ClutchPoints has named Klay Thompson as the “biggest disappointment” for the Dallas Mavericks so far in the 2024-25 NBA season. Thompson, 34, played for the Golden State Warriors for the first 13 years of his NBA career. Thompson’s signing of a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks this offseason was heartbreaking for Warriors fans and intriguing for Mavericks fans.
However, Thompson’s stint with the Mavericks has been streaky, to put it mildly. The Mavericks are off to a 16-8 start and in second place in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are also coming off an NBA Finals appearance, but Thompson has been the “biggest disappointment” in Dallas, Texas, as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving continue to steal the spotlight. Here’s why.
Klay Thompson’s Career-Low Percentages
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly looked for the missing puzzle piece in a potential return to the NBA Finals. The Mavericks signed Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50 million contract this offseason. The team’s decision to sign Thompson was his veteran sharpshooter status, as Thompson’s longtime shooting could compliment Doncic and Irving’s high-quality offense.
ClutchPoints’ latest opinion states that Thompson’s current averages have made him the “biggest disappointment” in Dallas. ClutchPoints wrote, “[Klay] Thompson is averaging 13 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. He is shooting an inefficient 38.9 percent from the floor and 36.6 percent from downtown. These percentages would both be a career-low for Thompson, and his inconsistency has stifled the Mavs offense at times.”
Thompson is a star 3-and-D wing, but Thompson’s acclimation to the Mavericks hasn’t been 100% successful. Thompson is a veteran shooting guard who has grown accustomed to playing with familiar faces in consistent roles in the Bay Area, which hasn’t happened in Dallas this season. Thompson is one of the many veterans struggling to adapt to new roles and surroundings, but time can help him as long as he stays healthy.
Thompson So Far This Season
Klay Thompson has averaged 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 38.9% from the field and 36.6% from the three-point line. Thompson’s current averages have slightly decreased from his career averages of 19.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the field and 41.2% from three.
It’s important to note that Thompson is up in age and no longer a “Splash Brother” alongside Stephen Curry, who remains with the Golden State Warriors on a one-year, $62.6 million contract extension until the end of the 2026-27 NBA season. Curry’s future with the Warriors can be described as uncertain. In the meantime, Thompson’s nagging injuries continue to affect him, so the Mavericks should have a risk-free plan ahead of his upcoming injury return.
A Possible Solution For Thompson
Klay Thompson’s current averages are also career lows for the 34-year-old. However, Thompson’s career lows are nothing new in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area. Thompson has posted zero points in five games for the Dallas Mavericks this season, but there’s no need to press the panic button yet. The 34-year-old has ample time to things around for the team over the rest of the season.
Klay Thompson can improve his overall stats by making more wide-open, catch-and-shoot shots, as Luka Doncic’s passing and vision can help the 34-year-old get into a better rhythm and make more of those shots. Thompson’s status as an elite defender is pretty much a lost cause, but Thompson can still defend at a fairly high level, as long as he takes on tough defensive assignments. Thompson might return for the team’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. Central.
