Klay Thompson’s position will be small forward

It was recently disclosed by Shams Charania of The Athletic that Klay Thompson is anticipated to start as the starting small forward for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024–25 season.

Charania described Thompson as “their starting three” when he appeared on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday. “He is going to be a surefire starter. He will be given a chance to play and promised minutes there.

Under a sign-and-trade deal, Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks this summer, bringing with him a $50 million contract over the following three seasons.

Despite his high expectations, the 34-year-old had a disappointing season, averaging just 17.9 points per game—his lowest scoring average in a decade—on 43.2 percent field goal and 38.7 percent three-point shooting.

The four-time NBA champion is anticipated to back Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic in a supporting capacity. It should be easy for Klay Thompson to space the floor and not require the ball to be in his hands.

However, given his recent history of injuries, one of the team’s biggest concerns will be Thompson’s capacity to play defense at a high level as a starter. Derrick Jones Jr. was a member of the Dallas Mavericks last season, but he signed a three-year, $30 million contract to play for the Los Angeles Clippers.

“It was a no-brainer for us, especially after The Finals. We knew that we were a Klay Thompson away,” general manager Nico Harrison of the Dallas Mavericks said of Thompson during the team’s Summer League opener on Saturday.

In addition to adding Klay Thompson, the Mavericks made two other offseason acquisitions: they traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Quentin Grimes, and they acquired Naji Marshall from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Get more related news at sportviewers.com