Inside Klay Thompson's Mavericks Debut and Motivation to 'Prove People Wrong'

After months of anticipation, Klay Thompson made his long-awaited debut with the Dallas Mavericks in a 107-102 preseason loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Thompson finished with 10 points and 3 assists, shooting 3-of-9 (33.3%) from the field, 3-of-5 (60.0%) from deep, and 1-of-2 (50.0%) on free throws.

As excited as the American Airlines Center crowd was to see Thompson play for the Mavericks, he was just as nervous. The plan was for him and Kyrie Irving to play only in the first half for roughly 15-18 minutes. While it was just a preseason game, Thompson admitted he was nervous for the four previous days—likening the feeling to when he was set to play the first NBA Finals game of his career in 2015. This wasn’t surprising, as Thompson compared his first training camp outside of Golden State to “transferring schools.”

“I was nervous for like four days,” Thompson admitted after the game. “I haven’t been that nervous, I don’t think, since Game 1 of the 2015 Finals. It felt so good just to get out there and play and work those jitters out. It was a new experience, and it’s a natural feeling when you’ve been somewhere so long to be somewhere new in a new environment. To finally put the uniform on, it felt amazing.”

Wearing No. 31, a tribute to Hall of Fame shooter Reggie Miller, Thompson got off to a slow start, missing his first few shots. But by the second quarter, he found his rhythm. His first points came late in the first quarter after a double wide pin-down didn’t result in a clean look, so he passed to Naji Marshall for a Get action. Marshall’s drive led to a trip to the free throw line, created by a shot fake that fooled the defender.

Coming out of the quarter break, Thompson drained his first three-pointer after the Mavericks ran a wide pin-down for him to curl into a shot. After a brief stint on the bench, he returned to hit multiple quick-trigger three-pointers within a two-minute span. The first was a simple DHO (dribble handoff) with Marshall during a possession that needed an advantage. The last was a Zoom action, designed to get Thompson a clean look with Kyrie Irving setting the pin-down screen, knowing the defense avoids switching when he’s involved. Instead, he punished the defender for trying to under both Irving’s screen and Daniel Gafford’s DHO.

Despite missing his first three shots, Thompson remained confident his shot would fall. He settled into the game after returning from his first stint on the bench in the second quarter. He did acknowledge to experiencing some minor back tightness, but he got the job done despite it and is unconcerned by it.

“I would say probably in the second quarter when I went back in, I could sit down and breathe,” Thompson explained. “I realized it was just basketball, and I was moving great out there. Even though my back tightened up a little, I felt great shooting. Once I saw my shot go in, you just get back to what you know best, and that’s playing the game you love.”

Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving Build Chemistry

While Luka Dončić remains sidelined due to a left calf contusion, Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving played their first game together since winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro. As former rivals during Finals showdowns involving their former teams—the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers—these two have been eager to share the floor together.

The two clearly have a strong respect for each other. Various members of the Mavericks organization have told Dallas Hoops Journal throughout the training camp and preseason process just how impressed they’ve been by the way Irving and Thompson operate so cleanly in the Mavericks’ offense at practice. They were able to put it into practice against the Jazz.

“The chemistry with those two at practices has been at a high level,” Kidd said of Thompson and Irving. “They understand what it takes to win and what we’re trying to accomplish. Klay brings a dynamic to the floor with the spacing and his shooting ability. And Kai is dynamic with or without the ball. It’s just being able to see those two get their rhythm.”

The Mavericks got a closer look at how valuable Thompson’s presence can be in a half-court offense. Defenses tend to break down when the ball moves and Thompson gets even a little space to shoot, creating opportunities for his teammates thanks to his unselfish approach.

“Klay’s a weapon no matter how closely guarded he is,” Kidd said. “He had some great looks that we all think he’s capable of making, but he never rushes. He never forces anything. He probably turned down some shots that we’d encourage him to take, but we trust that he’s making the right decision.”

Thompson set a double drag screen, then returned to screen for Irving again. Seeing the big defender playing up, Thompson slipped the screen as Irving drew aggressive ball pressure—leading to a clean catch in space and forcing a closeout from the weak-side defender Using a shot fake, Thompson got by the first defender and it was up to the rim protector to handle the drive—setting up a quick live dribble left-hand pass to Lively in the dunker spot for a catch and dunk.

