Jason Kidd Credits Kyrie Irving For Dallas Mavericks Landing Klay Thompson

Irving's ability to sell Dallas helped land the future Hall of Famer

Apr 5, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) looks to score as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Mavericks were able to pry Klay Thompson away from the Golden State Warriors, the only franchise he's ever played for, signing him to a 3-year, $50 million contract this offseason. According to Mavs' head coach Jason Kidd, they wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of Kyrie Irving.

Kidd recently appeared on NBC Sports' "Dubs Talk" and spoke on Irving's importance to recruiting Klay Thompson. "When you talk about the recruitment, it was a lot of people that were involved in that. But one of the biggest players in that was Kai. Kai being able to, player to player, (detail) his experience of what Dallas has been like for him in two years and being able to tell Klay the honest truth of what he thinks can happen with Klay coming to Dallas.”

READ MORE: 5 Times Kyrie Irving Had Dallas Mavericks Fans In Disbelief Last Season

Kyrie Irving was in a similar mindset to Klay Thompson when he was traded to Dallas, as he was labeled as an outcast and a toxic personality after bad tenures with the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. Thompson's PR hasn't taken that much of a hit, but he'd also been restless with the Warriors after feeling disrespected in contract negotiations. He saw the Warriors' front office prioritize extensions for Draymond Green and Jordan Poole while he was left to the side, at least in his mind.

Irving felt reinvigorated in a wildly successful season with Dallas this year, averaging 25.6 PPG while helping the Mavs to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. He saw the entire organization go out of its way to make him feel comfortable, including hiring a private chef to have meals ready for him during Ramadan.

After a disappointing season with the Warriors, Thompson hopes a change of scenery is what the doctor ordered to find happiness in basketball again. He had an incredible run with Golden State, winning four championships and making five All-Star games while sitting sixth all-time in made three-pointers. While he's no longer playing alongside his Splash Brother, Stephen Curry, running with Irving and Luka Doncic will be a dangerous offense to contend with.

READ MORE: Breaking Down Melvin Ajinca, the Dallas Mavericks' 2024 Second-Round Pick

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