The Dallas Mavericks were one of the best stories in the NBA last season. Their moves at the trade deadline along with the blossoming synergy between Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving allowed them to make a run all the way to the NBA Finals. While they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics, Dallas is now firmly entrenched as a legit title contender. That is especially so after Dallas acquired Klay Thompson.
The Thompson deal constitutes the best move the Mavericks have made during the 2024 NBA free agency period.
Klay Thompson brings what the Mavericks need
There has been a lot of noise regarding Klay Thompson and his game after suffering those two devastating leg injuries in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Yes, he is not the lockdown defender he once was, nor is the best shot creator. But he is still deadly as a shooter. Thompson shot 38.7% from three on nine deep attempts per game, and that is still the second-worst 3-point shooting percentage he has posted in a season in his career.
Thompson remains not only a lethal shooters in the NBA but also one of the best catch-and-shoot jumpers. He was one of three players in the NBA to take over seven such shots per game along with Lauri Markkanen and Donte DiVincenzo. Thompson shot 38.1% on those types of looks and ranked 10th in the NBA among players with at least five catch-and-shoot three-point attempts per game in 2023-24.
While there are questions as to what Thompson's role defensively will be or how well he can perform on that end at this stage of his career, his shooting will be a major boom for Dallas. The Celtics routinely played off of non-shooters like Derrick Jones Jr. and Josh Green to protect the rim. That especially made life difficult for Doncic and Irving.
The Mavericks ranked 22nd in the league during the regular season in catch-and-shoot three-point percentage at 36.7%. That was the worst among any playoff team. Thompson will undoubtedly boost that mark next year.
More movement for the Mavericks?
Not only can Klay Thompson provide a much-needed boost from a shooting perspective, but he will also help unlock more movement in Dallas' offense. A common complaint regarding the Mavericks on that end of the floor is how often they stagnate into pick-and-roll or isolation with Doncic and Irving. To that point, Dallas ranked second in the league in isolation possessions per game at 11.7.
There isn't anything wrong with that when employing players as good as Doncic and Irving. Dallas was the most efficient isolation team and third-most efficient pick and roll team in the NBA last season. But it would be great for the Mavericks to diversify their offense so they aren't as reliant on those two to create everything.
Thompson can help with that. He is excellent at hitting shots on the move and will do so for the Mavericks. That could come in the form of set plays, drilling threes in transition, or simply relocating to different spots in the halfcourt.
His gravity could unlock a ton of variety with Dallas' offense. They could use him in actions with their big men Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford and free them up for easy lobs. Or, the threat of him as a shooter even when he's stationed on the wing should help create bigger driving and passing lanes for Doncic and Irving.
How well Thompson can hold up defensively remains to be seen. But, his addition pairs a lethal shooter with two of the best shot-creators in the league. The move to add Thompson in free agency was a great one for the Mavericks, who will once again be title contenders in 2025.
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