Klay Thompson Rumors: Warriors Icon Rejected Bigger Contracts to Join Luka, Mavs

We already knew Klay Thompson took less money than the Golden State Warriors offered him a year ago to join the Dallas Mavericks.

It turns out Thompson didn't make money much of a priority in free agency, either.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thompson had four-year offers on the table to join other franchises but decided to spurn them in favor of a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks.

The Warriors reportedly offered Thompson a two-year, $48 million contract extension last offseason, but the two sides essentially reached a point of no return ahead of free agency. It was a foregone conclusion that Thompson would exit on the open market, with the Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers being his prime suitors.

Wojnarowski did not name the other teams in the mix, but the Orlando Magic were widely linked to Thompson before the start of free agency. Orlando signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million contract. Logic would dictate that the same type of offer would have been given to the more accomplished Thompson as well.

In the end, Thompson decided Dallas was his spot, creating one of the NBA's most formidable offensive trios with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Thompson, Dončić and Irving are three of the sport's premier shooters. Having all three on the court at the same time will give consistent spacing for Irving and Dončić to work with as primary ball-handlers and for the team's centers to attack the rim.

While it's clear Thompson is not the player he was before leg injuries cost him 30 months of his prime, he's making barely more than the mid-level exception. It's hard to view this as anything short of a victory for the Mavs front office.