Following a spectacular run with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson is expected to sign a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, per ESPN.

There were apparently many suitors for Thompson, some of which were supposedly willing to offer him more lucrative four-year contracts than the Mavericks. 

But Thompson was drawn to Dallas by his ambition to contend for a fifth title and accept a deal in a state with lower state taxes. 

With Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and Tristan Thompson, the Mavericks now have one of the best trios in the NBA. According to ESPN, the Lakers were the other team that shown the greatest interest. 

The Charlotte Hornets and Dallas are allegedly parties to a sign-and-trade arrangement that includes the Dallas deal.  

Since being chosen by the Warriors with the No. 11 pick in the 2011 draft, Thompson has played his whole NBA career with the team.

With the Warriors, Thompson was a major contributor to the team’s dynasty run from 2015 to 2022, winning four NBA titles and appearing in five All-Star games.

From 2015 to 2019, the Warriors, headed by Steph Curry and Draymond Green, faced the LeBron James-led Cavaliers in four of their five consecutive NBA Finals appearances. 

 The previous season, the Mavericks participated in the NBA Finals and lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Despite reports that he intended to leave and establish himself as a top player on another team, Thompson agreed to a five-year, $190 million contract with the Warriors in 2019.

For the first time since Keith Smart’s lone season as the team’s head coach thirteen years ago, the Warriors will play a season without Thompson. 

 The window of opportunity for Thompson to win another title is dwindling as he will be 35 in the midst of the upcoming NBA season.

Compared to a Warriors squad that finished in 10th place the previous season, this relocation to Dallas gives that hope more vitality.