Mavericks Practice Observations: Klay Thompson Leads Shooting Drills, Key Takeaways, and Injury Updates

Klay Thompson leads shooting drills in Mavericks practice while mentoring young players. Key takeaways include lineup evaluations, injury updates, and more.

Photo via Rashad Miller

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks continued preparations for the regular season with another practice on Saturday ahead of their preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Following a 107-102 loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday, the team focused on addressing key areas while navigating injuries that have affected their training camp.

Head coach Jason Kidd provided updates on several players, including Luka Dončić (left calf contusion) and P.J. Washington (left hip tightness). Both participated in Saturday’s practice, with Dončić limited to non-contact drills.

“P.J. went through practice — he was good. Luka participated in the non-contact portion, so he was good too,” Kidd said. However, Kidd ruled Dončić out for Monday’s game against the Clippers. “I wouldn't say Monday for sure, but we'll see how things are progressing when we get back from L.A. We'll probably have a better idea then.”

Dončić’s availability for Thursday’s preseason finale against the Milwaukee Bucks remains uncertain, with Kidd waiting for more clarity after the team’s return from Los Angeles. The team intends to use that final preseason game as a “dress rehearsal.”

The Mavericks will face former player Derrick Jones Jr., who signed with the Clippers in the offseason, for the first time since his departure from Dallas.

“We’re happy for him — Derrick, you know, signing a new deal. We would have loved to have him here, but he had no choice, and he did a lot for us,” Kidd said. “Now he's with the Clippers, but right now we’re focused more on ourselves, just trying to get things right on both ends. We’ll dig into the details when the season starts.”

Injuries Disrupting Preseason

The Mavericks have been dealing with several injuries that have limited their ability to test full rotations and build team chemistry. In addition to Dončić and Washington, Maxi Kleber (left ankle sprain), Danté Exum (right wrist), Brandon Williams (right calf strain), and Kessler Edwards (left ankle sprain) are all still sidelined.

Kidd provided an update on Kleber’s recovery: “Status quo for now. We’re hoping to get him back on the court by the 18th. He’s been doing some good work on the court, so hopefully, he’ll be practicing by then.”

Observations from Saturday’s Practice

If you missed it, there are detailed notes about Friday’s practice on a separate edition of Dallas Hoops Journal. It’s ideal to read that one directly to see video clips, but for a quick summary for the sake of proper context — during Friday’s light practice, the Mavericks focused on reviewing film and cleaning up offensive and defensive principles after their game the previous day.

Due to the significant number of injuries, the team minimized contact drills on Friday. Dončić worked on individual drills, showing off his usual creativity, including a series of trick shots and a highlight-reel play where he kicked the ball into the basket from the corner. P.J. Washington and Brandon Williams continued their return to competition process by participating in 3-on-3 work with development coaches. The guards spent a lot of time in shooting drills, while the bigs worked in the paint.

Now, onto Saturday’s practice…