Dallas Mavericks Minority Owner Mark Cuban recently responded to criticism veteran Shooting Guard Klay Thompson faced following his departure from the Golden State Warriors. Thompson ended his 13-year tenure in the Bay Area, along with the Warriors’ “Splash Brothers” era alongside Warriors star Point Guard Stephen Curry.
Thompson’s departure from the Warriors caused many individuals to feel heartbroken, even if they didn’t know him personally. Thompson won four NBA titles and was crucial to the Warriors’ success before injuries and inconsistencies tarnished his final few years in the Bay Area.
Cuban’s recent response to criticism Thompson faced drew mixed emotions from fans and media members alike. Thompson may or may not have much left in the tank to help Mavericks star duo Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic return to the NBA Finals in 2025. Read on for further details.
Mark Cuban’s Response
Mark Cuban recently appeared on sports commentator and former NFL Tight end Shannon Sharpe’s weekly podcast “Club Shay Shay” to talk about Klay Thompson, his state of mind heading into the 2024-25 NBA season, and the criticism he faced following Thompson’s ouster by the Golden State Warriors.
Cuban told Sharpe on the podcast episode,
“Steph’s not going anywhere, right? LeBron’s moved around just for different reasons, but the number two guy, if it’s not going the way you want, then, yeah, the door is open … But it takes somebody who’s special, somebody who’s got the confidence in themselves, somebody who’s got the ambition, and somebody who really has something to prove.
“And Klay’s got a lot to prove, which is great because those are the kinds of guys you want on your squad, right? Because they’re going to work harder than ever to prove people wrong.”
Cuban reportedly believes the Mavericks are a better team for the continuation of Thompson’s NBA career. Only time will tell if he is correct.
Cuban’s Comments
Mark Cuban reportedly believed Klay Thompson was ready to leave the Golden State Warriors. Thompson went scoreless in the Warriors’ 118-94 loss to the Sacramento Kings in the 2024 NBA Play-in tournament, his final game with the team. Cuban told Sharpe in the pair’s podcast episode, “I think Klay was ready for a move, right? All the grief he got last year, particularly the way it ended. So, the timing was right … Kudos to Klay for being willing to make the move.”
Despite being a Los Angeles native with a father who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson rejected the Lakers’ offer and signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks for a reported change of scenery.
Who Cuban Credited
Mark Cuban reportedly credited Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Jason Kidd and Mavericks veteran Point Guard Kyrie Irving for recruiting then-free agent Klay Thompson to Dallas. In addition, Cuban said the Boston Celtics got the best of the Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals due to their high-level defense and three-point shooting.
Cuban said to Sharpe with a laugh, “The Celtics are good … They didn’t have a lot of weaknesses, and in order to beat them, we had to make a lot of threes, and we just didn’t. Our three-point shooting wasn’t up to par where it was during the playoffs or the regular season, we couldn’t get stops like we needed to.”
Cuban’s statement appeared to make light-hearted fun of a tough situation at the time while being straightforward and to the point. Cuban appears to care about the Mavericks as a minority owner and a fan. But the Mavericks’ path to the 2025 NBA Finals might be Klay Thompson or bust when it comes to the team’s offseason moves.
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