The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly testing the trade waters for veteran guard Klay Thompson, along with Daniel Gafford and D’Angelo Russell, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. With the trade deadline just days away, it’s no surprise to see Dallas exploring options, especially given how the season-and Thompson’s role-has evolved.
Let’s start with Klay. His move to Dallas was supposed to be a fresh start, a late-career pivot that could put him back in the championship mix alongside Luka Dončić.
The Mavericks, at the time, were all-in on contending. But things change fast in the NBA.
Now, Dallas is shifting its focus toward the future-namely building around rising talent Cooper Flagg-and Thompson no longer fits that long-term vision.
On the court, the numbers tell a story that’s hard to ignore. Thompson is averaging career lows nearly across the board: 11.8 points per game in just 22.2 minutes, shooting 38.9% from the field and 38% from three.
For a player once known as one of the league’s most efficient shooters, those are jarring figures. This is the first time in his career he’s shooting under 40% from the field, and he’s started only eight of the 45 games he’s played this season.
The Mavericks already moved him to a bench role earlier in the year, signaling that his days as a featured piece in the rotation might be numbered.
But this isn’t just about declining production. Thompson has had some solid stretches recently, and his veteran presence still holds value-especially for playoff-bound teams looking for experience and floor spacing.
The bigger issue is timing and trajectory. The Mavericks are no longer operating like a team chasing a title this season.
They’re looking ahead, and with their draft capital situation tied up until 2031, they need to maximize the picks they can control. That likely means moving off veterans who don’t align with the long-term plan.
Thompson, who turns 36 in a few days, came to Dallas chasing one more ring. It’s become increasingly clear that the Mavericks aren’t positioned to give him that opportunity. With the Feb. 5 deadline looming, there’s a real chance he could be moved to a contender-somewhere his shooting and playoff experience could still tip the scales in a tight series.
Of course, this chapter began with Golden State’s difficult decision not to give Thompson the four-year, $100 million deal he was seeking. Instead, he landed a two-year contract worth around $23 million via a multi-team sign-and-trade.
It was a tough pill to swallow for Warriors fans-watching the first core member of their dynasty walk away-but it was also a calculated move by the front office. They saw the decline coming and chose to pivot rather than pay for past glory.
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a franchise icon, and Thompson will always be beloved in the Bay. But the NBA is a business of hard choices, and Golden State made one. Now, Dallas may be on the verge of making a similar call-one that sends Klay to a new home, possibly his last, in hopes of giving him one more shot at postseason glory.
Whether that happens before the deadline remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the Mavericks are no longer the team that brought Thompson in, and both sides may be better off parting ways.