For the Golden State Warriors and their fans, the return of four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson on Tuesday is slated to be a celebration of one of the greatest players in franchise history.

As for the new Dallas Mavericks guard, it doesn’t appear that his first game back in the Bay Area against his old team was circled on his calendar.

“That chapter is over,” Thompson told Andscape after the Mavericks’ 122-120 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. “I’m in the midst of trying to win here. There is no point in missing anything when we have such a great opportunity here to be great. There’s no point in looking back …

“I got to look forward. I got to try to give my best self here.

The Warriors drafted Thompson with the 11th pick in the 2011 NBA draft out of Washington State. The five-time NBA All-Star averaged 19.6 points and 3.1 3-pointers made per game in 11 seasons with the Warriors. While playing in Oakland, California, and San Francisco with the Warriors, Thompson won four NBA championships and played in six NBA Finals.

Thompson is the sixth in Warriors history in points (15,531), fourth in games played (793) and second only to Stephen Curry in 3-pointers made with 2,481. He scored 60 points in 29 minutes against Indiana Pacers on Dec. 5, 2016, and made an NBA record 14 3-pointers against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 29, 2018.

With the early-season matchup against the Warriors looming, Thompson told Andscape he hasn’t taken to reflect on his accomplishments.

“I cherish it, but I am still trying to move on and win here,” Thompson said Sunday during a postgame news conference.

The Warriors have rewarded Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and now-Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole with new contract extensions in recent years. Thompson, who didn’t play from 2019 to 2021 to injury, did not reach terms on a contract extension despite being eligible last season last season and became an unrestricted free agent in June. The two-time All-NBA selection averaged 17.9 points with the Warriors last season, his lowest scoring average since the 2012-13 season. After contract talks stalled with Golden State, the 34-year-old agreed to a three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavericks on July 1.

When asked if there was something he was most disappointed about in his departure, Thompson told Andscape: “Not really, to be honest. That’s just how things go.”

While the Warriors missed the playoffs during the 2023-24 season, the Mavericks advanced to the NBA Finals with stars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. By signing with the Mavericks, Thompson was joining a team that was a Western Conference champion while the Warriors seemed to be on the decline.

Curry, Green and the Warriors, however, have enjoyed an 8-2 start to this season, tying the Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the West. The Mavericks are 5-5 with Thompson third on the team in scoring (14.2 points per game).

Thompson told Andscape he is confident this will be a “special” season for the Mavs.

“We have some real experience and a chance of winning,” Thompson said. “I know we are .500 right now and playing mediocre basketball. But from my experiences, it’s a long season and you have to peak at the right time …

“You have to keep going, keep your emotions and stay the course. Keep a smile on your face. It’s a long [season]. We have a chance to be special.”

urry, Thompson and Green were among the most successful trios in NBA history. They won four NBA titles with the Warriors while combining for 518 wins in the regular season and playoffs. Their 98 playoff wins together ranks third in NBA history among three-player groups, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

So, has Thompson been in touch with Curry and Green?

“I’m locked-in. Not really,” Thompson said to Andscape. “I will see them when I see them. That’s it.”

Thompson was beloved in the Bay Area for always being his unique self. Thompson threw paper airplanes made from box scores at the media after postgame news conferences, and he was well-known for having an English bulldog named Rocco that was portrayed alongside him in a bobblehead doll given out at a Warriors home game. He earned the “Captain Klay” nickname for driving his boat across the San Francisco Bay to games at Chase Center after the Warriors moved from Oakland to San Francisco in 2019.