After storied Warriors career, Klay Thompson takes new role with Mavs

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We’re counting down 24 key storylines heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. Our senior analysts will dissect a new topic each day as we help you get ready for opening night on Oct. 22.

Here is storyline No. 22:

Can Klay Thompson discover a new role (and rediscover his old touch) in Dallas?

The Dallas Mavericks don’t need Klay Thompson to be the player he was before he lost two seasons to knee and Achilles injuries. He can keep it pretty simple, because the Mavs have plenty of on-ball creation with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving handling the ball.

If Thompson is just a great 3-point shooter, he will be a terrific offensive complement to the two stars. Doncic’s 3.8 assists on 3-pointers per game over the last three seasons are the most among all 843 players who’ve played in an NBA game over that stretch.

Last season, Thompson shot below 40% from 3-point range for just the second time in his 11-year career. But his 207 catch-and-shoot 3s were 65 more than anybody made for the Mavs. He’s got a quick release and will make defenses pay for sending help to Doncic and Irving.

If Thompson doesn’t have to do too much, the Mavs should rank in the top eight offensively for the fifth time in six seasons. It’s on the other end of the floor where Dallas could take a step backward.

The Mavs have some strong defenders on the frontline, but a perimeter trio of Doncic, Irving and Thompson will likely present that frontline with issues to clean up. The Warriors were not good defensively with Thompson on the floor last season, and really bad (119.7 points allowed per 100 possessions) in his 1,400 minutes without Draymond Green.

And in adding Thompson in the offseason, the Mavs lost Derrick Jones Jr., a critical perimeter defender and one of five players who’ve averaged at least one steal and one block per 36 minutes in each of the last four seasons. With Josh Green and Tim Hardaway Jr. also gone, this team has lost some depth on the wing and might be too dependent on the 34-year-old Thompson staying healthy and shooting consistently well.

Thompson’s move to Dallas is the end of an era for the Golden State Warriors. It’s also a new opportunity for Thompson himself, as well as a bit of a risk for the team that gave him a three-year, fully guaranteed contract.