Steph Curry Opens Up About Klay Thompson Leaving Warriors for Mavericks

Madison Williams | Jul 8, 2024

Nov 1, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) exchanges high fives with guard Klay Thompson (11) before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Chase Center. / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson have played together since 2011 when Thompson was drafted by the Golden State Warriors. Since then, the duo helped the Warriors win four NBA titles.

The partnership ended last week when Thompson signed a three-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Curry posted an emotional tribute to Thompson on Instagram the next day, but the Warriors guard opened up more about his feelings regarding the change when speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews this week.

"We would have loved to maintain the core and finish out together, but we obviously understand the league and things change," Curry said. "Having Klay head on to Dallas, it’s tough. It’s something I never imagined would be a reality, but you want him to be happy. You want him to be able to enjoy the game of basketball. It does suck losing Klay, there's no two ways around it. You have to be able to celebrate what we accomplished, but then be able to move on."

Steph Curry addresses Klay Thompson’s departure from GSW: “We would have loved to maintain the core and finish out together …having Klay head on to Dallas — it’s tough. It’s something I never imagined would be a reality, but you want him to be happy.”

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— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 8, 2024

Curry is understandably still grabbling with the fact that him and Thompson won't be able to chase a fifth ring in San Francisco together. He even admitted the Warriors core of him, Thompson and Draymond Green is a dynasty that he doesn't think can be replicated in the NBA again as it's so difficult to keep players together on one team for this long. Green joined the Warriors in 2012, and coach Steve Kerr jumped on in 2014. It's been a historical run ever since.