Golden State Warriors legend Klay Thompson is off to a brutal start this season with the Dallas Mavericks, yet the veteran sharpshooter still believes he can turn it around despite some believing he's done as a productive NBA player.
Thompson has recently been benched by the Mavericks, something that's not a big surprise given how he's played. He is averaging just 7.6 points per game so far this season and is shooting a dismal 31.6% from the field. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd really had no choice but to bench the former star given his poor showing to star the season.
Warriors legend Klay Thompson believes he can turn his dismal form around
As for Thompson, he is not letting his benching get him down and discouraged despite it being a major reason behind his departure from Golden State in free agency last year.
"I’m gonna do great things. That’s coming. I know it is. I’m feeling like those first five games were hard for me to get my wind and get my legs under me. Now I’m finally feeling like myself again. And you just know as a shooter, when that ball is just effortlessly flicking off your wrist. You know big things are coming," Thompson said.
It is nice to see that Thompson is remaining optimistic despite the rough start to the season. He has gone through cold stretches in his career before responding emphatically, not to mention bouncing back from leg injuries which proves he's no stranger to adversity.
Still, it is hard to shake the feeling that this could be the beginning of the end for Thompson. Really his decline was evident by the end of his time with the Warriors and that slide has continued after joining the Mavericks. It's tough to see him recapturing the form that Warriors fans became so familiar with during the dynasty years in Golden State.
The Warriors certainly do not feel bad about letting Thompson walk in free agency. Given how old their roster already is, having Thompson as part of that core group of players would not have been wise especially since his level of play has dropped so much.
Younger players like Brandin Podziemski and Will Richard are definitely the future and are playing much better than Thompson is, making their approach to his free agency certainly vindicated last year.
No matter what, Thompson will always be a Warriors legend and is a huge part of the four championships they have won in the last decade. It's tough to see his career slide off, but maybe his optimism will pay off and he will get back on track.