It will take some time for NBA fans to get used to a Golden State Warriors squad that no longer has Klay Thompson, who is now with the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State superstar point guard Stephen Curry is also trying to adapt to a new life without Thompson in the Bay Area anymore.
The former teammates, however, were in the same building on Sunday to watch a huge WNBA matchup between the reigning league champions Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty.
During one moment in the game, Curry saw Thompson and Mavs big man Dereck Lively II conversing with each other. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player then tried to make his way between the Mavericks teammates while jokingly showing a disgusted gesture. Curry and Thompson then had a back-and-forth while Lively was left in the background laughing and admiring the faux confrontation between two of the greatest shooters to ever play basketball.
"Ew." Steph Curry's reaction as Klay Thompson and Dereck Lively II were vibing 😂 (via @WNBA)
Warriors starting life post-Splash Brothers Era
Thompson's departure from Golden State was painful for many Warriors fans but it's not the end of the world for the Dubs, either. The Warriors will be looking to prove to themselves and the rest of the NBA world that they can become an NBA title contender even after the dissolution of the Splash Brothers tandem.
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In the 2023-24 NBA season, the Warriors missed the boat to the playoffs by winning just 46 games against 36 losses. They had a chance of entering the postseason but lost a play-in game against the Sacramento Kings. Thompson infamously missed all of his 10 attempts from the field in the Kings game, which turned out to be his final one in a Golden State uniform. But instead of trying to write a better end to his Warriors tenure by deciding to stay in Golden State, Thompson went the other way and inked a three-year deal worth $50 million (via sign and trade) with the Mavericks.
Curry remains undoubtedly the leader of the Warriors, and even without Thompson, he should be able to find ample help from his teammates. Brandin Podziemski is expected to improve in his second year in the NBA. The same can be said about Trayce Jackson-Davis. The Warriors have also acquired new faces over the offseason with the likes of Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson coming to town via separate deals.
Curry, who signed a one-year $62.5 million extension contract with the Warriors late last August, averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 45 percent from the field and 40.8 percent from behind the arc in the 2023-24 NBA campaign.
