Stephen Curry made it clear: He never wanted Klay Thompson to leave the Golden State Warriors.
Curry acknowledged his feelings about Thompson's departure during an interview with ESPN staff before Dallas' Christmas Day game in San Francisco.
“I wish he was still here,” Curry said.
Thompson spent 13 seasons with the team and joined Dallas in the summer of 2024 on a three-year, $50 million sign-and-trade deal.
The move ended an era that won four championships and helped define the Warriors dynasty.
Sources told ESPN that Thompson “felt strategically passed over” after the Golden State Warriors prioritized pursuing Paul George and never formally submitted an offer.
Another source told ESPN, “This is a guy who feels like he left everything to Joe and the team and then was treated like damaged goods.”
That sentiment lingers as Thompson recovers from a torn ACL and Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for 941 days. The Golden State Warriors still offered him a five-year, $129 million contract after suffering an ACL injury, but tensions resurfaced a few years later when negotiations cooled.
Curry remains determined to close the gap. In February, he stayed at Thompson's home in Dallas, where he and Draymond Green had dinner with Thompson and assistant coach Chris DeMarco.
“We don't have to address any feelings or him leaving or anything like that,” Green said. “My friends kicked it.”
Curry has now taken it a step further, telling ESPN he will actively push for a reunion
“It's going to be unbelievable,” Curry said. “If that time comes and that conversation happens, of course I will call him and say, 'We want you back.'”
Thompson isn't closing the door either.
“I don't know,” Thompson said. “It's a long way to go, man. There's a lot to do in basketball. I don't know what the future holds.”
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