Klay Thompson, a little over a week removed from his choice to depart from the Golden State Warriors, sat in front of a new blue backdrop scattered with logos not normally associated with the longtime sharpshooter.
In his first public appearance since leaving the Warriors, Thompson addressed his decision to join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as one of the newest members of the Dallas Mavericks.
“Whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world or whatever industry, sometimes change can spur greatness,” Thompson said during Tuesday’s introductory news conference. “A new change of scenery can do wonders. I’m very grateful for my time at Golden State, but I just felt like moving on could re-energize me and do something special for the rest of my career.”
Thompson’s time with the Warriors ended after a dynamic 13-year run that resulted in the creation of a modern-day dynasty with four NBA championships in an eight-year span. The franchise’s last title was captured in 2022 against the Boston Celtics, who recently defeated the Mavericks in a five-game NBA Finals. Thompson said there were times throughout his final season with the Warriors that were difficult, especially given the expectations that come with being a former All-NBA player.
“Coming here is just a fresh start and [me] feeling wanted again, I bring great value and it just gets me excited to go work out after this press conference,” Thompson said. “There were times last year that were tough, where it wasn’t as joyful as it had been in the past. It’s nice to shed that and have a whole new fresh start.”
Thompson joined the Mavericks in free agency as part of a sign-and-trade that resulted in a three-year contract worth $50 million. He brings a Hall-of-Fame resume to the organization, along with nine playoff appearances. Dallas had four key rotation players (Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford and Derrick Jones Jr.) with little to no playoff experience and they were forced to learn the ups-and-downs of the postseason in real-time. Mavericks vice president of basketball operations/assistant general manager Michael Finley lauded Thompson’s veteran leadership, which will come in handy on a team with a good mix of youth and veterans.
“Experience is key and I think he brings that to the table,” Finley said.
The bulk of Thompson’s finals runs with the Warriors occurred against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the former team of Irving. The two franchises are forever connected because of their four consecutive meetings in the finals from 2015 until 2018. Thompson won three of his four championships in that span, while Irving won his lone title in 2016. Those battles are just one of several links between Thompson and Irving, who were both members of the 2011 draft class. They were also teammates with the United States men’s national team for the 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Thompson said Irving was one of the first people to text him, a list that also included Doncic, and the two have had several conversations about being embraced by the Dallas community.
“Kyrie and I are good friends,” Thompson said. “Obviously we’ve played against each other on the highest stages for many years. I’ve always been a fan of Ky’s game. Guarding him was hell, so it’s always nice to be on the other end of that for once and see other defenders get loose and get shook by him. That’s going to be a good sight to see.”
The next time Thompson puts on a uniform, he won’t be wearing the No. 11 that will someday be retired by the Warriors because Irving wears the number. Nor will he wear the No. 27, which he said he was granted permission to wear by former Mavericks center Zaza Pachulia. Thompson’s new threads will bear the No. 31, once worn by Mavericks legends Jason Terry and Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller, who were mentioned in his explanation for choosing the number.
“Kyrie took my number, so I was pretty ... nah I’m just kidding,” Thompson said. “It’s a change for me. I’m not mad at the change. I’m actually pretty excited for it. There’s been a lot of great 31s in this franchise’s history. Jason Terry won a championship wearing that number. We play very similar styles as far as the off guard position. ... Reggie Miller wore 31 and I’ve watched so much footage of Reggie coming off screens as a teenager. His ability to make game-winning shots, that’s the most inspiring thing as a shooter. ... You can’t leave me open like you couldn’t with Reggie.”
Thompson’s personality was on display during Tuesday’s 43.5-minute news conference. The confidence of a four-time champion was there, despite a regression in production since he returned from two major leg surgeries. There was a sense of caution present when discussing his tenure with the Warriors. Jokes were also mixed in with his answers, along with moments of transparency to support the reality that he’s walked into a new chapter.
“It’s surreal, but I’m embracing it,” Thompson said. “Being on the back end of my career or in my 30s, it’s so special to have this opportunity. Not many guys who play 13 years get a chance to win a championship or championships to end their career. I think we’re set up for a great run. Expectations are high, but you gotta welcome that. That’s what you want as an athlete. You want to have that pressure. You want to have expectations from the fanbase and the city. They want a winner. That’s what attracted me to it. I’m not really into breaking more shooting records. I just want to win at this point. That’s what I learned at Golden State. Everyone’s gotta make sacrifices to win at the highest level.”
Thompson will likely sacrifice shot volume due to the offensively talented duo of Doncic and Irving, but he said the only thing that matters is playing “winning basketball.” The Mavericks have reached the Western Conference Finals twice in the last three seasons, which included a finals appearance.
All good things must come to an end. As one door closes, another one opens. Thompson hopes they’re just as good in Dallas as they were with the Warriors.
“I take a lot of inspiration from past athletes and how their careers might’ve gone astray when they either left a team or joined a new team,” Thompson said. “Some guys thrive and I look forward to being rejuvenated here. There’s a lot of good basketball left in the tank.”
Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
