Klay Thompson admits he must embrace Mavericks role he never had with Warriors

Kyrie Irving’s injury was a setback for the Dallas Mavericks, but his early return to the court is an encouraging sign.

Still, the team are not under pressure to rush him back, given the depth they have across their line-up.

Klay Thompson has been open about his confidence in the roster, specifically pointing to what he sees as one of the best frontcourts in the league.

In a conversation with Michael Cooper on “Showtime w/ Coop,” Thompson also singled out how D’Angelo Russell’s signing increases their squad depth.

“I think we personally have the best frontcourt in the NBA when we’re healthy. We have so much depth in the frontcourt between PJ [Washington], Coop [Cooper Flagg], Gaff [Daniel Gafford], D-Live [Dereck Lively II] and AD and then getting a guy like D-LO and having guard depth,” said Klay.

Beyond that, Thompson mentioned that he never saw himself playing for Dallas, but said it has been an “awesome transition” since joining them. 

Thompson shares thoughts on his evolving role with the Mavericks

Thompson joined the Mavericks as a free agent, with hopes that his arrival would help push the team closer to title contention.

The previous season saw Dallas dealing with major changes, including Luka Doncic’s move to the Lakers, and injuries across the squad. But there is a sense that things could look very different when the 2025-26 season gets underway.

Stephen A. Smith has already named the Mavericks among his early picks to challenge for the title, largely because of their veteran presence.

As the oldest player on the team, Thompson has got new responsibilities. The 35-year-old star spoke about how he is being asked to lead more vocally in Dallas than he ever did during his time at Golden State.

“I’m the oldest guy on the team, it’s crazy how these things happen. I gotta lead these guys with my voice and I never really did that in Golden State, so now I have a different calling to use my championship knowledge.”

He also outlined what it takes for a team to truly compete for a title:

“When you go for a championship, you can’t just say, ‘You’re going to win a championship.’ You got to take it week by week. You got to get to that 60 win threshold or high 50’s because once it gets to the playoffs, you know it’s a war of attrition and we just got to peak at the right time,” said the five-time All-Star.

“So I’m really excited, I am actually going to gym now, I haven’t been this motivated in years.”