Klay Thompson's Mavericks future suddenly looks shaky after brutally honest remark

It's no secret that Klay Thompson didn't sign up to be on a Dallas Mavericks team that is rebuilding/retooling, even if Dallas lucked into Cooper Flagg last June. At 36 years old, Thompson is in the twilight of his career, and there's no doubt he wants to go out with a bang on a contender, as this sentiment was hinted at by him in exit interviews.

When asked if he thinks he'll be on the Mavericks next season, Thompson said, "Not sure. I’m under contract, so, I do, but definitely learned my time in Dallas, things can change on a dime, so, I’m just here to have a great time and put my best foot forward."

While Thompson handled this question like a true professional, it's clear he sees himself potentially being traded this summer, and he probably wouldn't be opposed to that idea.

Klay Thompson's exit interview hints at being out of Dallas next season

Of course, Thompson would undoubtedly suit up for the Mavericks on opening night if he isn't traded, but it's extremely hard to see Dallas being a contender next season, even with Kyrie Irving coming back alongside a lottery pick from the 2026 NBA Draft. Thompson probably won't explicitly ask for a trade this summer, but he would definitely be happy if Dallas found a contender to trade him to, especially since he has a 15 percent trade kicker on his contract.

Thompson can still add juice to any contender with his movement shooting ability and the way he sucks in defensive attention, as he has an invaluable skillset that bodes well for his longevity. Obviously, the Mavericks are starved for shooting and could definitely serve to keep someone like Thompson on the roster next season, but with him being on an expiring contract at $17.5 million and only getting older, Dallas probably wouldn't hesitate to trade him in the right deal.

Based on the fact that Thompson came to Dallas to compete for championships with Irving and Luka Doncic, Dallas would be doing the right thing if they shipped the veteran marksman to a contender in a potential trade, but Dallas can't do this at the expense of settling for a poor deal.

While Nico Harrison is no longer the GM of the Mavericks, Thompson is correct in his aforementioned assessment in terms of anything being able to change on a dime in Mavericks land. It's certainly not a guarantee Thompson is traded this summer, but he's smart to be wary of the possibility of it happening.

Thompson's been a true pro, but he'd prefer to be on a contender

Thompson may even know something fans and media don't at this point in terms of his future in Dallas, as conversations behind the scenes are constantly happening in the league, and this could have factored into why Thompson gave the answer he did at exit interviews.

If Thompson does stay in Dallas, though, it'll at least be nice that Dallas projects to be far more competitive next season, especially given how quickly Flagg is ascending. Many veterans in Thompson's situation would've already asked out, but his professionalism throughout these past two seasons has been unwavering, as he's stayed committed to the Mavericks through thick and thin.

However, Thompson's answer from exit interviews certainly could've been a media-trained answer, especially since he chuckled after the question was asked. Ultimately, it's still unclear whether Thompson will be in a Mavericks uniform by the start of next season or not, but his answer from exit interviews wasn't encouraging in terms of him being on the team next year.