Inside The Warriors

Mark Cuban Makes Eye-Opening Klay Thompson, Luka Doncic Statement

Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban spoke on how the Golden State Warriors used Klay Thompson

Joey Linn

Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban celebrates after winning the Western Confrerence Championship against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center.
Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban celebrates after winning the Western Confrerence Championship against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
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The Dallas Mavericks are hoping to get the most out of four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson after signing him to a three-year, $50M deal this offseason.

Thompson is coming off an up and down year with the Golden State Warriors, averaging 17.9 points in 29.7 minutes per game which were the second-fewest he played since his rookie season. Outside of his rookie year, only the 29.4 minutes per game Thompson played in his first season back from a two-year injury absence (2021-22) were fewer than his 29.7 minutes per game last season.

This decrease in playing time was difficult for Thompson, but he should have the opportunity to be more featured next season in Dallas.

During a recent appearance on The Roommates Podcast, Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban spoke on how life could be easier for Thompson in Dallas due to their different style of play than what Golden State predominately runs.

“And then obviously a the big addition was Klay,” Cuban said. “Just somebody who you have to face-guard, who is going to make 40 percent (of his three-point shots)… At Golden State, he had to always be on the move. They had that motion offense where he was always coming off screens and running. We don’t do that, or not nearly as much. I'm sure we will run some of that action for him. But just standing in the corner, standing in the wings, and just catch and shoot from Luka [Doncic] and [Kyrie Irving]. Hopefully his life is going to be a lot easier.”

Cuban said the Mavericks wanted to add three-point shooting because of how many looks Doncic generates. The billionaire owner then described how Thompson fits into that vision, and how it may be even easier than what he did in Golden State.

This was an eye-opening statement from Cuban, because while Thompson can thrive in a movement offense, he is also an elite standstill catch and shoot player. 

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Joey Linn

JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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