Does Klay Thompson still have a place on the Mavs’ roster, or is it time to say goodbye?
The Dallas Mavericks have a variety of Offseason decisions to make. The easiest of those choices is selecting Duke’s Cooper Flagg with the #1 Pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. That inevitable choice begets a number of other roster moves that are likely to take place. Flagg slots in as the future of the Mavs and is expected to feature immediately. As such, Dallas will need to think about their glut of frontcourt talent. Couple that with the absence of Kyrie Irving and the relative lack of backcourt depth and the Mavs will have some work to do.
In this fifth installment of the Love Him or Leave Him series, we’ll take a look at Klay Thompson. Arguably the biggest free agent Dallas has ever signed, Thompson joined the Mavericks with the belief he could be the missing piece the team needed to win a championship. His first year in Big D went very differently than planned, so what does the future hold? Should the Mavs keep one of the greatest shooters of all time (Love Him) or see what they can get from another contender in exchange for the veteran with multiple championship rings (Leave Him)?
If you’re new to the series, you can check out what we wrote about Spencer Dinwiddie, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, then join us back here in the comments section.
Season Recap
Thompson logged 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2 assists per game in his first season in Dallas. The 35-year-old connected on 39.1% of his three-point attempts, but only shot slightly better from inside the arc at a 41.2% clip. Thompson got off to a somewhat slow start overall after knocking down six threes in his Dallas debut to set a Mavs record, but improved as the season went on. Somewhat surprisingly, Thompson actually performed better after Luka Doncic and his gravitational pull was shipped to Los Angeles. One of his biggest accomplishments in light of his injury history and the virtually unqualified (and since dismissed) training staff was the 72 games he played, second on the team to only Spencer Dinwiddie.
Contract Status
Thompson is under contract for two more seasons, set to earn $16 million next year and $17 million the following year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027-2028.
How He Fits
The expectation coming into this year was that Thompson would get better looks than he had ever gotten to that point in his career. He specifically wanted to play with Luka Doncic who was widely expected to feed him open looks every game, but we barely got a taste of that before Doncic was moved. Nonetheless, Thompson’s shooting prowess was unfettered and actually improved to some degree as the season went on. For a team that loves to hoist threes, having one of the best to ever do it is about the epitome of “fit.” No, he is not the defensive presence he once was, but is not a slouch on that side of the ball either. He brings championship experience and leadership to the team, qualities that would be welcome anywhere. His role as a started is questionable to some, but starting was obviously a precursor to joining Dallas, so it will likely be some time before he moves to the bench. With the general lack of guard depth on the roster, Thompson starting makes more sense than it otherwise may.
Final Verdict – Leave Him
If Thompson is content in Big D and keen on finishing his career there, Dallas moving him in a trade seems incredibly unlikely, especially after he chose them in free agency – a rarity indeed. Mavs’ public relations took enough of a hit after the Doncic trade, so they don’t need more drama by shipping off one of the few players who decided not to leave them at the altar. Having said that, Dallas should give strong consideration to moving on from Thompson in the event he shows any desire to relocate. Thompson is the oldest player on a roster that is about to get decidedly younger when Dallas drafts 18-year-old Cooper Flagg next week. He may also welcome the opportunity to be what he thought he would be in Dallas – the missing piece to a championship. If the Mavs can swap Thompson for a younger guard – a position of great need – and maybe even some second round draft capital, it could be a subtle move that gives the Mavs some youth and potential cap flexibility, while allowing Thompson to find a new happy place. Though the thought of another coffee date with the Lakers is likely the last thing Mavs’ fans want to think about, LA had interest in him and a return to California would reunite Thompson with both Luka Doncic and his father who is employed by the Lakers. The Lakers’ cap is relatively horrendous, so getting Thompson there would almost certainly require a third team, but at the end of the day, there should be a market for Thompson (LA or otherwise). If he wants to go – and that is a big “if” since there seems to be no inclination that is the case as yet – Dallas should do right by him and use it as an opportunity to gear the team more toward the future.
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