The Golden State Warriors watched Klay Thompson leave the franchise that drafted him and made him a star in free agency. It was heartbreaking, but both sides were ready for a fresh start. Thompson joined the Mavericks in an eventual sign-and-trade as Golden State added multiple pieces to replace one of the all-time great shooters.
Thompson took a step back in his final year in Golden State. He came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season and was clearly not prime Klay. The future Hall of Famer was unhappy with the Warriors and knew it was time to move on.
Some of the same issues are popping up in Dallas, and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd is quickly learning that Thompson cannot fill this crucial role.
Jason Kidd realizing Klay Thompson can no longer be difference-maker in closing lineup
Warriors fans noticed that Thompson was mostly on the bench late in their NBA Cup showdown in November. It was shocking at the time, but Dallas has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading their charge. They are two elite offensive options with defensive questions. Klay is similar at this stage in his career, which creates issues for the Mavericks.
Kidd is opting for a more defensive-minded option at the three in his closing lineups. Dallas dominated the Wizards on Thursday night, but in Tuesday’s win over the Grizzlies, Klay was taken out with 8:45 remaining in the fourth and never returned. The Hall of Fame point guard used Spencer Dinwiddie to give them some added ball-handling too. Thompson was coming off a four-game absence, but it was clear Kidd did not want him closing things out.
Dallas has no shortage of options. Doncic, Irving, PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II are locked into the starting and closing groups. Kidd is still opening games with Klay, but he can use Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall, or Maxi Kleber to wrap things up. It is matchup dependent and may be Klay if Thompson has the hot hand.
Thompson's numbers are down in Dallas, but the veteran is still trying to fit in. He averages 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.7 steals in 28.1 minutes per game. Klay is shooting just 37.9 percent from the field and 36.0 percent on his threes. The Mavs need more offensive contributions because the defense isn’t coming from the 34-year-old.
Things have not gone as planned, but Dallas is better offensively with Klay on the floor. They have a 121.0 offensive rating with him versus 114.7 when he is on the bench. Their defense is 2.0 points per 100 possessions worse with Thompson. It is exactly that trade-off that has Jason Kidd going away from him in close games. The Mavs want the defense to lock down the game, and Klay simply cannot guard the league’s best offensive weapons at this stage.
Klay Thompson will forever be a legend. The Golden State Warriors moved on because he wanted a massive contract as a declining talent. This move could end up working out for all involved. Thompson is not part of the closing group in Dallas, but the Mavericks look elite. It could be his chance to win another ring. Just don’t expect him to transform back into prime Klay suddenly.