The Dallas Mavericks had their introductory press conference to unveil summer acquisitions Klay Thompson to the world along with teammates Naji Marshall, and Quentin Grimes. Klay spoke about a variety of topics, but focused on his two new star teammates; Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. He sang praises of Doncic’s ability, revealing the pair had texted each other after Klay signed.
“Luka, even before he got in the NBA, you watch his Euroleague highlights and you’re like this 18-year-old is doing this to players in the NBA?.. He texted me saying how excited he was. I relayed the same message back. There’s definitely a mutual respect there… He’s someone who’s not afraid of the moment & competes until the end. I think we’ll be able to bring the best out of each other.”
Klay also spoke about Irving, the player who reportedly recruited him to join the Mavericks and is one of his defining career rivals.
“Kyrie and I are good friends. We came into the league together in 2011, we’ve played together for Team USA twice, and obviously, we played against each other at the highest stage for many years. I’ve always been a fan of Kai’s game and guarding him was hell, so it’s nice to be on the other end of that for once.”
Klay Thompson on his relationship with Kyrie Irving:
"We're good friends… Guarding him was hell so it's nice to be on the other end of that for once" pic.twitter.com/SVs1JHxR7A
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) July 9, 2024
Klay is also relishing playing in a system alongside Doncic and Irving, as defenses will be more focused on the two of them which would lead to more open looks for Klay.
“I don’t think you can stick to me as much as you could do in the past with guys like Luka and Kyrie out there. That was attractive to me.”
Klay averaged 17.9 points last season with 38.7% accuracy from three on 9.0 attempts per game. Thompson has been the clear second option for the Warriors in the last few seasons, with teams making sure Klay is covered off even when they’re loading up players on Stephen Curry.
Trying to fully guard Luka, Kyrie, and Klay will be next to impossible. Doncic has created more 3-point opportunities than any player in the NBA since being drafted in 2018, giving Klay another reason to be encouraged about this fit. If Thompson can convert over 40% from three in Dallas, the Mavs will be an offensive machine.
Klay Thompson Hopes To Be Energized In A New Situation
Klay Thompson made it clear that he joined the Mavericks because he wanted to be in a new situation to re-energize himself as a high-level NBA player.
“Well, I mean, whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world or whatever industry sometimes change just can spur greatness and a new change of scenery can do wonders. I’m very grateful for my time at Golden State, but I just felt like you know moving on could just re-energize me and do something special for the rest of my career.”
Wanting to join the Mavericks was a calculated decision for Klay, who analyzed the team on their way to the NBA Finals to determine they’d be his best fit.
“So when I was watching the playoffs and I’m watching the Mavs, you know make a run for the championship I just saw myself fitting in really well with this team and the personnel and they look like they have fun playing with each other… They play for each other and that was very attractive for me and that’s really all I needed to see and there’s mutual interest there.”
There’ll be lots of hope for Klay now that he’s joined a team that made the NBA Finals without him. The Mavericks will be contenders in the West, but winning a title is a much tougher ask.
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