Warriors owner Joe Lacob has spoken out about Klay Thompson Decision to leave Golden State.
At first he I was disappointed by the newsBut moments later, he showed his respect for the team’s iconic shooter.
Lacob appeared on the latest episode of The Athletic. “Hoops Adjacent” PodcastThere, he spoke about Thompson’s departure and the contents of the text message he sent to the veteran guard the day after their first phone conversation before the start of NBA free agency.
“After he called me and told me he’d decided to move, which was before he hit free agency, he called me and was very gracious and said he hated to call but ‘I feel like I have to do it,'” Lacob recalled. “Right after that, the next day, a few days before he hit free agency, I sent him a video of me taking my head in the air and that was my way of saying he meant so much to us, to this organization and everything we’d accomplished as a team, and I still feel that way about him.”
The video Lacob is referring to went viral after Thompson scored 41 points and made 11 3-pointers in the Warriors’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals, showing Golden State’s owner bowing to Thompson in the tunnel after the game.
Lacob will always consider Thompson a close friend, but when the Warriors face off against the Dallas Mavericks for the first time during the 2024-25 NBA season, Lacob knows the team won’t take Thompson lightly.
“I’ve always felt that way. That will never change. I don’t care what people think may or may not have happened. He will always be welcome in my life and I hope he feels the same,” Lacob added. “Honestly, I’m a little teary-eyed. I hope we always stay friends. He’s just going to be in Dallas for a few years and we’ll just beat the crap out of him, but that’s the job and I’m sure he feels the same. That’s what the competition is all about, but he’ll always be welcome in our home.”
With Thompson’s departure still fresh in their minds, Lacob and the Warriors can still remember the five-time All-Star’s iconic moments with the team, but they will soon have to contend with a new Western Conference rival.
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