It’s no secret why the Mavericks believe Klay Thompson is the missing piece to their aspirations to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
His championship resume and elite shooting prowess were lauded in several sessions Monday during Media Day at the team’s practice facility.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Thompson’s addition makes the game easier on the offensive end. Luka Doncic deviated from his notable use of the word “amazing” and described the acquisition of Thompson as “unbelievable.” Kyrie Irving, who played a pivotal role in luring the veteran sharpshooter to Dallas in free agency, is confident in Thompson’s ability to help the Mavericks not only return to the Finals, but also complete the mission of winning a title.
As for Thompson himself, he begins a new chapter with the Mavericks after 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors. His fit alongside Doncic and Irving is the most intriguing storyline going into training camp.
“I think my game complements the roster very well,” Thompson said Monday. “From a perimeter scoring aspect, I think I’ll help space the floor and help guys like Luka and Kyrie do their thing. Just being here this week and playing with our team and building chemistry with our big guys and our guards, it gives our offense kind of a whole new dimension.”
Thompson, 34, may be in the latter stages of his career, but he’s still one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. Last season, Thompson converted on the fourth-most 3s in the league (268), just 16 below Doncic’s second-place finish (284).
The lack of another consistent 3-point shooting threat is one of the main reasons Kidd believes the Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics in June’s five-game Finals series.
“Every time he lets it go, it looks like it’s going in,” Kidd said of Thompson. “If he does miss one, it just adds to the percentage of, ‘Will he make the next one?’ We haven’t had that here for a while. We’ve had shooters, but we haven’t had a Jason Terry or Klay Thompson. This is rare air when we talk about Klay. He’s gonna go down as one of the greatest shooters of all time. To have him on our side, it just makes the game offensively easier. Spacing is a big thing in this league and he creates that gravity. Gaff and D-Live setting screens for him will definitely give him a Christmas gift.”
Figuring out how to integrate Thompson into the Mavericks’ offense will be Kidd and the rest of the coaching staff’s main priority when camp kicks off Tuesday at UNLV in Las Vegas. The Mavericks will technically employ a three-guard lineup to start, a sacrifice on the defensive side of the ball for an explosive boost of offense.
“You basically can’t help off of me and Kai when we have the ball,” Doncic said. “You basically can’t leave Klay because if you leave him wide open, he’s going to make it. I think the spacing is going to be crucial for us, but more of that I will tell you after a couple games.”
Thompson was once one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA, earning a nod on the All-Defensive Second Team during the 2018-19 season. That isn’t the case anymore after two major leg surgeries and an increase in age. Still, Thompson accepts the challenge on defense and even lauded fellow Mavericks newcomers, Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes, for their defensive prowess in case there are any lapses.
“We complement each other so well because what I might be deficient in, Naji Marshall might be able to pick up with his ability to guard or switch, same with Quentin. We got guys who can play off each other.”
Irving was in Thompson’s place nearly two seasons ago when he transitioned from Brooklyn to Dallas. He described the Mavericks as a franchise that protects its players, on and off the court, which was a selling point to Thompson.
“It’s easy to kind of quote-unquote convince Klay to come here because of what I had experienced in the past year and a half, of just being welcomed and embraced,” Irving said.
“I think being here in Dallas gave him an outsider’s view of just what it could be like for him,” Irving continued. “So I’m excited that he decided to come here, decided to commit to us for the next few years. And I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now and he’s added some great value to our championship aspirations.”
Thompson is a familiar face to most, but he’s in a new place as he adjusts to Dallas. The team may be different, but the mission to win another championship is still the same.
“That’s why I’m here in the first place, because I saw how close they were to winning a championship and the opportunity to do that again, I don’t take it for granted,” Thompson said. “I’m going to work my hardest to try and get us back there.”
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