Klay Thompson embarked on a new journey by signing with the Dallas Mavericks this offseason. Amid the massive change of scenery, the veteran sharpshooter expressed enthusiasm about teaming up with his new teammates.
The Mavericks held their media day on Monday and Thompson was all praises for new teammate Luka Doncic‘s exceptional pick-and-roll abilities.
“I think I’m going to have to adjust to playing off such good creators. In Golden State, it was a very motion-based offense,” Thompson said. “But playing with Luka the past few days, his ability in the pick and roll has been like the best I’ve ever seen.”
“It’ll be fun to play with him in those sets because he draws so much attention,” Thompson added. “I’ll be there to knock them down… This preseason might be the most important one I’ve had in so many years. I can’t wait to get going tomorrow and learn the system. I’m a hooper so I can adjust accordingly and I look forward to doing that.”
When asked to describe the Mavericks’ upcoming season strategy in one word, franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic took a moment before his response.
“Championship,” Doncic said at Monday’s media day. “That’s the goal,” he added.
The Mavericks are optimistic that Thompson could be the key addition they need after falling to the Celtics in last year’s NBA Finals. Kyrie Irving believes their new teammate can help turn their championship aspirations into reality.
“I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now,” said Irving. “He’s added a great value to our championship aspirations.”
Klay Thompson departed the Golden State Warriors after 13 remarkable seasons. The Mavericks, coming off an NBA Finals appearance last season, have bolstered their roster with this significant acquisition.
During his tenure with the Warriors, Thompson secured four NBA championships as part of the renowned trio alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Their legacy is cemented in NBA history, amassing 98 playoff victories together—the third-highest for any trio, behind only Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Michael Cooper (110), and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili (126).
Thompson’s move marks the end of an era for one of the league’s most successful cores. His shooting prowess is evident in the record books, where he ranks sixth all-time with 2,481 three-pointers made. Curry, his long-time teammate, leads this category with 3,747 three-pointers.
The Mavericks will debut their new star-studded lineup on October 24, 2024, as they face the San Antonio Spurs in their season opener.
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