DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks were defeated by the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals. Since the defeat, Dallas has made a number of roster changes. Klay Thompson highlights the team's offseason acquisitions, and he was introduced along with Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes on Tuesday. During the introductory press conference, Thompson admitted that he watched the NBA Finals and felt as if he could “really help” the Mavs.

“I was watching, just as a basketball fan,” Thompson said. “I did see, like, I could really help this team. They're right there, maybe a few pieces away. Not big adjustments but just very little adjustments from getting over the top. I mean, Dirk (Nowitzki) went through it in his first Finals, Luka (Doncic) did too. We're knocking on the door and that's what really got me excited to be here.”

Thompson is excited for a fresh start. He also added during the press conference that he endured ups and downs during the 2023-24 season with the Golden State Warriors. Thompson is still one of the better shooters in the NBA, and the additions of Grimes and Marshall will help to add balance to the roster.

Dallas fell just short of an NBA Finals victory during the 2023-24 campaign, but the future remains bright. In fact, both Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes said they believe the addition of Thompson can lead to a Mavericks championship.

Klay Thompson joins Dallas Mavericks

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The Mavericks are in a good place overall. Still, Thompson had spent his entire career with the Warriors before this latest move. So what led Thompson to the Mavs?

“Whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world or whatever industry, sometimes change just can spur greatness,” Thompson said. “A new change-of-scenery can do wonders. I'm very grateful for my time at Golden State. I just felt like moving on could just re-energize me, do something special for the rest of my career. And Dallas was so attractive because of the young players they have, the style of play, the world-class treatment these players get from this organization. Just a beautiful city who loves their hoops.

“So when I was watching the playoffs, and I'm watching the Mavs make a run for the championship, I just saw myself fitting in really well with this team and the personnel. They looked like they had fun playing with each other and they played for each other. That was very attractive for me. That's really all I needed to see. There was mutual interest there and that's why I'm here.”

Change is never easy. Thompson believes this fresh start can revitalize his career. Again, he still played fairly well despite a down year by his standards in 2023-24.

However, Thompson is primarily focused on winning a championship. He made it clear that he isn't focused on breaking shooting records at this point in his career. Instead, he wants to help the Mavericks take the next step and bring home a championship.