What Klay Thompson Told Draymond Green Before Warriors Released as Free Agent – ​​NBC Sports Bay Area & California

The Warriors’ dynastic trio of Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson split up Monday when the latter joined the Dallas Mavericks in NBA free agency.

And while it wasn’t exactly a surprise to Dub Nation after reports surfaced over the weekend that Thompson was on his way out, the four-time NBA champion let his longtime teammates know last week that he wouldn’t be returning to the Bay Area in one final heartfelt conversation.

“I have to say I don’t really know how I feel about it,” Green said in his first public comments since Thompson’s departure on Tuesday’s episode of his podcast. “Klay told us last week. I don’t know who he told, but I know he talked to me, I’m pretty sure he talked to Steph last week, and he just started talking over the years, like, ‘That was awesome. What we did was so special. You and Steph[are]my brothers forever.’”

“And the conversation starts out as a small talk, and you’re preparing yourself like, ‘Dude, take me there. I know this is going to happen.’ You enjoy the conversation, but it’s kind of one of those moments where someone’s preparing you before they blow you up… I was going to my daughter’s recital, so I didn’t get to delve into the conversation as much as I maybe would have, which I think was also a good thing for me because when Klay told me, I was just able to listen, and it wasn’t like, ‘Yo, we could end up like this,’ or, ‘You need to rethink this.’”

“It was just like, ‘Wow, okay. Congratulations man, I’m happy for you. That’s awesome,’ obviously reassuring us that (it) doesn’t change anything for us. It changes the basketball court, obviously, but relationships, they are what they are, they’ll be forever.”

Thompson, Green and Curry have created a dynasty in the Bay Area that will stand the test of time. And while half of the Splash Brothers will be wearing different uniforms next season, the bond between the trio is unbreakable. That was evident in Thompson’s approach, telling Green of his decision ahead of time.

“The connection, the bond, even to the extent that we’re all mentioned together, it’s forever. It’ll never change, but it’s… I don’t know. I haven’t really been able to deal with those feelings… Earlier today, I think I shed a few tears, a tear or two, just sitting there and thinking.”

There are moments in life that you can’t prepare for, even if they’re predictable from a mile away. And while Green is certainly happy about Thompson’s next step in his NBA journey, that doesn’t make his friend’s departure any easier.

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