During a recent interview with the media, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd spoke on various topics relating to the game, his career, and the state of his team heading into the new season. As Kidd explained, the addition of Klay Thompson will unlock a whole new world of opportunities for the reigning Western Conference champions.
“Being Klay Thompson. It’s easy. We’re not gonna make this thing difficult. We truly believe that he gives us something we haven’t had,” said Kidd, via Dallas Morning News. “A guy that’s not afraid to take the shot. He’s been in championship situations. He understands what it means. We believe that we’re building a championship team. Being a veteran, his experience, being in big games and then being able to play both ends. We truly believe he’s going to be able to make big shots and have fun, but we’re gonna lean on him because he’s one that’s won a championship. We’re going to need his advice and leadership throughout this journey.”
With or without Klay Thompson, the Mavericks would be among the favorites to win the West in 2025. Last season, in the first full run with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving together, the Mavericks exceeded expectations and won 50 games in the regular season before making a run to the NBA Finals.
The Luka and Irving duo has worked to great effectiveness so far and they torched the league last season with their combined skills on offense. In the frontcourt, players like Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington helped to strengthen Dallas’ defense and give them some resistance on the interior against the league’s top big men. Now, with Klay Thompson, the potential for success is higher than ever for the Mavericks.
After a tumultuous season with the Warriors, and strained contract negotiations, Klay Thompson thought it was best to seek a fresh start — and it’s why he signed with the Mavericks this past summer for three years and $50 million. Kyrie Irving did most of the recruiting, but it didn’t take much to sell Klay on the vision.
As a 4x champion, 5x All-Star, and 2x All-NBA player, Thompson brings valuable championship experience to the Mavericks. As a career 41% shooting from three, Thompson also brings expert marksmanship to the roster which will help spread the floor and create more opportunities for Kyrie and Luka.
At 34 years old, and coming off two major injuries, Klay Thompson is not quite the player he used to be. Last season, his numbers dipped to 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game on 43% shooting. He averaged 29.7 minutes per game, one of the lowest marks of his career.
Despite his clear decline, the Mavericks still believe that Klay can be the final piece for them and it won’t be long before we find out for sure. For a team that came within three wins of the title a few months ago, adding one of the greatest shooters ever will certainly help tip the odds in their favor.
But things may not come so easily for the Mavericks and they’ll have to work hard in order to ensure a seamless transition for Klay. If everything works out, it could result in the Mavericks’ first championship since 2011.
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