Klay Thompson leaving Golden State Warriors is painful, but right choice | Draymond Green Show

Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. There's been a lot of crying, I'm sure, around the world, around the Bay, you know, Mark and Klay's exit. 13 years in the Bay, reportedly joining the Mavericks on a 3-year deal. $50 million deal sign and trade Klay to the Mavericks. And I must say, I don't really know how I feel about it. Klay told us last week, I don't know who all he told, but I know he talked to me. Pretty sure he talked to Steph last week. And he just, Kinda was like, yeah, man, like, you know, just kinda started talking through the years. Like, been great. What we've done is so special. Like, you know, you and Steph, my brothers forever. And the conversation just kinda starts with small talk and like, you're kinda just prepping yourself like, man, get me there. Like, I know it's coming. Like, you enjoying the conversation, but yet it's kind of one of those moments where like somebody like building you up to— before they give you the blow, they just kind of build you up. And that's kind of what I was feeling. I was headed to my daughter's recital, um, so I wasn't able to go as in-depth to the conversation as maybe I would have, which I think also was kind of a good thing for me because one thing I think when Klay told me, I was just able to listen, you know? And it wasn't like a, yo, we could finish like this or like, you should rethink this. It was just like, wow, like, all right, like congrats, bro. Like, I'm happy for you. That's dope. And like, you know, to obviously reassure that that changes nothing for us, you know, like— Yeah. Changes the basketball court, obviously. But the relationships, they are what they are. They are forever. The connection, the bond, even as far as all of us being mentioned together, like that is forever. That will never change.

Mm-hmm.

No, but it's, I don't know, I haven't really been able to process the feelings. This morning, or not even this morning, maybe earlier today, I think I might've dropped a couple tears, a tear or two. Just kind of sitting there and thinking, and then I came across Steph's story and like saw the pictures, and it was very interesting to me Because when I was going through Steph's story, like, I went through it a couple times and it was just like, it was crazy to me how many of the pictures that he posted that I was also in. And so seeing that was like, man, like it just kind of take you back. And like it taking me back to the beginning though. Like when it all started and none of us really knew that it would end up being this, you know, what it became. And just going through that, you know, it was very interesting to see, like I said, how many of those I was in because I don't put myself in the same category with them two. Them two for me are like here. Yeah. Like out of the frame, like they're here. And I think for me, for me personally, like the way I view my role in this is always like, yo, I'mma always have them two back and I'mma always look out for them two. And like, no matter what, like nobody can touch them two. Like they can do no wrong. And like, I'll go to battle for them, I'll take the fall for them, whatever that needs to be, maybe like I'm doing that. And so for me, in being that way and thinking that way, if I'll take the fall for them, you know, and go to battle for them, then you're kind of not viewing yourself in that same space, right? Because it's like, I'll do all of that for those guys. Yeah. And so, yes, we'll always be mentioned together. But for me, the way I look at those two, my appreciation for those two guys, to then see myself in like half of the pictures that Steph posted was just like, wow. Like it kind of bring you to a weird space. Yeah. And so I dropped a couple tears just throughout the day, not even necessarily exactly looking at the story, but throughout the day, it's just like, wow, man. Like I always tell people, like I am, like I like to keep things the same. My friends are the same, you know, in life, I try to keep things the same. My trainer who works on my body, I try to keep that the same. My basketball trainer, I keep that the same. Like, I like things to stay the same. And this sucks for me. This part of the, this time of year always sucks because you build relationships with people and then like outta nowhere they're just gone. And outta nowhere being gone for us is crazy because you spend most of your time with these people. Like you spend pretty much— Yeah. The better part of 9 and a half months seeing these people daily. And then like outta nowhere it just ends. It's a very, it's always been a very weird thing for me. And so then this one hits like a much, like much deeper, right? Like way more close to home because in a sense it disrupts home. Like what we've known as home, for the last 12 years for me, that looks way different now. And so, I don't know, I feel like I'm rambling a little bit. So if you make it through this episode, kudos to you. 'Cause I don't really have clear thoughts in approaching this episode.

Uh.

