Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob was emotional when discussing the departure of Klay Thompson, a franchise icon, to the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite his emotions, Lacob’s competitive nature was evident.

“I don’t care what people think happened or didn’t happen,” Lacob said on “The Athletic NBA Show” on July 17. “He will always be welcome in my life. I hope he feels the same. Honestly, I get a little teary-eyed about it. I hope we’re going to be friends forever. And he’s just going to be in Dallas for a few years and we’ll have to kick his ass. But that’s just the job. And I’m sure he feels the same way. That’s called competition.”

Thompson moved to the Mavericks through a sign-and-trade facilitated by the Warriors to secure more than the midlevel exception. However, the three-year, $50 million deal he signed with the Mavericks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, had a lower annual average salary than the Warriors’ initial offer, which he declined last offseason.

Extension talks last season strained Thompson’s relationship with the Warriors, leading to a tumultuous final season with the team.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Thompson felt disrespected as the Warriors only offered him half of what Draymond Green received.

“Thompson was offered a two-year extension in the $50 million range by the Warriors before last season but passed on that pitch and is said to have come away from the offer feeling disrespected mere months after Green was re-signed to a four-year, $100 million pact,” Stein wrote in his Substack newsletter on June 29.