GSW’s Caleb Thompson, will he make a comeback in Dallas?

Klay Thompson (34-201 cm), the centerpiece of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, is moving on to a new challenge. Thompson, who is eligible for free agency, has agreed to a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple U.S. sports media outlets. The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic were initially rumored to be his new destinations, but Thompson chose Dallas.

Prior to last season, few expected Thompson to leave Golden State. Even though he hadn’t been playing as well as he had at his peak, he had still contributed a lot as the team’s franchise star. If Thompson had let go of his ego and compromised with reality to some extent, he could have remained a one-club man. The team was willing to give him the best treatment possible.

Thompson, along with fellow star Steph Curry (36-190.5 cm), became known as the “Splash Brothers”. They contributed to four championships and shared the spotlight as offensive coordinators. He was one of the favorites to retire in a Golden State jersey, along with Curry and 파워볼사이트 Draymond Green (33‧198cm).

But in professional sports, where there are many variables, predictions are predictions. Recently, Thompson has been at odds with the organization over his contract. The temperature difference between the two sides has been significant. The team gave Thompson a five-year, $190 million contract in the summer of 2019. The team valued his previous contributions despite missing the 2019-20 season due to injury.

However, Thompson missed the 2020-21 season and the team’s performance dropped significantly in the interim. He has since returned, but he’s a shadow of his former self, especially as his footwork has slowed down in the aftermath of the injury, and his defense, one of his greatest strengths, has declined.

In his prime, Thompson was a three-point shooter known for his efficiency rather than volume, but in recent years, he has disappointed fans with his lack of offensive intensity and success rate. Nevertheless, the organization and the players have shown support for one of the team’s legends, saying that “Thompson is exactly what the team needs.” However, the proud player claimed that he didn’t care about the reactions around him, but he showed his characteristic sensitivity through the media.

Despite the club’s best intentions, Thompson has already turned down a contract extension once. The difference was not only in the amount of money but also in the length of the contract. The club couldn’t afford to give him what he wanted. The salary was one thing, but the luxury tax was another.

Thompson’s pride was hurt, and he made it clear that he wanted to leave Golden State by deleting all traces of the organization from his social media accounts. After negotiating with several teams, he ultimately chose Dallas. The length of his contract and his role on the team likely played a big role in his decision. Thompson in Dallas was unthinkable not long ago, but now it’s a reality.

The Mavs clearly realized that Thompson was past his prime, but they made a move anyway. They needed a boost in some way after their disappointing Finals run this season. Thompson must have been confident that he could do the same for the Celtics, a team that has been able to integrate Kyrie Irving (32‧187.2cm), a notoriously unreliable player who causes problems wherever he goes, into the team and turn him into its best second option.

This season’s Finals champions, the Boston Celtics, were one of the least reliant teams on an ace. Jayson Tatum (6-foot-10) was the official ace, but second option Jaylen Brown (6-foot-8) was just as good. In fact, Brown swept the Eastern Conference Finals and Finals MVP honors. In addition, J.J. Halladay (34, 191 centimeters) and Derrick White (29, 193 centimeters) have been consistent, giving the team a solid 1-4 option.

Kristaps Porzingis (29-foot-2) was also a force when he was on the court, though he didn’t play much due to injury. He was the biggest reason why teams that faced Boston struggled. Dallas, on the other hand, relies on ace Luka Doncic (25‧201cm) more than any other team. Doncic moves around the inside and outside, opening up cracks in opposing defenses and finding openings to create passing plays.
While Doncic’s majesty is impressive, the flip side of that is that if he gets stuck, he has no answers. So Dallas has been trying to figure out how to take some of the pressure off of Doncic, and it’s paid off this season with Irving’s presence as a handler, leader, and scorer. Their unexpected run to the Finals is proof of that.

Unfortunately, Dallas’ colors didn’t come out in the Finals. Boston”s defense was good, but Doncic was tired and suffering from injuries. Irving also suffered from the Boston jinx and didn’t play as well as in previous series. Other role plays were also a problem. When Boston’s defense was focused on Doncic and Irving in the Finals, it would have been a lot less lopsided if their teammates had been able to take passes and hit open shots.

Dallas was also lacking in that area, which is what led to the Thompson signing. In Golden State, Thompson’s poor defense was the reason for his devaluation. However, Dallas can be satisfied with just getting open shots. In some cases, the increased team weight doesn”t prevent them from returning to their best form.

Doncic has been playing with veterans in Europe since he was a youngster, so he knows how to communicate with them. Head coach Jason Kidd is also a master at keeping the egos of older players alive. Like Irving, Thompson gets satisfaction from something else, and that could translate into performance. It will be interesting to see if Thompson’s ego and Dallas’ need for more shooters can be a win-win.