Wright proclaims Klay’s departure marks the ‘end of the end’ for Warriors

Wright proclaims Klay’s departure marks the ‘end of the end’ for Warriors originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area

Klay Thompson is no longer a warriorwhich brings an end to the Splash Brothers era.

The question remains: Is this the end of the Golden State dynasty as a whole? “First Things First” co-host Nick Wright certainly thinks so.

“Joe Lacob is telling the truth, that [the Warriors’] the number one goal is to not be under the apron, but under the tax,” Wright said of the organization not rehiring Thompson. “I see this as the end of the end.”

The beginning of the end, in Wright’s eyes, was the infamous practice incident between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole in October 2022.

“One of my biggest takeaways from this deal was, ‘Wait, what were the Warriors willing to offer Klay?’” Wright mused. “Weren’t the Warriors willing to give Klay Thompson Malik Monk money?

“That, to me, signaled that it wasn’t just a ‘We can’t pay you.’ It was ‘We’re turning the page’. “

For context, Monk received a four-year contract worth $78 million of the Kings before the start of free agency — an average of $19.5 million per year. Thompson is signing a three-year, $50 million contract to head to Dallas, which equates to just over $16 million annually.

However, ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Thompson prioritized the ability to win an NBA title with the defending Western Conference champion Mavericks, and the financial savings of living in Texas during his decision-making process.

The Warriors weren’t the only target of Wright’s consternation on Monday, as the commentator also attacked the Los Angeles Lakers for failing to sign Thompson.

Now, both the Warriors and Lakers will focus on other potential free agency moves as they look to remain competitive in a crowded Western Conference.

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