By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos: Dorothy J. Gentry
After a Hall-of Fame worthy 13-year career with the Golden State Warriors – which included four NBA championships – Klay Thompson has landed in Dallas looking for rejuvenation.
“I look forward to just kind of being rejuvenated here. There is a lot of good basketball left in the tank,” Thompson said Tuesday morning at a press conference before a standing-room only crowd of Dallas media.
“I’m just excited. I still think I can do what I’ve been able to do, and it’s just about being in the best shape I could possibly be, but I know I can help this team, whether it’s the knowledge I’ve gained or big scoring nights,” Thompson said. “I just still know I can be a very, very good player in this league.”
Thompson was formally introduced by the Mavs after they acquired him in a sign-and-trade deal involving six teams. The 34-year-old, five-time All-Star signed a $50 million, three-year contract with the Mavs who made it to the NBA Finals this season.
The Mavs also introduced their other off-season acquisitions: free agent forward Naji Marshall on a $27 million, three-year deal and Quentin Grimes from Detroit in a trade that sent Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round picks to the Pistons.
“Coming here is just such a fresh start,” Thompson said. “Feeling just wanted again, like I bring great value, it just gets me excited to go out there and even work out after this press conference and get shots up. Yeah, there were times last year where it was tough, where it wasn’t as joyful as it was in the past.
“It’s nice to kind of shed that and have a whole new fresh start, whole new group of guys to get to know, co-workers, whole new city. It’s really cool, and I’m going to embrace the heck out of this opportunity.”
Grimes, 24, who was born in Houston and went to high school in The Woodlands, Texas, spoke about playing next to Luka Doncic and how the 25-year-old guard makes everyone else’s job easier.
“Everybody knows Luka is one of the top players in the NBA, so I feel like our job is to go out there, play as hard as we can and just try to get back to the position they were in last year,” Grimes said.
Marshall reflected on playing for Mavs Head Coach Jason Kidd.
“Just to be able to learn from Jason Kidd every single day is an unbelievable honor,” Marshall said. “I’m so excited to play for him.”
Watching the Mavs lose to Boston in five games in the NBA Finals had plenty to do with Thompson’s decision to sing with the Mavs.
“I was watching just as a basketball fan, and I did see, like, ‘Man, I could really help this team. They’re right there,’” Thompson said. “Not big adjustments, but just very little adjustments from getting over the top. We’re knocking on the door, and that’s what really got me excited to be here.”
“There were times last year it was tough, where it wasn’t as joyful as it had it been in the past,” Thompson said. “It’s nice to kind of shed that and have a whole new fresh start, whole new group of guys to get to know. A whole new city. It’s really cool. And I’m going to embrace the heck out of this opportunity.”
