Apr 18, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Klay Thompson reveals belief in Dallas Mavericks this season

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Keenan Womack | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The tumultuous 2024-25 season featured a mix of bad luck and self-inflicted wounds, including a Kyrie Irving ACL tear as well as two widely panned deals that included franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic and up-and-coming guard Quentin Grimes.

Though the Dallas Mavericks were rolling in games that included Doncic before his calf injury, they finished the season by losing in the Play-In Tournament to the Memphis Grizzlies, 120-106, which paled in comparison to their magical 2024 run that resulted in an NBA Finals appearance.

Despite all of this, 2024 offseason addition Klay Thompson, who presumably joined Dallas to play with the aforementioned Doncic, has high hopes for the 2025-26 season. He spoke about Anthony Davis and the rest of the roster glowingly, saying the following on Michael Cooper's podcast, Showtime with Michael Cooper.

"[Anthony Davis], when he's healthy...is the best power forward, maybe of my generation... I think we personally have the best front court in the NBA when we're healthy. We have so much depth...And then getting a guy like [D'Angelo Russell] and having guard depth. I'm just really excited.”

Though Mavericks fans may argue that Davis and Dallas legend Dirk Nowitzki were of the same generation, Thompson's point stands that Davis is one of the best front-court players in basketball history, especially considering his two-way capability. The big man averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks over nine games with Dallas last season.

One Question Mark for the 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks

The big "if" for this team, however, is obviously player availability. With Kyrie Irving sidelined until late January or early February at the earliest, and Davis' injury history, Dallas may be one of the teams that is defined by its health next season, even though it does possess very talented pieces on its roster.

Klay Thompson, who played 11 of his 12 NBA seasons in Golden State before joining the Mavericks, averaged 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 39% from beyond the arc with Dallas last year. He is a player that has been one of the most consistent shooters in the history of the game, and is generally considered the greatest "catch and shoot" player of all time.

Though many fans have their doubts and are still recovering from the Doncic trade that rocked the NBA as a whole, the more optimistic members of the fanbase may take Thompson's words to heart. If Dallas can stay healthy, then it will be a legitimate threat in the Western Conference this season.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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