Luka Doncic gets honest about early challenges of playing with Klay Thompson

New players getting used to a new team isn't easy in any sport.

They have to get used to their new city, a new routine, and new teammates all while trying to play winning basketball on a daily basis, and the Dallas Mavericks know this firsthand. It took a considerable amount of time for Kyrie Irving to get acclimated to the Mavericks and figure out how to play next to Luka Doncic, but the patience paid off for Dallas as Irving and Doncic helped lead the Mavs to the NBA Finals in their first full season together.

Their chemistry grew tremendously last year, and all of the critics who wrote off the Doncic-Irving duo were quickly proven wrong.

Dallas is once again in the early stages of getting a star player acclimated to the team, and this time around it is with one of the greatest shooters of all time, Klay Thompson.

Doncic fully understands Thompson won't be a dream fit overnight

Thompson signed with the Mavs on a three-year deal over the summer, and he started off the season with a bang. He scored 22 points in his first game as a Maverick, but his performances since have been up and down. Dallas didn't get him involved early enough until last night's win over the Chicago Bulls, and his overall fit on the Mavs will be a challenge and a learning experience just like when Irving's first half-season with Dallas was.

Doncic talked about this in an interview with NBA TV after Dallas' blowout win over the Bulls, and he seems confident that Thompson will prosper even more as time goes on.

"I think we're still trying (to) figure (it) out," Doncic said. "It's not easy to connect with a guy right away. Like me and Kai, we needed some time to connect, and now we have all three on the squad. Obviously, we're going to need some more time, but it's getting easier and easier and figuring out how to play with him."

Being able to humbly admit that things aren't easy just yet is telling of where the Mavs are at as a team this year, and even Irving admitted after last night's game that they still haven't had a "perfect" game where the offense is flowing and everyone is playing together. By what he said about Thompson and his fit so far, Doncic seems to understand this too. Part of the harsh reality of players joining new teams is the fact that they typically don't fit like a glove right away, and Doncic and the Mavs are accepting that.

Doncic understands that the fit with Thompson isn't going to happen overnight, and that's perfectly normal. Jason Kidd stresses the importance of patience when new players join the team often, and that's the exact approach that the team is taking with Thompson.

Doncic didn't hold back when discussing Thompson and his overall fit on the Mavs, and he talked about the challenges and time that it takes for new players to "connect" with their new team. Thompson has been excellent in spurts for Dallas, and both Irving and Doncic are seemingly always looking to get him the rock on the perimeter.

Thompson is learning exactly what the Mavs need from him in his role every single game, and Doncic and Irving are part of that learning experience as well. Kidd often calls Doncic and Irving the "quarterbacks" of the team, and now they're trying to connect with a veteran wide receiver who has played his entire career with one franchise before joining a new team over the summer.

There's no way around the fact that this isn't easy for either side, but time, dedication, and passion will help make this new connection thrive.

Doncic emphasized that Thompson is progressing by the day, and the on-court fit seems to grow every few games as well. Doncic and Thompson are still learning each other's tendencies and how they like to play, and they have the chance to be elite together every time that they share the floor.

Thompson is averaging 14.5 points per game on the year while shooting 39.1 percent from downtown, and his game should continue to grow as he, Doncic, and Irving get more used to each other. Thompson has also been solid defensively all season long, and Dallas looked like the perfect choice for him on and off the floor to grow as a person and a player.

But still, patience is key.