On July 2, 2024, Beijing time, the second day of the NBA free agency opening, according to multiple reporters, Klay Thompson, a member of the Warriors dynasty, plans to sign a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. In this way, the last big fish in the free market this year has settled, and the Maverick Triumvirate framework was born, and from this there are 5 incredible and 2 indisputable facts!
5 Incredible
1. Deng Liwei, the new general manager of the Warriors, is incredible. With the departure of Paul and Klay one after another, in the past year, the Warriors have replaced Poole and Thompson with a first-round pick for two second-round picks, as well as a trade exception.
2. The Warriors offered Thompson a two-year, $49 million contract extension last season, which Klay considered disrespectful to himself and ruthlessly refused. But this season, Klay actually joined the Mavericks with Doncic and Irving on a three-year, $50 million contract far below the Warriors' offer. It's incredible.
3. Klay's new contract has an average salary of $16.67 million, and the annual salary of Hardaway who was sent away by the Mavericks is $18.75 million, that is, the Mavericks not only promoted Hardaway, who had no contribution on the bench, to Klay Thompson, but also saved more than $2 million in salary space, which is really incredible.
4. After Paul and Klay left the Warriors one after another, the Warriors finally freed up space of about 16 million, and originally thought that the Warriors would go all out to sign an interior player, but what is puzzling is that the Warriors actually signed free agent Melton with a 1-year $12 million contract, You must know that although Melton averaged 11.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season, he is only 188cm tall.
5. The Lakers have been strategizing for a summer, but after all, they are helpless to accompany them. James' promise of a salary cut was that the Lakers could get a star player, but with Valanciunas, Paul, Harden, and Klay all cut off by the Lakers, the Lakers still got nothing this summer, and also renewed Christie at the end of the bench with 4 years and 32 million, which is indeed a bit of a big loser, which is somewhat incredible.
2 indisputable facts
1. The Mavericks must have promised Klay's starting position, otherwise Klay would not have taken such a pay cut to join. Although Klay is no longer as brave as he was back then, he is still arrogant, as a hero of the 4 championships, Klay is unwilling to play as a substitute for Podzemski in the Warriors, which is the same as the meaning of Celtics' Ray Allen's trip to the Heat. Therefore, it is certain that Klay must be the starter of the Mavericks in the new season.
2. The NBA is not only a business, but also has grievances and hatreds, and Klay and the Warriors still owe each other in the final analysis. The Warriors don't owe Klay and gave him 140 million for 4 years when he was reimbursed for the season, and the Warriors have already paid for it. Klay also doesn't owe money to the Warriors, as a 4-time champion, Klay can be said to have done everything for the Warriors, so a good get-together may be more suitable for Klay to leave the Warriors, what do you think about this? All opinions are welcome.