{"id":93498,"date":"2024-08-30T10:19:09","date_gmt":"2024-08-30T14:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=93498"},"modified":"2024-08-30T10:19:09","modified_gmt":"2024-08-30T14:19:09","slug":"nba-champion-klay-thompson-proclaims-himself-mavs-missing-title-piece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/08\/30\/nba-champion-klay-thompson-proclaims-himself-mavs-missing-title-piece\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Champion Proclaims Himself Mavs\u2019 Missing Title Piece"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dallas Mavericks wing Klay Thompson<\/a> had been the Golden State Warriors starting shooting guard since Mar. 2012.<\/p>\n

That stretch was interrupted by untimely and rather significant injuries, Thompson even missing two entire seasons. Still, the five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion built a legacy in the Bay Area. Two-time MVP Stephen Curry<\/a> is rightly regarded as the Warriors\u2019 most essential ingredient. Nonetheless, without Thompson, it\u2019s impossible to say with any confidence that Curry and Golden State would\u2019ve had the same success.<\/p>\n

After all, in the two seasons that Thompson missed, the Warriors won 54 total games.<\/p>\n

NBA Champion Klay Thompson Proclaims Himself Mavs\u2019 Missing Title Piece<\/h2>\n

Deciding he needed a fresh start, Thompson left Golden State this offseason. The writing was on the wall<\/a> long before that. His benching, even if temporary, left a sour taste in his mouth. His moodiness, often captured on camera, was a reflection of his suddenly disquieted spirit. The light behind the happy-go-lucky guy\u2019s eyes was flickering.<\/p>\n

When the Warriors didn\u2019t want to meet his contract demands, his fate was sealed<\/a>. At that point, the question was where he would go next. The Los Angeles Lakers were an attractive option, especially with his father\u2019s history there<\/a>. However, Thompson chose the Texas plains over the California beaches.<\/p>\n

At the time, it was said that the 3-point marksman viewed the Mavs as the better option because they gave him a better chance to win. The familial environment and the way the franchise embraced the embattled Kyrie Irving<\/a> was another factor. In fact, Irving pitched Thompson himself, becoming Dallas\u2019s most important recruiter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In His Words<\/h3>\n

Ahead of Labor Day Weekend, Thompson arrived at the sixth annual Hometown Favorites Camp in California. When asked by qwik11hoops how he believes he\u2019ll fit with the Mavs on the court, it was clear that the 34-year-old has done his homework.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe playing with Luka and Kyrie, that’s what was attractive,\u201d Thompson begins, \u201cwas seeing how \u2014especially watching that championship this year \u2014I was really shocked to see the chemistry with the teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Klay Thompson answers question during the Hometown Favorites weekend. \u201cHow are you going to fit in the Dallas Mavericks lineup with Luka, Kyrie, and Dereck Lively?\u201d pic.twitter.com\/sjwFXoG14z<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 qwik11hoops (@qwik11hoops) August 29, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n