After losing 4-1 in the NBA Finals, the Mavericks were hunting for a two-way star who could add more firepower to their offense and improve their defense. They signed Klay Thompson for that role, but many questioned whether the former Warriors star, who had his worst campaign since his sophomore season last year was equipped for the task. Mark Cuban believes he is and claims that the critics aren’t looking at the bigger picture.
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During an appearance on the Roommates podcast, Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson asked the Mavericks executive about his team’s offseason moves. Cuban expressed his excitement about Thompson’s arrival in Dallas. He noted that his ability from beyond the arc makes him an invaluable asset. Explaining why the four-time champion fits perfectly in the Mavericks’ starting lineup, Cuban said,
“We wanted somebody that was going to be able to make a three because Luka is always going to get you an open look, Kyrie is going to get you an open look… If you look back in the [NBA] Finals, there were times when we couldn’t score. It was more than hitting open threes than anything else. Then obviously the big addition was Klay, just somebody you have to faceguard, who’s going to make 40%.”
Cuban said the Warriors’ offensive scheme was much more demanding than Dallas’. He explained that during his time with Golden State, Thompson had to create open looks through relentless off-the-ball movement. However, that won’t be the case against the Mavericks.
When teams play against Dallas, they are forced to focus their energy on containing Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. That’d allow the veteran guard to camp on the three-point line and wait for one of the superstar guards to find him with a pass. Cuban said,
“At Golden State, he had to be always on the move, they had the motion offense, where he was always coming off the screens and running. We don’t do that or not nearly as much. Sure, we’ll run some of that action for him, but just standing in the corner and standing in the wings, just catch and shoot from Luka and Kai. Hopefully, his life is going to be a lot easier.”
He suggested that the Mavericks’ playing style would be less physically taxing for Thompson. It would enable him to use his catch-and-shoot ability more than he has in the past. Cuban is spot-on about the guard’s effectiveness as a spot-up shooter.
Last season, he finished with a conversion rate of less than 40% from beyond the arc in a season for only the second time in his career. However, he shot 40.2% on spot-up opportunities, showcasing he can still bank good looks at a terrific frequency.
Pairing Doncic and Irving’s ability to dismantle defensive setups and find open shooters with Thompson’s catch-and-shoot prowess is a recipe for success in theory. Whether it works out as the Mavericks envision remains to be seen.
