The Dallas Mavericks had one of the best offseasons of any team in the NBA.
Hot off their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011, the Mavericks were busy improving their team and added a veteran guard to their team, former five-time All-Star Klay Thompson, a future Hall of Famer. After 13 years with the Golden State Warriors, Thompson is set to embark on a new chapter in his career in Dallas.
Thompson had plenty of options to choose from this past summer, but it was Dallas where he decided to land. The Mavericks made the aforementioned NBA Finals appearance after being the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a solid 50-32 record.
Dallas was led by superstars Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Thompson will now serve as the third fiddle, which is fitting at this stage of his career.
Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the ball against Kyrie Irving #11 of the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at American Airlines Center on April 05, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The newest Dallas Mavericks guard, Klay Thompson speaks on what it’s like to be teammates with All-NBA guard Kyrie Irving.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Thompson will play a massive role for the Mavericks, and although he is coming into a new city and organization, some familiar faces are by his side, including Irving.
Irving and Thompson were rivals for a long time with their three consecutive battles in the NBA Finals between the Cavaliers and Warriors, but they were also teammates during the 2016 Olympics for Team USA. Now, they are officially on the same side for the first time in the NBA.
Thompson was asked about Irving and what it’s like to be his teammate. He said that he feels like they will pick up right where they left off the last time they were teammates.
“The times we’ve played together, we had great success with the USA team,” Thompson said. “So I’m looking forward to building that chemistry with him again. And when we get more time together, it’s only going to get better.”
Klay Thompson on playing with Kyrie Irving as Mavericks teammates: “The times we’ve played together, we had great success with the USA team. So I’m looking forward to building that chemistry with him again. And when we get more time together, it’s only going to get better.
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) October 11, 2024
Thompson, who long wore No. 11, will now wear No. 31 in Dallas. Irving has donned a No. 11 jersey since he joined the team at the 2023 trade deadline.
It will be odd to see Thomspon on the court wearing anything other than a Warriors jersey. However, he is comfortable with his decision and is ready to compete for an NBA title.
Read more: Mavericks’ Klay Thompson Unpacks Playing First Game Not as a Member of the Warriors
According to FOX Sports, the Mavericks are outside the top five in NBA title odds. Dallas has the seventh-best odds to win the title at +1100 odds.
Two other Western Conference teams have better odds than Dallas to win the title. Nonetheless, Dallas likes their chances, especially being led by one of the best players in the league in Dončić.
The Mavericks will open up their season next Thursday, Oct. 24, against the San Antonio Spurs.
For more Mavericks news, make sure to head over to Newsweek Sports.
