Klay Thompson reveals if he regrets joining Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson. Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Klay Thompson reveals if he regrets his decision to join Mavericks after tumultuous season

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Grey Papke | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 1:28 PM ET

Klay Thompson offered a fairly telling response to a question about his decision to join the Dallas Mavericks after the team’s play-in loss Friday.

The Mavericks fell to the Memphis Grizzlies 120-106 at FedExForum on Friday, a defeat that ended Dallas’ tumultuous season. After the game, Thompson was asked if he still would have chosen to sign with Dallas last summer if he had known then what he knows now.

Thompson clearly hated the question, but he did not exactly say yes without any reservations.

“You can’t do that to me. That’s kind of a ridiculous question,” Thompson said. “I don’t own a time machine, and I don’t believe in looking back. If I didn’t have my whole career, I would not be where I’m at, and I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries.

“I’m here in Dallas, and I enjoyed my time, and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Klay Thompson was asked if he would've made the same decision to join the Mavs last summer knowing what he knows now:

"Don't do this to me. Don't do that to me. Don't do that. That's kind of a ridiculous question because I don't own a time machine & I don't believe in going back…
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) April 19, 2025

Thompson is not going to say he would like that decision back. However, when he signed with the Mavericks, he thought he was joining up to play with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on a team that had just made a run to the NBA Finals. In doing so, he turned down more money from the Los Angeles Lakers, who wound up as the No. 3 seed in the West.

Doncic was infamously traded to those same Lakers in February, while Irving suffered a season-ending ACL tear shortly after that. Thompson did not see that coming, and it is fair to wonder if he has some regrets now.

Based on some comments by Thompson’s father, it does seem that the guard might know his situation has become less than ideal. However, he signed a three-year deal, so there is not much he can do about it now.

Thompson averaged 14 points per game in 72 appearances with Dallas during the regular season. He contributed 18 points in 32 minutes on Friday in the Mavericks’ season-ending defeat.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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