FA: Klay Thompson Comes to Dallas| 3yrs/50mil

[BolsDamols]

This.
I don't even know why people are throwing him on trades as if he is a liability.
This board has less of those ideas, but if you look elsewhere, you'd think Maxi is as useless as DP.

Maxi allows the Mavs to let Omax develop.
Maxi allows Lively to slowly develop his 3 game and NOT rush into shooting more of those.
Maxi gives the Mavs that big who can guard those perimeter guys that Lively and Gafford can't.
Maxi allows PJ to be more aggressive on D, knowing a legit PF is behind him in case he gets into foul trouble.

NOTE: Naji isn't a PF, but I can see Kidd get him minutes there, but overall I'm not counting Naji as a 4. Mavs will have to do with PJ-Maxi and Omax. And I like that PF rotation.

Maxi swung that LAC series by himself, hitting 5 threes in Game 5 and the Clips never recovered. Had a separated shoulder and was back in the court a few weeks later.

He is not just a throw-in in a trade, it will be difficult to replace what he brings to the Mavs.

[SleepingHero]

I'm definitely not in favor of just trading Maxi just to trade him, but there are valid concerns about his long term availability, regardless of his skills.

I agree he is very integral for the Mavs and what they do, but it doesn't mean anything if he can't play. He swung a game in the LAC series for sure, but the Mavs were basically without him for the rest of the playoffs and didn't look completely bereft without him.

That makes my eyebrows raise. Mostly because since the Mavs signed Maxi, they felt it HARD whenever he wasn't able to play. He was always their most versatile defender. Now? I can point to like 4 guys that can guard multiple positions including Maxi.

So I agree, its not a great idea to just trade Maxi for the sake of it... but for an upgrade and a guy who is younger...? I'm definitely picking up the phone and listening to the offer.

[Jmaciscool]

https://x.com/ESPNNBA/status/1807944280700264905

Richard Jefferson had his own story regarding Klay on Christmas day. Watch this and perhaps this Klay/GSW breakup was a long time coming.

First the mavs get their free agency target and then I find myself agreeing with Perk?  I don't know if I've ever had two such unexpected events in the same day before.

[LukaMVP]

maxi should be kept unless there is a real good player available that we have to make a package including maxi to trade for (Jerami, for example).

[Chicagojk]

I am excited how the offense looks. I hope we tweak it a little with some backside motion. Watching the highlights you see these types of plays from him often. I also wonder isn’t Lively and Gafford creates some of these actions. Lovely almost mastered the rim running as a rookie. I see all sorts of defense confusion if they need to worry about klay getting a screen when Lively also slips a screen to the rim.

Klay could miss every shot for a month and defense would still honor him. Luka pick and role with a rim runner and Kyrie and Klay spread on the floor will be fun. pJ or the other mav will be so open that they could take a nap before shooting. pJ shooting a better percentage will make defenses have no good options.

[Smitty]

Lot of Maxi talk. He’s definitely the weakest link in the top 10-11 rotation. That doesn’t mean I want to trade him, I just want his role to change. The 3rd center and 5-out Big. Not the every day backup 4 to PJ. I think the Mavs are done making trades and maybe Omax or Naji show that they can handle the backup 4 spot before the trade deadline next year and Maxi’s contract can be used to upgrade something or if someone gets hurt hurt.

If I were to build the ideal rotation with Maxi only playing every 3rd game or so - so I won’t add his minutes, but here’s a super simple visual that will be +/- a few minutes of course:

Luka 32 | Exum 16
Kyrie 32 | Hardy 16
Klay 28 | Grimes 20
PJW 28 | Naji 20
Lively 28 | Gafford 20

[LukaMVP]

if lively develops a midrange game or even 3pt range, which he definitely can, it would be a nightmare to the opposing team tbh.

[KillerLeft]

Jason Timpf weighs in on Thompson to Dallas, right off the top of this. Very encouraging, imo.

https://youtu.be/14GInsgTUhA?si=ivoRqi1U6WnPFL1X

[KillerLeft]

if lively develops a midrange game or even 3pt range, which he definitely can, it would be a nightmare to the opposing team tbh.

I’m with Jason Timpf. Three point range would be nice, but I’m hoping the plan is for him to develop that dribble-handoff/decision making game. Those usually end in rim rolls (his specialty), and it’s kind of the next evolutionary step from his surprising showing as a decision maker out of the short roll. 

Imagine a 7’2” Draymond Green.

[KillerLeft]

For those hoping Lively has all-star potential, this ^^^^ is how he gets there.

[Arioch]

Lot of Maxi talk. He’s definitely the weakest link in the top 10-11 rotation.

LOL.

I agree with you. But the fact that a day into free agency we're left debating what to do about the weakest link at the *10th* position says things are very, very good in Mavs-land.

[Smitty]

LOL.

I agree with you. But the fact that a day into free agency we're left debating what to do about the weakest link at the *10th* position says things are very, very good in Mavs-land.

We have to beat up on someone. This is the way.

[SleepingHero]

For those hoping Lively has all-star potential, this ^^^^ is how he gets there.

Imagine if he develops that Draymond Green like skillset WITH a reliable 3pt shot.

[KillerLeft]

Imagine if he develops that Draymond Green like skillset WITH a reliable 3pt shot.

Totally, I just mean that the benefit of most “stretch bigs” is for them to pull a big out and stand in the corner, like Kleber a couple of years ago or Porzingis before him. I’m low-key hopeful the Mavs have a bigger role than that in mind for Lively.

[audiosway]

I’m with Jason Timpf. Three point range would be nice, but I’m hoping the plan is for him to develop that dribble-handoff/decision making game. Those usually end in rim rolls (his specialty), and it’s kind of the next evolutionary step from his surprising showing as a decision maker out of the short roll. 

