The Golden State Warriors’ 2025-26 season was a disaster by their standards. Injuries. Inconsistency. A 37-45 record. No playoffs. For a franchise that defined a decade with four championships and a 73-win season, the silence from the Chase Center this spring has been deafening.
But the Warriors are not a franchise that wallows. They are a franchise that pivots. And as they look toward the offseason, a familiar face is emerging as a realistic target.
Klay Thompson.
The same Klay Thompson who left for Dallas in the summer of 2024. The same Klay Thompson who was part of the greatest shooting backcourt in NBA history. The same Klay Thompson who, according to multiple reports, might be willing to sign a cheaper deal to return to Golden State as a free agent next summer.
The Mavericks are no longer contenders. They traded Anthony Davis this season. Their championship window slammed shut. Thompson is under contract for one more season at $16 million — a very tradable number.
And the Warriors have a gaping hole on their roster.
According to NBA writer Peter O’Keefe of Fansided, the biggest reason Golden State might pursue Thompson is not sentiment — though that certainly plays a role. It’s necessity.
Moses Moody suffered a devastating torn patellar tendon late in the season. He is expected to miss the majority — if not all — of next season. Moody was a 6’6″ wing who shot 40% from three on high volume. He was the Warriors’ best young perimeter shooter. He was supposed to be part of the post-Curry transition.
Now, he is sidelined.
And the Warriors need to replace him.
“There’s a clear on-court reason why Thompson may be very valuable to the Warriors again,” O’Keefe wrote. “How do Golden State replace a 6’6″ wing who can shoot 40% from three on high volume? That sounds exactly like Thompson.”
Let’s break down the Moody injury, the Thompson fit, the trade mechanics, and whether a reunion between the Splash Brothers is not just sentimental — but essential.
Let’s start with the injury that changed everything.
Moses Moody was having the best season of his career. He had carved out a legitimate role in Steve Kerr’s rotation. He was shooting 40% from three on high volume. He was providing the kind of floor spacing that makes Stephen Curry even more dangerous. He was 6’6″ with length, athleticism, and a growing defensive reputation.
Then came the injury. A torn patellar tendon. One of the most devastating injuries a basketball player can suffer.
Moody will miss the majority — if not all — of next season. The recovery timeline for a torn patellar tendon is brutal. Even when he returns, there are no guarantees he will be the same player. Explosiveness. Confidence. Shooting rhythm. All of it is put at risk.
The Warriors were counting on Moody to be a key part of their rotation next season. They were counting on his shooting. They were counting on his defense. They were counting on his development.
Now, they have to replace him.
Let’s talk about Klay Thompson, because the fit is almost too perfect.
Thompson is 6’6″. He is one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He has spent his entire career playing alongside Curry. He knows the system. He knows the terminology. He knows the expectations.
He is not the same player who scored 60 points in 29 minutes. He is not the same defender who shut down opposing stars in the 2019 Finals. He is 36 years old. He has lost a step.
But he can still shoot. He can still space the floor. He can still provide the kind of gravity that makes Curry’s life easier.
And that is exactly what the Warriors need.
Moody was supposed to be that floor spacer. With him out, the Warriors have a gaping hole. Thompson can fill it. Not perfectly. Not forever. But for one season — maybe two — he can be the shooter that Golden State desperately needs.
O’Keefe put it plainly: “How do Golden State replace a 6’6″ wing who can shoot 40% from three on high volume? That sounds exactly like Thompson.”
It does. It really does.
Let’s not pretend sentiment doesn’t matter.
Klay Thompson is a Warriors legend. He was drafted by Golden State. He grew up in the organization. He was part of four championship teams. He was the second Splash Brother. He was the stoic, steady presence alongside Curry’s electric brilliance.
When he left for Dallas in the summer of 2024, it hurt. Fans understood the business decision, but it still stung. A part of the dynasty walked out the door.
Now, that part could come home.
There have been rumors that Thompson would be willing to sign a cheaper deal to return to Golden State as a free agent next summer. That is not just about basketball. That is about legacy. That is about ending his career where it began. That is about wearing the blue and gold until the end.
Stephen Curry wants it. Draymond Green wants it. The fans want it.
And now, the roster construction demands it.
Let’s talk about the money, because in the NBA, the money always matters.
Thompson is under contract with the Dallas Mavericks for one more season at $16 million. That is a very tradable number. It is not a max contract. It is not an albatross. It is a manageable salary that can be matched in a trade.
