After getting benched by Jason Kidd on Wednesday night, Klay Thompson is keeping his head up and his confidence high. The former All-Star was moved to a reserve role for the first time as a Maverick, but he isn’t letting it shake him.
“I don’t mind,” Klay told Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I’m going to play. I’m gonna do great things. That’s coming. I know it is.”
Thompson admitted it took him a few games to find his rhythm, but now believes he’s turning the corner. Despite his struggles, he hinted that better days are coming for both him and the Mavericks.
“I’m feeling like those first five games were hard for me to get my wind and get my legs under me,” he added. “Now I’m finally feeling like myself again. And you just know as a shooter, when that ball is just effortlessly flicking off your wrist. You know big things are coming.”
A 2-6 start has the Mavs sitting in last place in the West, and frustrations are starting to boil over. Luka Doncic is gone, Anthony Davis has failed to stay healthy, and rookie Cooper Flagg is struggling to cope with a losing situation.
Through it all, Klay Thompson has endured what may be the worst stretch of his career so far. The four-time champion and five-time All-Star is averaging an abysmal 8.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 34.2 percent shooting this season. At 35 years old and coming off two major injuries, things are not expected to get better for him going forward. But Klay has a certain level of self-awareness that he lacked during his final years with the Warriors. At this point, he knows his best days are behind him, and the best course of action is to accept whatever role the Mavericks have picked for him.
He played well in his first game off the bench, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists on 57.1 percent shooting. While the Mavericks lost the matchup, it was the first time that Klay showed flashes of his former self.
Ultimately, only time will tell if Thompson can snap out of his shooting slump, but this is surely not what he signed up for when joining the team back in 2024. Not only is Dallas out of contention, but Klay also lost the role that lured him there in the first place.
Meanwhile, Klay’s former team is once again in the championship picture after replacing him with Jimmy Butler. The Warriors have seemingly moved on quickly, and all he can do now is hope the Mavericks catch up.
The fact that he’s willing to embrace his new role says a lot about how far he’s come, and it may be what extends his career. For Klay, this is not the end, and he’s determined to make the most of his situation.
Klay Thompson didn’t come to Dallas expecting to come off the bench, but reality has a way of humbling even the greats. If he really is turning the corner, this could be the start of a quiet comeback. But if not, his time as an impact player in the NBA may be nearing its final chapter.
