Klay Thompson just made his next team painfully obvious

Klay Thompson has been in trade rumors for the last few months, but his recent play is making it clear that the Dallas Mavericks need to hold onto him.

Thompson has made it clear that he prefers to play for a contender, as he could only have a few chances left to win his fifth NBA championship. Despite this, the Mavs would be foolish to trade him unless the return is overwhelmingly positive.

He is playing some of the best basketball of his Mavericks career so far, and Dallas' 3-point shooting is finally beginning to trend in the right direction. This has been a major problem for most of the season, but Thompson's recent resurgence is helping Dallas make it rain from beyond the arc.

Mavericks would crumble without Klay Thompson

The Mavericks are 26th in the NBA in 3-pointers attempted per game at 32.5, but since January 7, they are 11th in the NBA at 37.7. Not only is Dallas shooting more threes, but they're making more too.

The Mavericks are shooting 37.6 percent from downtown since January 7, and this is a massive change from the 34.1 percent that they're shooting on the season. Thompson's recent surge has played a major role in Dallas beginning to change their 3-point shooting identity, and they must keep him around to help them continue to trend upward.

An argument can definitely be made for why the Mavericks should trade Thompson this year.

He is finally beginning to play well after a rough start, he wants to win a title, and Dallas is focussing on a timeline centered around Cooper Flagg. Thompson turns 36 years old in less than a month, and getting value for him while they still can wouldn't be a bad play.

But, on the other hand, the Mavericks need to be good next year, and Thompson could be a key component of their success.

Dallas doesn't own their first-round pick next season, meaning that this rebuild around Flagg can only last until the beginning of the 2026-27 season. This means that the Mavericks can tank for the rest of this season in an effort to improve their lottery odds, but as soon as next season begins, they need to push for a title and become a playoff team again.

Dallas has the tools to do this, as Kyrie Irving is set to be healthy by then, but they need a supporting cast. And this should include Thompson.

3-point shooting is one of the most important features of a contender in today's NBA, and Thompson is proving night in and night out that he is still one of the most dangerous shooters in the league when he's fully locked in.

Since January 7, Thompson is averaging 18 points, 2.8 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.1 percent from downtown on 9.5 attempts per game. He has been automatic over the last six games, and these are the type of performances that can completely change a game.

Dallas has now won three of their last four games, and even though this year isn't going to be their year, they're going to need Thompson moving forward. His off-ball gravity and 3-point shooting alone have given the Mavericks' bench unit a major spark, and this is a role that he is embracing with open arms.

This is something that can't be said about his time with the Golden State Warriors, as he despised not being in the starting five, but times are different now. He is thankful for every game that he plays, and Mavs fans should feel lucky that they get to witness greatness on a nightly basis.

"It’s been great, honestly," Thompson said last week on bringing stability to Dallas. "Year 15, playing great minutes in the NBA in a great city, and I’ve been enjoying every second. I love the game, and I love being healthy enough to be out there so much, it’s a true blessing."

The Mavericks could consider moving on from Thompson, as his value is finally beginning to rise, but he is also showing that he can still play a key role in winning basketball if they decide to keep him. No one can stop him when he is on one of his legendary heaters, and Dallas is going to need plenty of those when they're trying to clinch a playoff berth next season.