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Free agent Klay Thompson plans to join the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal that includes a player option, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Thompson’s move to Dallas comes as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade that’ll also send Mavericks guard Josh Green to Charlotte. Thompson had four-year offers for more money, sources said, but taking less was offset by the chance to win a fifth championship with the Mavs as well as the difference in state taxes.
Thompson, 34, is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history and has formed what unequivocally is the best shooting backcourt in the history of the sport alongside Stephen Curry for the past decade-plus with the Golden State Warriors.
A five-time All-Star, Thompson’s played a key role on all four NBA title teams for Golden State over the past decade and has had several legendary postseason performances for the Warriors over their dynastic run.
Before hitting free agency, Thompson was the second-longest tenured player with his current team (since 2011), behind only Curry.
Thompson averaged 17.9 points and shot 38.7% from 3-point range on nine attempts per game this past year while coming off the bench in 14 games for the first time since his rookie year. He admitted during the season that the reduced role was hard to deal with, although he did seem to thrive in it – posting better numbers on better efficiency when coming off the bench.
Thompson recovered from missing two entire seasons with a torn ACL and then a torn Achilles tendon to again become a productive player each of the past three seasons, including playing 77 games this past year. He remains an elite shooter, canning 219 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season – second most in the NBA.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps contributed to this report.
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