NBA Legend Gets Brutally Honest on Klay Thompson Leaving Warriors

Klay Thompson left the Warriors for the Dallas Mavericks

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The Golden State Warriors were stuck between a rock and a hard place when it came to Klay Thompson's contract this offseason. Klay won four NBA championships and deserved all the respect in the world, but he also just wasn't the same player that he used to be. There was no right decision to make.

During an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area, Charles Barkley got brutally honest about the tough decision that the Golden State Warriors were forced to make with Klay Thompson's contract.

“They were going to make a business decision,” Barkley said. “They weren't going to pay him past his prime, so he got a good deal down in Dallas and I hope it works out for him. He's a good dude, he's a future Hall of Famer. But they were going to move on. When players get old, you don't have to pay them for what they used to be."

Apr 16, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) sits on the bench during action against the Sacramento Kings in the fourth quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The perfect example of how far Klay Thompson dropped was in the Warriors' final game of the season against the Sacramento Kings. Thompson put up 0 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist on 0/10 shooting from the field. It became very clear that the situation with the Warriors and coming off the bench had affected Klay mentally. Regardless of whether or not the Warriors kept Klay Thompson, Charles Barkley believes the team is done.

“They're going to miss Klay, but they've been done for a couple of years,” Barkley said. “They were in the Play-In; they weren’t in the playoffs. They had a great run, and it's over and you just have to start rebuilding for the future.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Klay Thompson leaving the Golden State Warriors is the beginning of the end for the team. However, it's certain that the team is worse this season than they were last season.