Rockets Foe Mavericks Land Klay Thompson in Sign-and-Trade with Warriors

The Houston Rockets' Southwest division rival landed future Hall-of-Famer Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade with the Warriors.

Apr 9, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) follows through on a three-point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Klay Thompson will continue to be a primary foe for the Houston Rockets. The five-time NBA All-star will continue his career as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, who landed him in a sign-and-trade from the Golden State Warriors on Monday.

Thompson's decision ends his 13-year career with the Warriors, where he began his career as the No. 11 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Thompson may not be the 3-point shooter who kept eliminating the Rockets in his prime. However, he is still a rough opponent who can create havoc on Houston as a Southwest Divisional foe.

This past season, while averaging 17.9 points, Thompson shot 38.7 percent from behind the arc during his final season with the Warriors. In three games, Thompson averaged 22.7 points on 53.1 percent shooting from behind the arc. His best performance against Houston came amid the Warriors' 23-point victory in April, where he scored 29 points while nailing 7-of-11 triples inside the Toyota Center.

While advancing to the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavericks won the Southwest Division title for the 2023-24 season. They were the only team from the division to qualify for the postseason. However, that will likely change due to the improved competition.

The Rockets will take an additional step forward in ongoing development. The Memphis Grizzlies will see Ja Morant return. The San Antonio Spurs will see an increase in Victor Wembanyama's on-court production, especially with the revival of Chris Paul.

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