The Dallas Mavericks got here up quick within the 2024 NBA Finals, dropping 4 video games to at least one towards the dominant Boston Celtics. It ended a shock run by way of the Western Convention playoffs that solidified Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving as maybe the perfect backcourt within the recreation, but it surely felt like they had been one piece away from being one of many championship favorites.
Mavericks President Says Thompson Is The Lacking Piece
Klay Thompson: Dallas Maverick.@KlayThompson // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/4dVywm0hRf
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) July 9, 2024
In response to the staff’s president of basketball operations Nico Harrison, that piece is Klay Thompson.
Thompson was one of many extra intriguing free brokers to look at this summer time. His relationship with the Golden State Warriors had soured, and his departure marked the tip of a dynastic run with teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Inexperienced. He was scooped up by the Mavericks early in free company, signing a 3-year deal with the intention to be part of Dončić and Irving of their pursuit of defending their Western Convention title.
Dallas Was “A Klay Thompson Away”
Nico Harrison says “we had been a Klay Thomson away” pic.twitter.com/PRY65Tejul
— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) July 14, 2024
There was loads of query about how a lot Thompson has left within the tank, particularly given his efficiency from final season that concluded with an 0-for-10 displaying in an elimination recreation. However Harrison and the Mavericks clearly have some religion that one of many best shooters of all time will age with grace, as he alluded to when he spoke in an interview in the course of the Summer time League in Las Vegas:
It was a no brainer for us, particularly after the Finals. We knew that we had been a Klay Thompson away.
Dallas was in determined want of a 3rd scoring choice this previous season. Dončić averaged practically 34 factors and Irving had over 25, however the next-highest output was Tim Hardaway Jr.’s 14.4 factors pre recreation, who was primarily out of the rotation in the course of the latter a part of the postseason. They’re hoping that Thompson might help decide up a few of the slack, which will definitely be a query mark heading into the 2024-25 marketing campaign.
Thompson averaged simply shy of 18 factors final season, although he had the worst three-point capturing proportion of any full season of his profession in 2023-24, as he shot at a 38.7% clip from past the arc. He was relegated to bench responsibility for a strong portion of the yr, as nicely.
