Klay Thompson is determined to play meaningful basketball as he moves forward in his NBA career.
In a viral collaborative Twitch stream with Plaqueboymax, the former NBA star dropped his utmost desire to contend and be a part of a competitive team aiming to win the title.
"I want to compete for a championship, not necessarily win one, but just like have the chance to go and try and get another one," Thompson said.
"I want to play a role on a team that I want to make a deep playoff run, whether it's this season or next season, but that's really my only goal."
Will Klay Thompson finally leave Dallas to play for a contender?
Klay Thompson’s latest words are undeniably intriguing as his future with the Dallas Mavericks remains up in the air.
Thompson has attracted significant interest from teams such as the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers, but only if the future Hall of Famer reaches a contract buyout with the Mavericks. However, recent reports suggest they are not entertaining such a deal to split up.
Thompson is set to earn $17.5 million in the final year of his three-year, $50 million deal with the Mavs. He averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21.7 minutes last season, shooting 38.3% of his three-point attempts across 69 games.
Leaving the Golden State Warriors as a core piece of the Dubs dynasty that won four NBA titles, Thompson joined the Mavericks in 2024 with a strong desire to compete for championships with Luka Doncic, only to be blindsided afterward as the Mavs dealt the Slovenian superstar to the Lakers in one of the most shocking trades in all of sports.
With Doncic out and Dallas pivoting its focus to new centerpiece Cooper Flagg, Thompson had no choice but to endure losing seasons in the past two years within the franchise.
Now, it remains to be seen whether his wish to be in a contender will come to fruition soon.