NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
There are times when something small happens that turns into a moment that changes everything. It could be for the worse, but in the case of Klay Thomson joining the Dallas Mavericks, this is for the better. The Mavericks added a piece they didn’t think they needed until it was a chance to add it.
A few weeks ago, they were just a few games away from winning an NBA Championship in June but the Boston Celtics had different plans. While Luka Doncic played his heart out and Kyrie Irving stuttered in the Finals, the Mavericks have nothing to put their heads down about.
Jason Kidd understands what he has with his core. A team that made it to the Finals maybe needed a few tweaks or have a few shots to fall and this is an entirely different article. But the shots didn’t fall and this is why Thompson is so important. Irving and Doncic are the heart and soul of the Mavs. But what Thompson brings to this unit is much more.
For starters, he has 4 championships to his resume. He understands the pressure and intense moments. Defenses can no longer double Luka and Kyrie now. No shade to any other member of the Dallas Mavericks, but Klay is in another class. While he’s no longer regarded as the prolific scorer he once was, what defensive player in their right mind is willing to leave Thompson unguarded on the perimeter, especially with the game on the line?
That was the glaring hole in the series against the Celtics. They forced Luka and Irving out of the paint and forced them to shoot contested perimeter shots. Luka and Irving can break any defense down off the dribble. They now have someone reliable they can pass to once the defense collapses.
Will Klay Thompson Make A Difference
For a team that was ranked 2nd in the NBA in three-pointers attempted and 3rd in the league in three-pointers made, they went into the offseason with no plans of changing that. Why fix what wasn’t broken, right? Well, adding Klay Thompson changes things a bit. Last season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points, and 9.0 three-point attempts per game in 29.7 minutes.
There will be no more passing to Derrick Jones Jr and praying his hail mary of a three-point attempt goes in. Now they have one of the best shooters in NBA history sitting in the corner or atop the key waiting. This is what Thompson added to the Stephen Curry mystic that often went unmentioned. Klay Thompson was a huge reason Draymond Green made any All-Star teams.
Curry is not the facilitator that Luka or Irving is. Either one of these guys can find an open man. They often looked for one another, but with a prime shooter, this offense will be different. Then you take into account the chip that Klay Thompson has on his shoulder.
Something went wrong between Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors. It started last season with Thompson coming off the bench and the writing was on the wall since. Thompson knew what the Mavs were missing. He believes he’s the piece to put them over the hump. And best of all, he gets to stay in the Western Conference where he can torment the Warriors a bit more. Imagine him winning a ring with Jason Kidd, Doncic, and Irving and pulling a Shaq and winning it without his running mate Curry.
The skeptics can laugh at the contact size for $50M but if Klay can still put up 18 points per game, then this was a steal. There are players who provide less and are making the same or more as Thompson. He’s proven that he’s a winner, can hit tough shots, and will not run from the moment. No, he is not the same scorer or defensive player he was 6 seasons ago but who in the NBA is?
The Dallas Mavericks proved in the playoffs they can count on the youth of their bigs for rim protection, rebound, and inside scoring. Doncic and Irving are a force in the backcourt and as solid as Jones Jr was on the wings, Klay Thomson is an upgrade there. and he has something to prove to the warriors and those who criticized and threw dirt on his name.
