After 13 years and four championships with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson made the decision to join the Dallas Mavericks in search of a new chapter. However, his start with the Mavericks has been less than ideal, with disappointing performances in the NBA preseason.
Thompson made his debut for Dallas in a loss to the Utah Jazz, scoring 10 points. The real shock came in the next game against the Los Angeles Clippers, where the veteran shooting guard failed to score, missing all of his attempts.
In light of these struggles, former Boston Celtics champion Brian Scalabrine defended Thompson, acknowledging that while he’s not the player he once was, there’s room for improvement alongside stars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.
“You want him to be consistent… I’m somewhat concerned,” Scalabrine said. “But I’ll tell you what… historically, some of those shooters that work out in the offseason then get back to regular season, it takes them a little time to find their rhythm.”
Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up prior to a pre-season game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
“I just don’t think you can judge Klay until he’s playing with Luka and Kyrie,” Scalabrine added. “That’s when he’s going to be at his best. He’s always been a great catch-and-shoot player. He’s always benefited from others. I don’t think he’ll go back to what he was, but it will definitely help.”
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Mavs’ plans for Klay Thompson differ from the Warriors
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban revealed that Thompson’s role in Dallas will be different from what it was with Golden State. Rather than constantly running through screens in the Warriors’ motion-heavy offense, the Mavericks plan to reduce his workload and focus on maximizing his shooting.
“He’s someone you have to guard closely because he’s going to knock down 40% of his shots. At Golden State, he was always running around and coming off screens. That’s not really our style,” Cuban explained via Roommates Show.
“We’ll run some plays like that for him, but mostly, he’ll be stationed in the corners or on the wings, catching and shooting from Luka and Kyrie. Hopefully, it makes his life a lot easier,” Cuban concluded.
