With the NBA season about to start, one of the major offseason moves was Klay Thompson‘s arrival with the Dallas Mavericks. The former Golden State Warrior joins the team with strong intentions of winning a championship and potentially securing an MVP. In light of this, a former NBA player has already named his candidate for the this position.
The player in question is none other than Gilbert Arenas, who has played for teams including the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards. Through his account @GilsArenaShow, the three-time All-Star stated that Thompson’s arrival will undoubtedly enhance Luka Doncic‘s talent, making him a serious MVP candidate.
“I mean, I don’t want to put this type of pressure on him, (but) I’d be surprised if he don’t have a triple-double because if you was averagin’ that many assists with what you had, and now you have a guy who’s a catch-and-shoot, so some of your assists will come without even any effort this time, you should average a triple-double,” Arenas said.
“He will probably be the No. 1 candidate for MVP. He’s gonna do somethin’ that hasn’t been done in a few years, and that’s average a triple-double.” Arenas finally stated.
It’s worth noting that Doncic finished third in MVP voting, behind only Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game across 70 appearances in the 2023-24 regular season.
Thompson’s arrival: A major upgrade for Dallas
The Mavs came close to securing the much-desired championship last season. Although they had an extraordinary campaign, they faced a Boston Celtics team in the finals that was incredibly solid, leaving no doubt as they defeated Dallas decisively throughout the series.
In an unexpected move for many, the management successfully secured the arrival of Klay Thompson, who left the Golden State Warriors after several years with the team. Alongside Steph Curry and Draymond Green, Thompson had helped the Warriors win four championships.
Thompson has made an impressive 2,481 three-pointers in regular-season play, placing him sixth on the NBA’s all-time list. The only players ahead of him are Reggie Miller, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Ray Allen, and Stephen Curry—Thompson’s former teammate.