It's just a little weird. I'm happy for Klay. I think last year was a very trying year for him. I think, you know, it was the highs and the lows of last year, I think was very hard on Klay. And as a brother, to see someone going through that, like it was hard on me to watch. Kind of see him going through what he was going through. And I think, you know, if you ever care about someone, I think one of the reasons I didn't even, like, when he called me, I didn't even attempt to like want to talk him out of leaving or like, "Yo, you should stay." Because like all the reasons that you would say, like, and things that you could, like, yeah, I could make words sound good, but like, Those are known, you know, like those reasons are well documented. And so I think part of the reason when he said to me like, yeah, I'mma leave. I was just like, man, I'm happy for you. That's dope. Like, it's crazy to think what we've done and blah, blah, blah. But not once was it like, yo, you may wanna rethink this. You got time to rethink it. Because to see him struggle the way he did last year, if you at all, if you ever care for someone's wellbeing, care about what they go through, go through the battles, through the struggle with someone, elevate past a level that no one could ever imagine with someone, like I'd hope the care that you'd have for that person would go far beyond what you may feel is best for you or what you wanna see. And so a part of me, like I couldn't think then go and be like, yeah, like, you know, I want you to stay, or I wish you'd stay, or you should stay for this reason. Because like, for me to watch him go through what he went through last year, like, I know how much he loved the game of basketball. Klay, I don't think there's something that he loves the game, like, that he loves more than like, playing basketball. And I didn't see that last year. And it's crazy because I told y'all about my year before that. Like, that was me the year before. Me the year before was just like, I kind of, I don't even want to play basketball. And like, you could kind of like, it was hard to go to work. Like, it was hard.

Yeah.

To even care about what was going on at work. Like you leave there and you kind of just try to lose the memory of being there type. And so I kind of, I experienced that a year before and I don't know, I think when I look back on it, when I take a step back and I look back on it, could it have been the contract playing a part of that? Because he was kind of in the same position, right? Right. I personally don't think it was that. Like, I think there was a lot of other things going into it. But like, there's no true way to know, like, "Oh, it was this emotion." Like, "Touched here." And like, there's no real way to know. You just kind of take all those things into account. But like I said, I do know the joy that basketball brings him. And like, it brought sadness, it brought unhappiness. Last year for him. And again, if you ever care about someone's wellbeing, go through the struggle with somebody and you only care, yeah, your number one goal for that person is to see them happy and enjoying what they do because you care about their wellbeing, then like a part of me wanted Klay to leave. And not wanting him to leave in the sense of like want him to leave, but want him to leave because you only want to see him be the guy that you know he is. Like, for a guy that's lived his life since I've known him, and I can only imagine before, without a care in the world, like, we'd all always say like, "Yo, Klay live in his own world. He don't have a care in the world." And like, for a guy that you know lived their life that way, and then all of a sudden it's not that, like, something's wrong.

Yeah.

And if the most important thing in his life is basketball, you can clearly immediately see what's wrong. And so as a brother, like, I want to see him with that again, like, with that joy, with that love, because, like, we way closer to the end than we are the beginning, you know? I'm sorry. I remember my uncle one day said to me, he was like, "Nephew, call your uncle sometimes." He said, "I'm on the wrong side of my downslide. I'm on the wrong side of my downslide." Something like that he said. And that's where we are in our careers. We on the wrong side of it. Like, can there still be special things done by us? Of course. Can there still be special things? Of course. But like, we're way closer to the end than we are to beginning. That's for sure. And so knowing that and understanding that, like, I will hope to see him have the same joy at the end that I know he had at the beginning.

Yeah.

Because basketball is a, It's a child's game. It's a kid's game. And basketball keep the kid in us. You know, you see us joking around and playing and all the stuff that like we do on the basketball court, that's kind of like what kids do. That you don't see in a typical job, right? Like someone 33 years old, like the way that I may act with my teammates and like clowning around at 34, like the different things that we do amongst us as 34-year-olds and clowning. Like 34-year-olds that work at the bank don't do those things. Like basketball is kind of a kid game. And I want him to see him have that same love. Yeah. Joy in this kid game that we got a few more years of living that he had when I knew him as a kid. Like when we were just kids, like, you know, I was 22, like we were kids at 22. We didn't know anything. Like just now growing up, growing in the manhood. Like I wanna see him have that love again. Yeah. Because I witnessed what happened for him when he did have that love for it, when it did bring him that joy. And like, I want to see that for him again. And last year wasn't that. It was probably far opposite as he could be from that. And so to selfishly want to see him stay here and suffer for whatever it was that was— Draymond Green. Gripping at him like, "Nah, that ain't cool." Like, for my own personal benefit or for, like, that's not cool. Because the memories that I do have are too good to then have to live through those memories. Like, we don't have to live through those memories. Like, we don't have to create those memories, I should say.

Right.

