Warriors owner Joe Lacob has expressed his honest thoughts about Klay Thompson’s decision to end his 13-year tenure with Golden State and join Dallas.
“It is very difficult, to be very honest,” Lacob said on The Athletic’s NBA Show. “I think everyone knows, and I’ve said it multiple times, that we really wanted our Big Three to stay with the Warriors for life and retire together. It would have been a remarkable achievement in today’s era. Who stays with their teams anymore? I remember growing up, and I’m sure you guys do too, that’s what you anticipated – knowing who would be on your team each year.
“That was a special thing. That was a part of being a fan, the positive aspects of fandom.”
Lacob was reportedly a key figure in some “tough negotiations” with Thompson, a tactic the franchise often uses with players.
However, this approach did not sway Klay.
Despite Thompson and the Warriors going their separate ways, Lacob mentions that he still maintains a relationship with the former Splash Brother and appears just as emotional as any Warriors fan to see him depart.
“I feel close to Klay, or at least I’d like to think so,” Lacob said. “He’s a bit more challenging to connect with compared to other players because he leads a fairly private life, but his public persona is enjoyable. He has a way of captivating people, people really admire him. And I do too. I always – I used to say that I would never trade Klay Thompson. It bothered me many years ago when there was all this speculation about him being traded for Kevin Love. At some point, I will share my own reflection and set the record straight on what truly happened back then.
“But the portrayal is inaccurate. My belief has always been that Klay would always be a Warrior. I thought he wanted that too – I believe he did. Unfortunately, as Bob Myers used to say, it never ends well. It’s just a shame. Circumstances arise and hinder things. This is a very challenging process. His injury, the recovery from it, where he missed two and a half of the five years of his contract, and then worked tirelessly to come back.
“All I can say is we adore him. There will undoubtedly be a statue of this man when all is said and done. I didn’t want it to happen, but it did.”
