With the NBA season on the horizon, there will be some familiar faces in new places. One of the biggest names that was on the move this past summer was Golden State Warriors legend Klay Thompson. A four-time NBA champion, Thompson was allowed to walk during free agency. He decided to sign with the Dallas Mavericks, a squad that is coming off of their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. Now why do we even care about this move that Thompson made? Well, Thompson was a part of the core Warriors team that has won its four most recent championships. His exit signals a brand new start for both the Warriors and himself.
As a five-time NBA All-Star, Thompson will help fill out the Mavericks starting lineup. He will sure up their perimeter scoring, as well as some playmaking responsibilities. It remains to be seen just how effective he will be able to be on the defensive end. Of course, in the wake of a torn Achilles and ACL in consecutive years, we await whether Thompson can reach his former form. At his best, he was a defensive stalwart on the perimeter. Since the injury, it’s understood why he may have lost a step.
But in Thompson’s mind, he still has a lot left in the tank, as one Mark Henry might say. Signing for a reported $50 million over three years with the Mavs, it’s just a price that the Warriors weren’t willing to pay. I have no doubts that the 13-year NBA veteran is chomping at the bit to make the Warriors eat their words. He enters this season having averaged 17.9 points last season on 43% shooting. So his scoring punch will be welcomed. Hopefully, with the talent of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving around him, his shooting percentage can improve.
If the Mavericks can make up for any deficiencies on the defensive end, I think it can set the table for a true Klay Thompson comeback year. After reacclimating your body, after two seasons of play, we may see Klay play closer to his former self. The Mavs have enough young players to bring the athleticism needed to keep up with the league’s fast teams. So Dallas may truly be a tough out, and they’re poised to be in a better position than Klay’s former squad. Go figure.
The Mavericks want to make the most of the potential championship window they have. I think Klay Thompson is a needed addition to the Mavs. They did so, with virtually no subtraction of the roster that competed in the finals last year. That’s the most glaring part of the Western Conference. It’s a point that I thought the Warriors may have considered more, but they feel that they had a path forward that was more promising. Thompson returns to the home of the Warriors, Chase Center, on Nov. 12. It will no doubt be must-see TV. By that point, the Splash brothers face off for the first time. We’ll begin to see which team’s front office had the right idea.
