It's the end of an era for the Golden State Warriors, and their loss is the Dallas Mavericks' gain in a reported sign-and-trade that will send Klay Thompson to the Lone Star State, although the 2025 NBA championship odds didn't see too much change as a result.
Klay Thompson intends to join the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/cIdrTpkVYb
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2024
Dallas is signing Thompson to a reported three-year, $50-million contract, with Josh Green heading to the Charlotte Hornets, and the Mavericks' 2031 second-round draft pick and the least favorable of the Denver Nuggets' and Philadelphia 76ers' 2025 second-round pick going to the Warriors, as well.
Unlike some other big names which have changed homes early in this offseason, the addition of one of the greatest shooters in league history did nothing to improve the Mavericks' chances to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy next season in the odds department.
Updated 2024-25 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds As Of June 30 | Odds As Of July 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | +1000 | +1000 |
| Golden State Warriors | +3000 | +3500 |
(Related Link) NBA Championship Odds 2025: Boston Celtics Favored To Repeat
It felt inevitable that Thompson's 13-year run with Golden State was reaching its conclusion as the two sides were far apart on contract negotiations, despite the 34-year-old being a key component of four championship squads.
The 98 postseason victories by Thompson, Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green are the third-most ever by a trio, and the four titles are the most in the last 50 years along with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs.
Who Won The Trade? The Dallas Mavericks, Charlotte Hornets, or Golden State Warriors?
Quickly running through the Hornets here, emerging with a young talent like Green who's only 23 years old and coming off a full 22-game slate for the Mavericks during their Finals run is a nice pickup for them. Accumulating pieces who can grow in Charlotte's system is always welcome since free agents are hard to come by, so Green can offer them some value.
The primary elements to this deal are Dallas and Golden State, with the latter likely happy to cut down on its luxury tax payments after paying up $177 million last season for a team that didn't even qualify for the playoffs. Thompson was probably gone no matter what, so gaining a pair of draft picks is better than nothing, but it's probably not how many supporters of the organization envisioned that relationship culminating.
In what was considered an off-year for the five-time All-Star, Thompson still managed to average 17.9 points while converting 38.7 percent of his 3-point attempts. He was relegated to the second unit in February for the first time in his career, accepted that, but eventually returned to the starting lineup, with that fluctuating role likely leading to some of his frustration.
He fills a glaring need for Dallas, with Tim Hardaway Jr. recently being sent away to the Detroit Pistons in a package for Quentin Grimes. It was clear throughout the Finals that head coach Jason Kidd's options beyond Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were limited, so having Thompson scouring the perimeter ready to unload from deep will surely make a world of difference.
He's nowhere near the defender he once was earlier in his career, so there are questions how lineups featuring Thompson and his new superstar teammates will function defensively. It's still a definite upgrade at the wing for the Mavericks, and while it's surprising to see a lack of movement in the championship odds after trading for someone of Thompson's caliber, it remains clear that Dallas is still a force to be reckoned with as a contender to get back to the Finals and hopefully, for their sake, redeem their performance against the Boston Celtics.