A second and final assist to Lively came in the second quarter when Thompson dumped it to him at the top of the key and they played out of Split action. Thompson shot faked on the catch, allowing Lively to roll to the paint, leading to a pocket pass on the bounce for a quick push shot in the paint.

Thompson has often praised the value of having centers like Lively and Daniel Gafford, even describing them as key factors in his decision to play for the Mavericks. In Golden State, he frequently played small ball, with Draymond Green sliding over to the center spot or with an undersized center.

“It’s great. It’s going to help my game a lot. I’m going to try and give them great looks,” Thompson emphasized. “Dereck’s energy is going to be a great asset for our team—he brings it every day in practice, and so does Gaff. That’s a big reason why I came here, to play with those guys. We’re going to do great things in the pick-and-roll action. I’m just excited to play with two big men who can dunk on anybody. It’s awesome.”

Focus on the Dallas Mavericks’ Long-Term

While Thompson is confident he will be ready for the Mavericks’ next preseason game against the LA Clippers on Monday. “I just think it’s a random occurrence,” Thompson said of the discomfort. “It sucks because I love to be healthy and able, but I’ll be fine. This will pass, and I’ll be ready to go Monday.”

While Dončić will remain sidelined for this upcoming game, it’ll be another chance for Thompson to gain familiarity with his other Mavericks teammates, particularly Irving. The plan is for them to play longer after halftime but not necessarily a full regular workload. As he works through the acclimation process, Thompson continues to embrace his new chapter after spending well over a decade with the Warriors—a run that ended with four championships.

“It was great being out there with Kai and the rest of the guys,” Thompson said. “Surreal? Absolutely. This preseason is so important for me because I want to build great chemistry with this team. I’m excited to experience a new chapter. It’s going to be special. I just know it.”

As the Mavericks continue their preseason journey, Kidd reminded everyone that building team chemistry will be a gradual process. With Dončić expected to return soon, the coaching staff is focused on laying the groundwork for long-term success.

“It doesn’t happen overnight,” Kidd said. “When we got Kai here in the trade, we wanted that to be instant success, and it took some time. It’s going to take the journey of 82 games to get used to one another. We’re going to look good some nights, and we’ll struggle other nights. But it’s a journey. The goal is to be playing our best basketball by March and April.”

As explained in our in-depth film analysis of Thompson’s fit with the Mavericks’ offense, there are many layers of basic NBA actions leveraging a motion shooter the team already used for Tim Hardaway Jr. that Thompson can seamlessly fit into. Those don’t get ran for players without motion shooting talent. That’s what creates this perception of a stagnant offense at times. Dallas ran many of those actions and using that subtle Split action principle with Lively in the post was a sign of both sides adapting to each other’s abilities. The team appreciates Thompson’s willingness to adapt to the Mavericks’ style of play, something he’s often communicated.

“For him to express that shows his willingness to adapt. Klay’s been in the league for 14 years, and it would be easy for someone with his experience to stick with what’s worked for him,” Kidd said. “But he’s willing to make adjustments, both defensively and offensively, because we’re built differently as a team. That speaks volumes about his mindset.”

There is a lot of anticipation for how effective Thompson’s skill-set will prove to be when Dončić is able to play. During training camp, Thompson made it clear he’s here to adapt to Dončić—calling him “One of the best players in the world with the ball in his hands.” He added, “It’s a pleasure to be on the recipient end of that. He’s going to generate a ton of great looks for me.”

The Mavericks are looking forward to leveraging Dončić as they always have considering he’s a force in pick-and-roll and isolation. Considering the Slovenian superstar has such a dynamic, well-rounded skill-set and was the most blitzed player in the NBA last season, it’s easy to understand. However, Kidd has often communicated how they intend to reduce his workload by not having him bring the ball up as much—enabling them to move him around the half-court more. With Thompson in the mix, there will be wrinkles they can add that will be hard to guard.

