DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd recently said that the team does not currently have a “number one option” amid all of the injuries. Kidd praised Thompson, but said the Mavs need to “create opportunities” for the future Hall of Famer. Ahead of Sunday's Mavericks' game against the Phoenix Suns, Kidd explained his comments.
“They're (opposing teams) going to take away Klay anyway,” Kidd said. “If I say he's number one… They're gonna take him away. So the gist of saying that we're just about the team is hopefully that they don't take away Klay… We can get some easy looks for him.
“Again, it's a team game. We gotta generate shots, someone has to be able to touch the paint with the ball… Then we gotta be able to knock down open shots.”
The Mavericks are happy to have Thompson on the roster. Whether he is regarded as a number option or not, Thompson's impact on the team is unquestionably of the utmost importance.
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It has been a challenging 2024-25 season for the Mavs. Kidd addressed the importance of having an experienced veteran such as Thompson on the roster amid the adversity the team has dealt with.
“He’s won championships, understands what it means to be a veteran, to be a leader and he’s doing that for us at a high level right now,” Kidd said of Thompson. “We’re going to need that for the rest of the season… For Klay to come out and be a pro and put his best foot forward every night.
“Also his voice for those younger guys just to help them through this is big. So we're very lucky to have him.”
Klay Thompson will look to lead the Mavericks to a victory against the Suns on Sunday afternoon in a pivotal game.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. Mistretta graduated college with a degree in broadcast journalism from Biola University, and he has bylines at NBA Analysis Network and RotoWire.