After 11 years with the Golden State Warriors, four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson is set to enter free agency this offseason.

Extension negotiations between the 34-year-old guard and the Warriors are reportedly at an impasse given the team’s reluctance to sign him to a lucrative contract. Golden State’s stance is understandable when considering Thompson’s age and rapidly declining play, but the shared history between him and this franchise makes this situation a difficult one to navigate.

Thompson averaged just 17.9 points per game–his lowest since his sophomore season–in 77 appearances last season. He shot only 43.2% from the field and 38.7% on three-pointers, both of which were well-below his career averages of 45.3% and 41.3%, respectively. His poor play led head coach Steve Kerr to relegate him to the second unit for 14 games, marking the first time that he came off the bench since his rookie year in the ‘11-’12 campaign.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets have shown interest in Thompson, though it is the Dallas Mavericks who have emerged as the favorite to land the five-time NBA All-Star’s services when free agency begins this June 30.

Dallas, who made it all the way to the NBA Finals this past season, could use a third scoring option behind Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Thompson would definitely be an upgrade over the Mavericks’ former reserve guard Tim Hardaway Jr. who was just traded away to the Detroit Pistons.

The reputation of Thompson alone as one of the premier shooters in NBA history should open up the floor and improve the spacing for this Dallas team that relies heavily on pick-and-rolls. A change of scenery could also inspire him to rediscover his prime form which would be a major boon to the Mavericks title aspirations.

Meanwhile, it seems like the Warriors already have a back-up plan in place if Thompson does decide to move on. The team has been linked with nine-time NBA All-Star Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Though George is also 34-years-old like Thompson, his injury history is hardly as extensive and is still playing at an elite level. The 6’8 swingman averaged 22.6 points, 3.3 three-pointers 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game last year while both his field goal (47.1%) and three-point (41.3%) percentages outpaced those of Thompson.

A pairing of Curry and George would reopen the Warriors title window and it is not difficult to see why the Warriors’ front office is openly considering this potential partnership.

If this is the end of Thompson’s time with Golden State, it would mark the end of the highly successful Splash Brothers era that not only led to four NBA titles between 2015 and 2022, but also revolutionized the game of basketball. His days with this Warriors franchise may be limited, yet the impact that he made will live on forever.