And the ones that we can remember are incredible. Like amazing. 4 titles in 8 years, changed the way the game of basketball is played. Being a part of the greatest team ever to play. Those are the memories we have. So to selfishly want to sit and create the other ones, I'd rather not. So it's probably better this way, um, but it sucks. Like, it, um— I'm not going to sit here and like sugarcoat it. Uh, for 12 years I don't think people ever process, like, all the time you spend, like, judging basketball players. Like, the one thing that people don't really take into account is, like, you started seeing me when I was 22 years old. You started seeing Klay in the NBA at 21 years old. Mm-hmm. We're 34 now. Like, the changes that happens in life throughout the— over the course of those years, like, we never really take into account. I don't really even know where I was going with that point because my thoughts are all fucked up. So, uh, as I said before, if you make it through this episode, kudos to you. I told DJ earlier, DJ made me this little paper airplane. It's actually, it's very ironic that he made me this, but they finished their art project at school and DJ was coming back with me this week and he brought me this like cardboard box and it's a cardboard airplane. And you know, Clay always make these paper airplanes. I always say like, your kids are connected to you. 'Cause again, I told you I've been sad for a few days and he hasn't been with me. And he made this cardboard paper airplane, but it's cardboard. And you know, like Klay always make these paper airplanes and it got like cutouts. So like me, Steph, Klay, and like this person he drew, which I assume, I'm like, oh, and it's you. And he's like, oh. And I was like, oh, by the way, he just gave me that this morning. Like, by the way, 'Clay not gonna be on our team no more.' And he's like, 'What?' I'm like, 'He going to Dallas with Luka.' And he's like, 'Well, why can't we get Luka?' And I'm like, 'It don't work that way. And I'll need to teach you about the salary cap. Luka make way too much money for us to get Luka.' But, and he just was like sitting there sad, like about to cry. Yeah, I also oddly, the other day I was landing in Boulder to meet some friends to go to the Nas concert at the Red Rocks, which was incredible. And like, I'm standing outside the FBO and like a truck pulls up. Our driver hadn't arrived and the truck pulls up and is honking and it looks like an Uber driver. It's like a black SUV and honking and I look And I'm like, I know that's not our driver late and honking at me. So I just turned back and then it honks again. And I look and he turns a little bit 'cause there's a glare on the windshield and it's Klay Thompson. I bump into Klay Thompson like a day or two after he give me, this is Sunday, so he called me and I bumped into Klay randomly outside the FBO in Denver. I don't know. He couldn't really look at me. And it was very like odd situations. I'm sitting there with my family and my wife's like, "Oh my God, Klay." Like when he called me on the phone, she's like, "Stop." And she's like, "I'm about to cry." And she said it reminded her of last year. So last year during free agency, I called Klay and I called Steph, separate calls, and Steve. And I was just telling them like, "Yo, I'm leaving. I'm going to Memphis." And I remember that call with them. So I was going to leave. And she said, we were in Paris and she's like, "It's reminding me of when we were in Paris and you was calling them." Like she was just sitting there crying. And obviously we got it figured out. Shout out to the Lakers and Mike Dunleavy, his first free agency. They got it, we got it done, but yeah. I think there was a lot of thoughts on like, oh, what happened in the organization? Like everybody kind of want to make things out to be messy and they don't have to be. You know, I know this organization would have had Klay back as long as he wanted to be. And I know Klay, as we can see, really didn't want that. I know there was the report on like Klay telling Steph like not to flex his muscle and all of those things. Typical Klay thing to do. I'm not sure that that's true or not, but that would be a Klay response. But all great things must come to an end. And ultimately my hope is that I hope the organization, which I know they do appreciate, appreciate Klay and everything that he's done. I know they do. And I hope Klay appreciates the organization for everything this organization has done and meant for us. On our, on our rise to the top, like we had the best organization in the NBA supporting us and giving us the opportunities that we need to, the things that we need to make that rise. Having our families around, having our boys on trips, like organizations don't do that stuff. Our organization having dinners and like I could take 20 people to dinner if I wanted to. And like these dinners ain't at like, yeah, cheapest restaurant. They are at the best restaurants in the city we're in. Like, and we go to great cities. You know, like I said, letting our boys fly on the plane and families fly on the plane. Organization really is the best. And so I hope his appreciation for the organization, the organization appreciation for him, I hope everybody's is exactly where it should be. Because breakups don't always have to be messy. Co-parenting relationships don't always have to be shitty.

Mm-hmm.

