensive consistency fluctuated, culminating in a 2023-24 season where he averaged 17.9 points with 38.7% shooting from three-point range and was sometimes relegated to a bench role.
According to Tim Kawakami on The Tom Tolbert Show, Thompson’s discomfort with younger players vying for his role, combined with Draymond Green’s influence, created friction in the locker room.
Does Thompson have anything left in the tank?
In Dallas, Thompson’s 2024-25 season was solid but unspectacular.
He averaged 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 39.1% from three-point range, providing spacing for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
However, injuries to key Mavericks players and a play-in elimination underscored a disappointing campaign.
Thompson called the idea of regretting his move “ridiculous,” while acknowledging the challenges of the season.
Despite his decline, Thompson remains one of the NBA’s premier shooters.
His 39.1% three-point shooting in Dallas this season proves he can still stretch defenses, a critical need for a Warriors team that thrives on spacing.
Golden State’s offense, built around Curry’s gravity and Steve Kerr’s motion-heavy system, is perfectly suited for Thompson’s off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot abilities.
ClutchPoints’ Jedd Pagaduan argued that Thompson “should at least be better than the version of Moody that showed up in the 2025 NBA playoffs,” proposing a mock trade that would send Moses Moody and Gui Santos to Dallas for Thompson.
Thompson would need to accept a reduced role in a Warriors reunion
The Warriors and their fans have never stopped loving Klay Thompson, evidenced by the franchise’s heartfelt response to the passing of his beloved bulldog, Rocco, in May 2025, and the emotional ovation during his return to Chase Center as a Maverick on November 12, 2024.
A reunion could mend the wounds of Thompson’s departure, which left fans and the organization grappling with the end of the “Splash Brothers” era.
Bringing Thompson back could galvanize the fanbase and locker room, reinforcing the Warriors’ identity as a franchise that honors its legends.
Thompson’s role would likely be reduced, potentially as a sixth man—a scenario that contributed to his departure in 2024.
Kerr’s breakfast meeting with Thompson in Manhattan Beach, where he discussed a fluctuating role, reportedly pushed Klay toward Dallas.
The Warriors, already navigating the luxury tax, would need to send out matching salaries, likely involving Moody and Santos as proposed.
While Moody’s postseason struggles make him expendable, he is a younger, cheaper asset with potential.
Trading him for a 35-year-old Thompson, who may only have one or two productive years left, could hinder long-term flexibility.
One final run at chasing greatness
Thompson’s potential return to the Golden State Warriors is an intriguing prospect, blending basketball logic with emotional resonance.
His shooting and playoff experience could elevate a contending roster, while his homecoming would honor a legacy that defines the franchise.
However, his defensive limitations, financial constraints, and the risk of reigniting past tensions cannot be overlooked.
If executed with clear communication and a shared commitment to a final run, a Klay Thompson reunion could create a fitting epilogue to the Warriors’ golden era.