“The ball’s going to stick with Luka. He’s one of the best players in the world. We trust that whatever he’s going to do with the ball will be successful,” Kidd explained. “We’ll move players around Luka. For us, having Klay and Kai out there is new. So, we’ll ask Luka to move, put him in the post, and make the game easier for him. He won’t have to expend all his energy fighting to bring the ball up and run pick-and-roll all the time. But Luka’s one of the best in the world, and he can carry that load. So, there will be times when the ball moves, and there will be times when it sticks with Kai and Luka. We trust our quarterbacks to make the right decision.”

The Mavericks’ first potential chance to see Dončić and Thompson share the floor will be in their preseason finale against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 17 with the goal of using it as a “dress rehearsal,” as Kidd described. Kidd already mentioned that Dončić will be out for Monday’s game against the Clippers.

Klay Thompson Has Something to Prove

The Mavericks are grateful to have a player with the skill set and reputation that Thompson brings to the table, particularly while he has such a strong motivation to prove himself all over again despite all of his career achievements. This is now a building that boasts Kyrie Irving, Luka Dončić, and Klay Thompson as players to learn from and practice against to sharpen skills on a daily basis.

“What I’ve learned is that Klay is a champion with something to prove, and that’s a beautiful thing,” Kidd explained. “He’s been in the league for 14 years, yet he’s still hungry. That’s a rare quality, and we’re fortunate to have him. He’s ready to show what he can do, and we just need to get him comfortable and settled. Once we do that, I think we’re going to see the Klay of old.”

One area where Thompson is looking to silence his critics is his on-ball defense. He was once regarded as one of the best in the NBA before suffering multiple significant lower-body injuries. He believes he is still able to defend at a high level and did show some of that against Utah—getting stops against a wide-range of playing, including Lauri Markkanen and shifter backcourt talents.

“It’s great when you have offensive players like Luka and Kai because you can focus on guarding guys. I still want to get rid of the notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson stated. “I truly believe I am, and I’m excited to prove people wrong. I thought tonight was a good step in the right direction—challenging ball handlers, switching onto whoever. I take great pride in defense, and I’m excited to do whatever it takes to help this team.”

The leadership Thompson has displayed during his time with the Mavericks has earned praise from many within the organization. Even when he’s simply leading by example, having a four-time NBA champion setting the bar high for work habits shows the young players on the team just how valuable it is to have a demanding daily routine. However, learning from how he plays without the ball and weaponizes proper timing are already serving as lessons to be learned for his younger teammates.

During training camp in Las Vegas, Quentin Grimes highlighted the value of learning from Thompson. The observation came after Dallas Hoops Journal noticed the two spending significant time at a drill station focused on wide pin-downs. It’s just one of many aspects of the game where players like Grimes, a newcomer who arrived via trade in the offseason, can learn from one of the all-time greats. Grimes has already leveraged his motion shooting in his NBA career, and now he can learn from a master as he takes on an important bench role for the Mavericks this season.

“I’ve been talking his ear off the whole time,” Grimes said. “I’m with him every day, shooting after practice. He’s been a really good mentor, giving me tips on how to get easier shots off pin-downs. It’s called the ‘Klay action’ for a reason. Learning from him is only going to elevate my game.”

Many of the young players on the team that Dallas Hoops Journal has spoken to have mentioned being eager to get into drill groups and to ask him questions. Kidd highlighted this value, even mentioning how Grimes is someone the team has been intentional about pairing with Thompson on the practice court.

“Klay’s been a great resource for our younger guys. Grimes, in particular, has been working closely with him,” Kidd said. “We’ve tried to pair them up because Grimes isn’t afraid to ask questions, and Klay is willing to help. That’s the beauty of having a veteran like Klay—he’s been through it all, and he understands what it takes to be successful. Whether it’s Grimes, O-Max, or any of the younger players, Klay is up for answering their questions and sharing his knowledge.”

Olivier-Maxence Prosper praised Thompson’s leadership and the impact of having a seasoned player like him on the team. “Klay’s such a smart player,” Prosper said. “He’s always in the right spot, and just watching how he moves and carries himself is something I can learn from. His experience and presence are a big boost for us.”

Eager to build on his Mavericks debut, Thompson is looking forward to what’s next. “I’m just excited to be part of something new,’ he said. ‘This chapter feels special, and I’m ready for what’s ahead.”

The Mavericks will use their remaining preseason games to prepare for their regular season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 24. With Thompson in the mix, Dallas aims to contend in a tough Western Conference.