The most likely scenario, according to O’Keefe, involves a trade centered around Moody and Al Horford.
Warriors receive: Klay Thompson
Mavericks receive: Moses Moody, Al Horford
The salaries match. The Mavericks get a young wing in Moody (who, despite his injury, still has value as a long-term asset) and an expiring contract in Horford. The Warriors get their shooter back.
It is a clean deal. It makes sense for both sides.
The Warriors would be trading away a player who cannot help them next season (Moody) and an aging veteran (Horford) for a player who addresses their most pressing need.
Now for the reality check.
Klay Thompson alone is not enough to save the Warriors’ season. He is not the missing piece that turns a 37-45 team into a championship contender.
The Warriors need more. They need a star. They need someone who can carry the scoring load when Curry is on the bench. They need someone who can create his own shot in isolation. They need someone who can take pressure off the aging core.
According to multiple reports, the Warriors have a wish list that includes three bigger names: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and LeBron James.
If the Warriors can land one of those stars — if they can pair Curry with a top-10 player — then Thompson becomes the perfect complementary piece. He is the shooter who spaces the floor. He is the veteran who has been there before. He is the emotional anchor who holds the locker room together.
But if Thompson is the only move? If the Warriors bring him back and do nothing else? Then the reunion becomes a nostalgia tour, not a championship push.
Let’s not forget about Jimmy Butler.
Butler was supposed to be the second star alongside Curry. He was supposed to provide the toughness, the defense, the clutch scoring. Instead, he suffered an injury that will sideline him for at least the first half of next season.
The Warriors are facing the very real possibility that they will start next season without Butler. That means Curry will have to carry an even heavier load. That means the supporting cast needs to step up even more.
Thompson’s shooting becomes even more valuable in that context. When defenses collapse on Curry, Thompson can make them pay. When the offense stagnates, Thompson can provide instant offense.
Butler’s absence changes the calculus. The Warriors cannot afford to be patient. They cannot afford to wait for young players to develop. They need help now.
Thompson can provide that help.
So, after all that analysis, what’s the bottom line? Should the Warriors trade for Klay Thompson?
The answer is yes — with one important caveat.
Yes, the Warriors should pursue Thompson. He fills a clear need. He knows the system. He has chemistry with Curry. He can shoot. He can space the floor. He is a proven winner.
But the trade cannot be the only move. The Warriors must follow through on their plans to add a bigger star. Giannis. Kawhi. LeBron. Someone who can be the No. 1 or No. 1A alongside Curry.
If the Warriors can land a star and bring back Thompson, they have a legitimate chance to compete. They have a core of Curry, Butler (when healthy), a superstar, and Thompson. That is a contender.
If the Warriors bring back Thompson and do nothing else, they are a play-in team at best.
Thompson is not the savior. He is the complementary piece. He is the final ingredient, not the main course.
The Warriors need to cook a full meal. Thompson is the seasoning. Without the main dish, the seasoning is wasted.
Moses Moody’s devastating injury changed everything for the Golden State Warriors. A young wing who was supposed to be part of the team’s future is now sidelined for most — if not all — of next season. His 40% three-point shooting. His 6’6″ frame. His developing defense. All of it is on hold.
The Warriors need to replace him. And the best replacement available might be a familiar face.
Klay Thompson is not the same player who once scored 60 points in 29 minutes. He is not the same defender who locked down the opposing team’s best player. But he is still one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. He is still a 6’6″ wing who can space the floor. He is still a player who knows the Warriors’ system inside and out.
The trade makes sense. Thompson’s $16 million contract is manageable. A deal centered around Moody and Al Horford works financially. The Mavericks have no reason to hold onto a player who doesn’t fit their timeline.
But Thompson cannot be the only move. The Warriors need to add a star. Giannis. Kawhi. LeBron. Someone who can carry the load when Curry is on the bench.
If they do that, Thompson becomes the perfect complementary piece. The shooter who spaces the floor. The veteran who keeps the locker room steady. The legend who comes home to finish what he started.
If they don’t, the reunion becomes a nostalgia tour. A feel-good story that doesn’t lead to wins.
The Warriors have an offseason of uncertainty ahead. Steve Kerr’s future. Draymond Green’s player option. The search for the next piece to put alongside Curry.
But one thing is becoming clear: Klay Thompson should be on their radar. Not just because of sentiment. Because of basketball.
Moses Moody’s injury opened a door. Klay Thompson is standing right there.
The Warriors should open it.