Klay Thompson was reported to be looking for similar success playing with Kyrie Irving as two Dallas Mavericks teammates. Thompson, 34, was previously one-half of the “Splash Brothers” alongside Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Curry, 36, most recently received a one-year, $62.6 million contract extension to stay with the Warriors, which raised a few questions, such as, “Why only one year?”
Thompson didn’t receive a contract extension to stay with the Warriors and instead signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. Thompson’s stint in Dallas has already experienced some hiccups, such as his recent back discomfort, but Thompson can play a major role for the Mavericks. Read on for further details.
Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving On Different Sides
Klay Thompson has been adjusting to a new city and team in Dallas, Texas, but some familiar faces, such as Kyrie Irving, reportedly are on Thompson’s side. Thompson and Irving used to be longtime rivals with their three back-to-back NBA Finals appearances for the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, but not anymore.
Thompson and Irving will play regular season games together for the Dallas Mavericks soon. Thompson can fill in as the Mavericks’ missing link to Irving and Luka Doncic. Doncic, 25, can experience a lighter workload in the regular season and postseason, as long as Thompson’s offensive efforts remain consistent.
Thompson and Kyrie Irving On the Same Side
Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving are now on the same side as Dallas Mavericks teammates. But Thompson and Irving were previously men’s basketball teammates for Team USA during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Basketball reporter Grant Afseth recently asked Thompson what it was like to be Irving’s teammate. Thompson responded, “The times we’ve played together, we had great success with the USA team. So I’m looking forward to building that chemistry with him again. And when we get more time together, it’s only going to get better.”
In short, Thompson felt like he and Irving would pick up where they left off from the last time they were teammates, despite teaming up for Team USA instead of the NBA. Thompson’s response was fair, as he and Irving appear to be on good teams on and off the court.
Dallas Mavericks’ Odds In 2024-25
According to FOX Sports, the Dallas Mavericks are on the outside of the top five and looking in at the NBA title odds. The Mavericks currently have the seventh-best odds to win the NBA title in 2025 at +1100 odds, as of September 25, 2024.
Two Western Conference teams, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets, have higher odds of winning the NBA title at +700 and +1100 odds, respectively. Still, Dallas appears to be in a solid place, as the Mavericks are led by Luka Doncic, who’s widely known as one of the best players in the NBA.
