DALLAS (AP) — Kyrie Irving helped sell Klay Thompson on the idea that Dallas is a destination for a career revival.
Since Irving’s NBA rebirth helped carry the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season, there’s little question what the addition of Thompson means for the club that lost to Boston in five games in June.
“I’m excited that he decided to come here,” Irving said at media day Monday. “And I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now. He’s added some great value to our championship aspirations.”
Luka Doncic is still at the center of everything the Mavs do to build a contender around their 25-year-old superstar. Once again, the biggest move involves a veteran at a crossroads in an illustrious career.
That was Irving a year and a half ago in a trade deadline deal that plucked the eight-time All-Star from a tumultuous situation in Brooklyn.
Thompson hadn’t fallen nearly that far at the end of 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, who drafted him and won four championships with him and fellow Splash Brother Stephen Curry.
The 34-year-old sensed a change of scenery was the right play after a play-in tournament loss, and Dallas believes the presence of one of the game’s best shooters will make life easier for Doncic and Irving.
If nothing else, the aftermath of Doncic’s first trip to the finals is filled with talk of going that far again.
The conversation wasn’t quite the same when the Mavs made a surprising run to the Western Conference finals in 2022, losing to Thompson and the Warriors before Golden State’s fourth title.
“I love it because it means we did something great, something good,” Doncic said, correcting himself after earlier saying losing in the finals wasn’t good enough. “I think for the whole team, that should give us motivation.”
Thompson watched the Mavericks shoot 29% from 3-point range in their four losses to the Celtics in the finals. A 3-point threat — and third scoring threat — was clearly the biggest offseason priority.
“I think I’ll help space the floor for guys like Luka and Kyrie to do their thing,” Thompson said. “That’s why I was here in the first place, because I saw how close they were to winning a championship. The opportunity to do that again, I don’t take for granted, and I’m going to work my hardest to try to get us back there.”
The Mavericks missed the playoffs after the run to the West finals, despite adding Irving to a club that just never found a rhythm.
The first full season for Doncic and Irving led to the franchise’s first trip to the finals since its only championship in 2011.
There were plenty of questions along the way about Doncic and Irving getting their games to mesh, particularly during an injury-filled first two months together to finish a 2022-23 season that ended with the tanking of two games to protect a draft pick.
“Now, it’ll just be about Klay,” coach Jason Kidd said. “So that’s kind of cool that it’s just about one person.”
But not the only change to the roster.
Thompson joined the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal involving six teams and a $50 million, three-year contract for the five-time All-Star.
Dallas also added free agent forward Naji Marshall on a $27 million, three-year deal and acquired Quentin Grimes from Detroit in a trade that sent Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to the Pistons.
The center tandem of second-year budding star Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford was an important part of the playoff run and will be something to watch alongside incorporating Thompson in the lineup.
“We have two superstars in Luka and Kyrie,” Thompson said. “But what I tell everyone on the squad, I’m like, ‘Guys, every championship experience I’ve had, it’s been a deep, talented roster.”
And the expectation will be a title.
“Expectations are extremely high, and I think everyone’s comfortable with that,” Kidd said. “We’re not going to run from expectations.”
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