Veteran marksman Klay Thompson joins Dallas after 13 stellar seasons with Golden State.
Offseason
- Re-signing: Markieff Morris, Brandon Williams
- Additions: Spencer Dinwiddie (free agent), Quentin Grimes (trade), Naji Marshall (free agent), Klay Thompson (trade)
- Draft: Melvin Ajinca (No. 51 pick)
- Departures: Josh Green (to Hornets), Tim Hardaway Jr. (to Pistons), Derrick Jones Jr. (to Clippers)
- Unsigned Free Agents: Greg Brown III, Markieff Morris
Last season
It all came together for the first time in the Luka Doncic era as the superstar took his maiden trip to the NBA Finals, where the Mavericks came up short to Boston. Doncic had a career year where he led the league in scoring (33.9 ppg), finished third in Kia NBA MVP voting and stayed (relatively) healthy.
But the 50-win season wasn’t just about him. He and Kyrie Irving, who finally looked happy and comfortable, were the league’s highest-scoring duo. Midseason deals brought P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, fortifying the frontcourt. And Dereck Lively II progressed nicely as a rookie, carving a meaty place in the rotation by spring. The Mavs’ defense was tops in the league by then.
Summer summary
Give Nico Harrison his due. Few GMs have done so much in such a short time on the job. Last season he filled the team’s major weakness with midseason deals to bring size. This summer it was all about upgrading the shooting with the addition of four-time champion Klay Thompson.
But you can’t win them all. The other priority was keeping Jones, a tremendous perimeter defender, but he defected to the Clippers. That could be costly given his solid fit. The Mavs signed Naji Marshall as a replacement, hoping the drop-off from Jones won’t be too steep, if at all.
Spotlight on
What can the Mavericks reasonably expect from Klay Thompson in his 14th season?
The question with Thompson is obvious: How much does he have left in the tank? The Mavericks probably aren’t anticipating the version that splashed his way to multiple championships, or even a player who can average 20 points. Realistically speaking, if Thompson can consistently hit the open jumper — he’ll have a few of those looks alongside Doncic and Irving — then that’s a win, even if his defense is spotty as expected.
How far can the Mavericks go?
Making a return trip to the Finals is always tricky in a competitive league, but the Mavs have a few things in their favor. Lively figures to raise his game and maintain a solid center duo with Gafford. Of course, there is the Klay Factor as he has championship experience and a desire to prove he can still contribute at a high level.
This team has few weaknesses at either end of the court, and coach Jason Kidd knows his personnel well. Pencil the Mavs in as one of the strong favorites to claim the West, even if conquering the conference — which will be formidable once again — could be harder this season than last.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA for more than 25 years. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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