(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
After losing the 2024 NBA Finals in five games to the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks have some reasonable hope that this coming season they could go all the way.
They will have a full training camp and season with Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, both of whom they acquired in trades during last season, and they just acquired future Hall of Fame shooter Klay Thompson to give themselves some much-needed firepower.
ESPN analyst and former NBA player Jay Williams said he loves the idea of Thompson going to Dallas, especially because, in his view, Thompson has something to prove, per Joey Mistretta.
“I’m a huge Klay fan,” Williams said. “… I think with Jason Kidd at the helm, that offense is different. … The timing of this for the Mavs is perfect because now Klay has something to prove.”
I asked Jay Williams about the Mavericks’ Klay Thompson addition.
“I’m a huge Klay fan… I think with Jason Kidd at the helm, that offense is different… The timing of this for the Mavs is perfect because now Klay has something to prove.” #OneforDallas pic.twitter.com/xQQ1ixp5pk
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) July 16, 2024
Thompson has been diminished over the past few years after tearing his ACL in 2019 and then tearing his Achilles in 2020, and though his once-deadly shooting has become inconsistent, he is still a threat who must be accounted for.
In the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavs had a noticeable lack of offense outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, and the Celtics were able to capitalize on that weakness and bottle up those two stars.
Although Thompson will have his share of poor shooting games, he will spread the floor for Doncic and Irving while providing Dallas with some much-needed complementary scoring.
Last season with the Golden State Warriors, the 34-year-old averaged 17.9 points per game, shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from 3-point range.
Thompson also brings to Dallas the experience of having won four NBA titles with the Warriors, and that is something a relatively young Mavs team could use.
The post Jay Williams Reveals His Thoughts On Klay Thompson Joining Mavericks appeared first on The Cold Wire.