Thompson's Spot in Dallas Is Anyone's Guess

The Mavericks head into Dusty May's first training camp with a lot settled and one thing conspicuously not: what to do with Klay Thompson. Coverage this week has floated potential landing spots if Dallas moves him, which is the clearest signal yet that his future with the franchise is genuinely unresolved.

Thompson averaged 11.6 points on 39.1% shooting last season in a rotation role, numbers that fit a team in a different place than where Dallas is now. The Mavericks just committed $52.2 million to Naji Marshall, brought in Zaccharie Risacher, added Marcus Sasser and Jett Howard at the perimeter — the roster is actively being rebuilt around Cooper Flagg and a younger core. Thompson, who built one of the great shooting careers in NBA history, is a different kind of player than what May's system appears to be chasing.

The practical problem is that his spot in the rotation isn't obviously filled if he's gone, either. Brandon Williams was productive in a similar minutes band last season, and the new additions give May options, but a Thompson trade would still leave a gap. My read is that Dallas would rather move him than carry the ambiguity into camp — but nothing in the reporting says that decision has been made.

May has enough to sort out already. The health questions I noted last week haven't fully cleared, and he's installing a new system with a roster that's still taking shape. Thompson's situation is one more variable on a list that's already long.