Klay Thompson shocked the NBA by leaving the Golden State Warriors. After so much success with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr, few people saw him wearing another jersey.

However, the Warriors never offered a big new contract to Klay and, as a consequence, the star chose to become an unrestricted free agent. Then, a spectacular race unfolded to get him.

Although the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James were serious pretenders to sign Klay, the Dallas Mavericks emerged as his new destination. Suddenly, Thompson will play with the Western Conference champions.

Why did Klay Thompson leave the Warriors?

Klay Thompson spent the last weeks silent regarding his controversial exit from the Golden State Warriors. Even when a report from ESPN called his final years at The Bay like ‘miserable’, the future Hall of Famer stayed away from the microphones. This was the information from Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews.

“Over the past year, Klay Thompson has been relatively easy to read. He was ‘miserable’, as one person close to him said. Miserable with how negotiations with the team had gone on a new contract. Miserable at the thought he wasn’t respected or valued by the franchise in the way his older Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, 36, and Draymond Green, 34, were. Miserable at his declining role on the team. And yes, miserable at the way his game and play had declined, as well.”

Nevertheless, during his first press conference as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, the Splash Brother finally revealed why he chose a fresh start without Stephen Curry. It turns out that, in a way, he indeed felt unwanted.

“Coming here is just a fresh start. Feeling just wanted again, like I bring great value. It just gets me excited to go out there and work out after this press conference and get shots up. There were times last year where it was tough and it wasn’t as joyful as it was in the past.“

Miguel Angel Fernandez Castro is a sports writer and analyst at Bolavip US, specializing in NFL, MLB, NBA, College Football, Soccer, Tennis, and Golf. With over 15 years of experience, he has served as a broadcaster, commentator, and reporter at Grupo ACIR Radio in Mexico, covering major global events such as the FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl, FIFA Confederations Cup, World Baseball Classic, Pan American Games, PGA Tour, and ATP Tour. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.