Mavericks star Klay Thompson went scoreless in Monday night's pre-season game against the Clippers. But in a chat with SiriusXM NBA Radio, franchise GM Nico Harrison defended Thompson and doubled down on his commitment to the 4x champion.
“Honestly, after the Finals, we felt that we were close," said Harrison . "Well, we knew we were close, and, I kind of say this—it has a good ring to it—but we were a Klay away. And we feel like he’s the guy that can take us over the top.”
Nico Harrison was celebrating with joy after signing Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50 million contract this summer. The idea was that his shooting coupled with the scoring of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving would overwhelm their opponents and put the Mavericks back in position to make another Finals run. So far, however, the early signs have not been good.
The statement comes after Thompson was held to 0 points on 0-9 shooting, contributing to an ugly loss for the defending Western Conference champions. It was Klay's second time without a single field goal in the past three games. Since the pre-season began earlier this month, Klay has only made 3 out of his last 28 attempts and the Mavericks have lost all three games to remain winless so far.
It's still too early to make any conclusions on this season for the Dallas Mavericks but it's not a great sign that Klay is struggling so hard with his shot given how much they need him to provide that extra spark offensively.
At one point, Thompson was the second-best shooter in the world behind Stephen Curry , and his marksmanship from the outside helped secure four championships from 2015 to 2022. In his prime, Klay averaged 22.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on 47.0% shooting.
But after tearing his Achilles in 2019, then tearing his ACL, Thompson was never the same and his game has been in a gradual decline ever since. Last season was a low point for Thompson as he struggled to meet his standards on the court, and his relationship with teammates and coaches began to slip.
By the end of the season, Klay was ready to leave and never look back and that's exactly what he did. With the Mavericks, alongside two veteran superstars, Klay is hoping to make a difference and make himself useful where it counts.
After making the Finals in June and making a strong push for the title, the Mavericks have reason to believe that they can go all the way with their current group. Given Klay Thompson's experience and championship experience, GM Nico Harrison thought it would be a no-brainer to bring him in and enhance the rotation.
Sadly, the opening slate of pre-season games suggests that things may not go so smoothly for the new-look Mavericks. Thompson, now 34, is showing signs that he's not what he used to be and if he can't come back to All-Star in some fashion it could set the Mavericks back years in their quest to win a title.
So far, the Mavericks are holding the line and they refuse to lose faith in their newest star champion. But if his play does not improve, and the team starts to rack up losses, it won't be long before the pressure starts to build. It'll be up to Klay to answer the critics and rise to the occasion for a team that sacrificed so much to bring him in.
Related: Klay Thompson Opens Up On 'Nervousness' Ahead Of Dallas Mavericks Preseason Debut
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