People going their separate ways can be a thing of beauty. And this is one of those things. Klay's going to the Dallas Mavericks after 13 years of domination, after 13 years of building a dynasty. He's moving on to go do something else. And like, we all can appreciate that and love that for him, love that for us. And appreciate the good times. Maverick was here, always, he would always tell the story about, and I actually took this and incorporated it in my life, a story about his father back in the day. When I hear the song, like, and I think about Klay and the journey, the song is Al Green, "For the Good Times." You know, and like, it's kind of like, don't be sad for me. Like, just remember the good times. And so when I think about this, like, that's where I'm trying to take my mind. Like, I try to live my life by that, but like remembering the good times. The song is called "For the Good Times," but you know, just remembering. Yeah. The good times, the things that we did. And like, that's where I'm at with it. So yeah, I think I am definitely like a little shaken up by it and a bit sad. But I think for anybody in life, if something's been a certain way for 12 years and then it just abruptly changes, I think it'll shake you up a bit too. At least if it matters to you, I know it would. So that's where I'm at with it. It's been a, for me, man, it's been a hell of a run. And I am thankful to have shared the court with Klay for 12 seasons, to go to war with him. I think back to a story that most people don't remember because when we played the Raptors in the NBA Finals, Klay pulled his hamstring off. Y'all remember up until that point, Klay had never missed a playoff game. And he would, man, Klay would roll his ankle, it'll turn purple, and like this dude was still playing these playoff games. Like I always tell y'all, Probably the toughest player I ever played with. Dude tough as nails, like, and he will go through a brick wall for you, with you. And you know, every time he get hurt in some of those playoffs, we'd be like, "All right, they got your ass now, champ. Like, you ain't getting through this one." And I remember like it was yesterday, and he pulled his hamstring and he was trying to work through it. And I remember saying, I said, "Klay," I know you've been able to get through all of these injuries throughout these years of playing, but they got your ass now. Like, you ain't getting through this one with no pulled hamstring. He's like, yeah, right, Dray, whatever, watch me play. And we played in San Francisco, I think 2 or 3 days later, and he did a workout before the game to show them that he could play. And like, when I tell you, he could have played. Now, Rick, Draymond Green, who I always talk about. Rick didn't let him play and probably was in Klay's best interest that Rick didn't let him play. But Rick didn't let him play. But when I tell you to like where this dude got to in 2 and a half days to do that workout and like look the way he looked in the workout to actually could have played in that game. It wasn't the smartest thing for anyone, but I think he showed that he could and it was a tough call for Rick, but Rick had to make the call. And watching him go through, I could not believe it. And it's like, wow. Like they couldn't even get dude out with a pulled hamstring. But then he came back in game 6 and we obviously all know he's going crazy in game 6. We know how it ended. But like, that's Klay. Like that's who I've had the opportunity to go to battle with for— 3 years. For 12 years. I got this video of the day after I got suspended. I told y'all this story a little bit, but I got this video I took of the day he came to pick me up on the boat, which was my first time ever being on the boat with Klay driving. Quite frankly, I didn't really want to go on a boat and I had to this day because I just didn't know if I trust Klay boat driving. Mm-hmm. It's a lot of water and ocean. And I don't know if I trust Clay like that, but I had to get on the boat this day. And I'ma use that video in a documentary or something I'ma do on this one day. But nah, man, I'm rambling. And I told y'all I would, 'cause I didn't know where my thoughts would take me. So I'm just kind of giving you these thoughts as they come up. But I'm gonna move on to the rest of free agency. But it's been a hell of a 12 years. And I can't thank Klay enough, Steph enough, but this is about Klay, man. The healthy competition between him and Steph on like who's the best shooter was one of the highlights of my career. Just to watch that on the daily, to watch them go at it after practice. Yeah. During practice. Like, like, it was beautiful. Like, it was incredible to watch. So I'm thankful. Someday I'll have more thoughts on this, but it's been, uh, it's been a hell of a 12 years. Yeah. And one day I'll be able to put all these thoughts into place and process them. I can't really right now. But salute to my dawg, Killer Klay Thompson. It's been a hell of a ride, champ.

You know the beautiful thing about being a sports fan? There's only like 2 days the whole year without a game. 2. With so much happening and so much action, that makes just about every day game day at DraftKings Sportsbook. It's super easy for first-timers to get started. Try betting on something simple like picking a team to win. Go to the DraftKings Sportsbook app, select your team, and place your first bet. It really couldn't be any easier or any simpler. Baseball, golf, UFC. There's something for every fan of every sport to bet on DraftKings. And I know it's early, but football season will be here before you know it. And the Kansas City Chiefs are currently the favorite to win the Super Bowl on DraftKings at +550. And if you're new to DraftKings, you got to check this out. New customers bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets. Instantly! Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and use code HOOPS— that's H-O-O-P-S— that's code HOOPS for new customers to get $150 in bonus bets instantly when you bet just $5 only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. 777-777-7777.