'Sea Captain Out': Klay Thompson bids Bay Area farewell
SAN FRANCISCO - Klay Thompson posted a heartfelt farewell to the Bay Area after spending his 13-year-NBA career with the Warriors.
While Thompson, 34, has taken off his Golden State jersey for the last time and is moving on, the four-time league champion has deep ties to the Bay.
'Splash Bros 4 life': Curry pays homage to Klay
Stephen Curry on Tuesday posted a heartwarming tribute to longtime teammate Klay Thompson, wishing him farewell on his new chapter.
He wrote on Instagram, "Oh Bay Area , there are not enough words and images to convey how I really feel about yall . From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for the best times of my life. It was such an honor to put that Dubs jersey on from day 1. I really just wanted to be the best I could be and help bring as many championships as possible to the region. The best part was not the rings though, it was the friendships I made that will last a lifetime . My family and I would like to thank all of the amazing people who work tirelessly to make the @warriors organization world-class. Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened . Until we meet again. Sea captain out."
Thompson has agreed to join the Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks and change franchises.
ESPN and The Athletic first reported the multiteam deal which, as currently constructed, will be executed as the sign-and-trade of a three-year, $50 million contract involving the Warriors, Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets.
The Warriors released a statement in tribute to Thompson on Monday night, saying they "can’t overstate Klay Thompson’s incredible and legendary contributions" to the team and that "the amount of joy and happiness that Klay provided Warriors fans ... cannot be minimized."
Thompson is sixth on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers made list with 2,481, behind Reggie Miller (2,560), Damian Lillard (2,607), James Harden (2,940), Ray Allen (2,973) and Thompson’s now-former "Splash Brother" with the Warriors, Stephen Curry, and his 3,747 career makes from beyond the arc.
The Associated Press contributedto this report.