Imagine a 7’2” Draymond Green.

Remember we were talking during the Finals that I didn't know that 5 out would work. Well you were definitely right that it does. If you have the right roster. I started realizing you were right at the end of the series. That's why I was saying Luka and Kai needed to work with Steph on being able to move more. Now with Klay in there they will be able to adopt some of that. 

I don't think Dallas will run a full 5 out. However, I do think that it will start to look similar. I think we are absolutely going to see Lively become a 7'2" Dray. He has the passing to do it. He is showing that he can shoot enough outside to keep it respectable.

Another thing I think Klay will help Kai and Luka with is how to play defense without expending so much energy. Klay and Grimes are both experts of the down swipe. Klay picks up a ton of steals that way. Dirk was a master of it. Simple little hand movements that make it so that you aren't working so hard on defense. That's what made Klay an elite 2 way player. He taught stuff to Steph that helped him be a respectable defender.

Great video though. Still watching it.

[KillerLeft]

Klay Thompson practicing today:

https://youtu.be/HlL5QuGLWic?si=i0GpvmPmxMxqiAJy

[Dundalis]

Two things that I want to note here. One. Our bench unit was not only upgraded, I think it has been upgraded in a significant way. People are focusing on the starting unit and potential issues. But a bench unit of Exum, Hardy, Grimes, Marshall and Gafford, with Maxi (maybe Omax too?) thrown in particularly on the defensive end has the potential to be one of the better bench units in the league IMO. Having 48 mins of elite rim protection makes EVERYONE better defensively, because offenses now hesitate when driving to the rim. The upgrade on Exum, Hardy, Green, THJ, Maxi/Lively (Gafford) from last season is clear to me, but remember we only had even that the second half of the season with Gaff coming in, and PJ relegating some of the others to the bench.

Second thing is referencing that constant elite rim protection. Neither DJJ or PJ were considered anything other than decent but inconsistent defensive players prior to coming to Dallas. Once the two headed monsters came in, all of a sudden both of them seemed to elevate themselves defensively into if not elite, then still borderline lockdown perimeter defenders. I don't want to not give DJJ and PJ credit for their defense, but I think a lot of their defensive performance is owed heavily to the presence of Lively and Gaff. Guys that DJJ and PJ guarded all of a sudden hesitate on drives to the rim, and that made their jobs way way easier. Like I wouldn't be surprised to see DJJ not really live up to his contract with the Clippers even though I wish nothing but the best for the guy.

Similarly to what Lively and Gafford enabled offensively in terms of potential overperformance defensively, Luka enables similar things for guys with limited offensive games on offense.

Basically what I'm getting at here, is that as long as these players come in with the right mentality (i.e. not Grant Williams), I think you could see an uptick both offensively and defensively from all 3 new additions because of what the guys mentioned enables on offense and defense. It has me a bit less worried about the potential downtick in defense people are talking about with the new additions.

[audiosway]

Klay Thompson practicing today:

https://youtu.be/HlL5QuGLWic?si=i0GpvmPmxMxqiAJy

Dude looks good. He is focused and ready for redemption.

[audiosway]

Two things that I want to note here. One. Our bench unit was not only upgraded, I think it has been upgraded in a significant way. People are focusing on the starting unit and potential issues. But a bench unit of Exum, Hardy, Grimes, Marshall and Gafford, with Maxi (maybe Omax too?) thrown in particularly on the defensive end has the potential to be one of the better bench units in the league IMO. Having 48 mins of elite rim protection makes EVERYONE better defensively, because offenses now hesitate when driving to the rim. The upgrade on Exum, Hardy, Green, THJ, Maxi/Lively (Gafford) from last season is clear to me, but remember we only had even that the second half of the season with Gaff coming in, and PJ relegating some of the others to the bench.

Second thing is referencing that constant elite rim protection. Neither DJJ or PJ were considered anything other than decent but inconsistent defensive players prior to coming to Dallas. Once the two headed monsters came in, all of a sudden both of them seemed to elevate themselves defensively into if not elite, then still borderline lockdown perimeter defenders. I don't want to not give DJJ and PJ credit for their defense, but I think a lot of their defensive performance is owed heavily to the presence of Lively and Gaff. Guys that DJJ and PJ guarded all of a sudden hesitate on drives to the rim, and that made their jobs way way easier. Like I wouldn't be surprised to see DJJ not really live up to his contract with the Clippers even though I wish nothing but the best for the guy.

Similarly to what Lively and Gafford enabled offensively in terms of potential overperformance defensively, Luka enables similar things for guys with limited offensive games on offense.

Basically what I'm getting at here, is that as long as these players come in with the right mentality (i.e. not Grant Williams), I think you could see an uptick both offensively and defensively from all 3 new additions because of what the guys mentioned enables on offense and defense. It has me a bit less worried about the potential downtick in defense people are talking about with the new additions.

Totally agree. If you remember last season DJJ looked much more dominant with Lively on the floor. They didn't become the defensive juggernaut until after the trade. They showed spurts of it when Lively was in and healthy. But, when Lively, Gaff, and PJ were all there it when it came together. 

It gives guards and wings so much more confidence defensively when they know a rim protector is there. Or that a wing is there to help. I think you guys are going to be shocked at how good Klay still is defensively. A lot has been made of his decline. There are several reasons he had an off year last season. One was that he didn't want to be there. I had been hearing rumors out here that Klay felt very disrespected by the organization.

[Winter]

Jason Timpf weighs in on Thompson to Dallas, right off the top of this. Very encouraging, imo.

https://youtu.be/14GInsgTUhA?si=ivoRqi1U6WnPFL1X

Excellent review. Thanks Killer.