Klay Thompson fuels exit talk with subtle Mavericks comment

Less than two years after departing the Golden State Warriors, veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson could be on the move again this offseason after taking a subtle jab at the Dallas Mavericks following the conclusion of their season on Sunday.

Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason, but the 5x All-Star hasn't offered too many assurances of remaining in Dallas despite having another year left on his deal.

Klay Thompson fuels exit talk with subtle Mavericks comment

Thompson concluded his season with four threes and 12 points in a win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, but when asked about whether he anticipates staying at the Mavericks heading into next season, the 35-year-old was non-committal while taking a nuanced crack at the franchise.

“That’s a hard hitter. I’m not sure. I’m under contract so I do, but I’ve definitely learned in my time in Dallas that things can change on a dime," Thompson said.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that Thompson was alluding to last year's bombshell trade that sent then Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what's considered as one of the worst deals in NBA history.

Thompson was actually one of the bigger victims of the trade, having signed with the Mavericks only six months earlier under the premise of playing alongside Doncic and for a championship contender that was just coming off an NBA Finals appearance.

After trading Doncic, the Mavericks have descended into a full-blown rebuild centered around number one overall pick Cooper Flagg. While the future looks bright because of Flagg, it's clearly not a situation Thompson signed up for, something he recently expressed when he reportedly turned to the San Antonio Spurs bench during a game and quipped, "it doesn’t matter. We’re tanking."

Klay Thompson trade makes sense this summer

Thompson clearly doesn't fit the Mavericks timeline, making a trade this offseason likely best for both parties. The 4x NBA champion is hopeful of another deep playoff run with a contender, and while he's no longer the player he once was, he's still proven capable of being a solid rotation player.

Thompson wound up averaging 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists this season which were all career-lows, but after a slow start he did get his 3-point shooting up to a still very good 38.3% on nearly eight attempts per game.

Whether a contending team can talk themselves into Thompson on a $17.5 million deal remains to be seen, but it certainly wouldn't be surprising if his Mavericks tenure has now come to an end.

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