Klay Thompson Gets Brutally Honest About Leaving Warriors For Mavericks
Klay Thompson Gets Brutally Honest About Leaving Warriors For Mavericks
Klay Thompson’s first season with the Dallas Mavericks was, well, a pretty wild ride. Both he and the team were in the thick of big changes.
The Mavericks organization shuffled its roster, most notably with the midseason trade that sent Luka Doncic—once the heart of Dallas’s offense—packing. That move alone shook up the Western Conference and left Dallas looking nothing like the squad that had made the NBA Finals just a year prior.
Key Transactions and Roster Changes
| Player | Status | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|
| Klay Thompson | Joined Mavericks (2024) | Sign-and-trade acquisition; former Warriors veteran |
| Luka Doncic | Traded midseason | Franchise cornerstone moving to another team |
| Kyrie Irving | Injured (torn ACL) | Major setback, affected team’s playoff ambitions |
| Josh Green | Sent to Hornets | Part of the sign-and-trade deal |
The Mavericks’ adjustment period after Thompson’s arrival wasn’t helped by injuries. Kyrie Irving’s torn ACL left Dallas’s backcourt depleted, and suddenly Thompson had to shoulder a lot more than he probably expected.
He’s no stranger to adversity, though. Thompson battled back from his own torn ACL when he was with Golden State, so he knows what it takes.
Playoff Picture and Performance
The Mavericks just couldn’t keep their playoff hopes alive after all those changes. They ended up falling in the play-in tournament to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Thompson put up 18 points and hustled on both ends, but the team was outmatched—Anthony Davis, in particular, was just too much. Missing out on the main playoff bracket was a tough pill to swallow, especially after last year’s Finals run.
Franchise Direction and Player Mindset
With Doncic gone and Irving sidelined, Dallas’s front office—Nico Harrison at the helm—had to rethink everything. Thompson, for his part, kept things pretty level-headed in interviews.
“Don’t do this to me. Don’t do that to me. Don’t do that,” Thompson said. “That’s kind of a ridiculous question because I don’t own a time machine and I don’t believe in going back or looking back. If I did that my whole career, I would not be where I’m at and I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries. I’m here in Dallas and I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to the future.”
He didn’t dwell on regrets about joining the Mavericks, saying that getting stuck on “what ifs” would only mess with his focus. That’s classic Klay, honestly.
Thompson’s Transition and Legacy
After 13 years and a bunch of rings with the Warriors, Thompson was suddenly in a very different place. Going from Steve Kerr’s championship machine to a Mavericks team in flux was a big adjustment.
Things didn’t go as planned on the court, but Thompson’s experience and attitude gave Dallas something to build on as they looked ahead. Maybe next season, things click a little better.
A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
