Thompson Limbo Leaves May With a Hole at Guard Before Camp Even Starts

The Thompson question hasn't moved. As I noted two days ago, his spot in Dallas is genuinely unresolved — coverage this week floated potential trade destinations, which tells you where things stand. He shot 39.1% last season in limited minutes, and the Mavericks are openly rebuilding around Cooper Flagg. Those two facts don't coexist comfortably.

The timing matters because Dusty May is walking into his first NBA training camp without a clear answer at one of his guard spots. Dallas already traded Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta in the Risacher deal, so that depth is gone. Brandon Williams is here and capable, and Jett Howard adds perimeter bodies on a two-way. But Thompson's situation hangs over the guard rotation in a way that makes it hard to know what May is actually installing.

Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II are both carrying day-to-day designations right now, which adds to the fog. None of it is flagged as serious, but May could open camp without his two most experienced players fully available, plus an unresolved situation with a veteran who may or may not be on the roster by October. That's a lot of moving parts for a first week.

My read: the Thompson uncertainty is the one thing on this roster the front office hasn't gotten ahead of. Everything else — Marshall locked up, Risacher acquired, Aldama added — looks deliberate. This one just looks unfinished.