Klay Thompson's biggest wish is something the Mavericks can no longer give him

Dallas Mavericks shooting guard Klay Thompson wants to compete for an NBA championship as he enters his 14th season in the NBA, but that's just not a wish the Mavericks can grant him anymore. It once looked like a major possibility, as Thompson seemed like the shooter they needed to take the next step and win the NBA Finals.

Klay Thompson wants to win

The 36-year-old sharpshooter joined PlaqueBoyMax's stream on Thursday and talked about what he wants during the twilight of his NBA career. This includes being on a competitive team that gives him a chance to win.

"I want to compete for a championship," Thompson said. "Not necessarily win one, but just like have the chance to go and try and get another one...I want to make a deep playoff run, whether that's this season or next season, but that's really my only goal."

Unfortunately for Thompson, it doesn't seem like he will accomplish that goal with the team he is currently under contract with. He is entering the final year of a three-year contract with the Mavericks, and the team looks completely different from the one he signed with just over two years ago.

How Thompson's Dallas tenure has differed from expectations

Thompson signed with Dallas with the hope that he could win his fifth NBA championship. He took a leap of faith to leave the Golden State Warriors, the only team he had ever played for, to sign with the Mavericks in 2024.

He was eager to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after Dallas' run to the NBA Finals in 2024, and even turned down a more lucrative contract offer from the Lakers to sign with the Mavericks. Dallas seemed like the perfect spot for Thompson to contend for a title and play a complementary role alongside two superstars, but that has not been the case since he joined the team.

The Mavericks have missed the playoffs in both seasons that Thompson has been on the roster, and it doesn't look like Dallas will be title contenders next season either. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz are dedicated to patiently building around Cooper Flagg, and all signs point to the team being a few years away from contending for an NBA championship.

Why the best move for both sides is a trade

This puts Thompson in a tough spot, and with the five-time All-Star being in constant trade rumors, there's a chance that he has already played his final game for the Mavericks. There were even rumors at last season's trade deadline that Thompson preferred to play for a contender, and this offseason seems like it will be the breaking point for the two sides.

Thompson made it clear on PlaqueBoyMax's stream that winning is still extremely important for him, and while the Mavericks want to win, they don't have the firepower to contend yet. They could in a few years, as Flagg is one of the best young players in the NBA and they have a good supporting cast around him, but Thompson wants to win right now. There is a clear timeline mismatch.

He wants to play a role on a team that's already in position to make a deep playoff run, and that's not Dallas.

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