The Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks are two teams headed in different directions right now. Once battling it out as Play-In Tournament teams, the Warriors have won 10 of their past 12 and are now inside the top six, while the injury-plagued Mavericks are now scraping just to hold onto the 10th-seed.
With Luka Doncic shockingly traded and Kyrie Irving having now suffered a devastating season-ending torn ACL, this Mavericks team is far different to the one Klay Thompson was envisaging when he left the Warriors during the offseason.
Klay Thompson's responsibility has elevated with the Mavericks
The current state of Dallas was signified on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks in what was their first game since Irving's injury. With he and Anthony Davis both on the sidelines, Thompson was forced to take on increased offensive responsibility.
The 5x All-Star had his second-best scoring game of the season with 28 against the Bucks, but it took 27 shots to get there in what resulted as a 30-point loss for the Mavericks at Fiserv Forum. Thompson finished 11-of-27 shooting from the floor and 6-of-14 from 3-point range, while finishing as a -30 in 34 minutes.
While Thompson is always going to take the opportunity to be more involved in his team's offense, the fact he's forced to be the head of the snake just goes to show the sad reality he and the Mavericks are facing. His 27 shot attempts against the Bucks were eight more than he's taken in any game this season, with no other Maverick taking more than 18 on Wednesday.
It's hard to be optimistic about Dallas right now, even if your son is part of the team. Klay's father Mychal labeled the Mavericks as in "purgatory" with a doomsday scenario for the embattled franchise.
"So yeah, Klay is stuck in purgatory right now, and if they hang on to the 10th seed, that will be the story of the year in the NBA. Because I think they're going to lose 10 in a row." Thompson said.
Mychal Thompson (@champagnennuts) spoke on his son Klay’s experience in Dallas since the Luka trade. pic.twitter.com/qxdt7vM8KR
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) March 6, 2025
As a result of the misfortune in Dallas -- much of which was created by themselves with the Doncic trade -- Thompson's future has become a talking point just one year into his three-year, $50 million contract.
Some Golden State fans have already suggested that the franchise should look at reuniting with Thompson during the offseason, yet any potential trade is likely to be contingent on what the Mavericks decide to do with Irving and Davis.
For now Thompson will be able to get up as many shots as he wants over the next few weeks, though one suspects he's not going to be entirely happy with the situation in which he now finds himself.