Draymond Green thinks Klay Thompson wanted to leave Warriors years before he did

Klay Thompson's recent signing with the Miami Heat has reignited discussions about the sharpshooter's place in NBA history. His former teammate thinks that only an injury kept him from becoming a No. 1 option.

On his podcast, Draymond Green said Thompson was "90 percent likely" to have left the Golden State Warriors in free agency in 2019. But after tearing his ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, Thompson stayed home.

Klay Thompson may have wanted his own team

Thompson is fourth on the NBA's all-time three-pointers list, on pace to pass Ray Allen this season. Allen also joined the Heat late in his career, raising comparisons between the two. While Allen was an incredible three-point specialist for the Heat and Boston Celtics, he was also the No. 1 scoring option when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Seattle SuperSonics.

Green claims Thompson wanted that opportunity himself. After winning three titles, going to the NBA Finals in five straight seasons while making the All-Star Game each year, Thompson's contract was set to expire in the summer of 2019. Then he tore his ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, one game after fellow free agent Kevin Durant tore his Achilles.

According to Green, that's the primary reason Thompson remained a Warrior through 2024.