Klay Thompson trade rumor exposes the one goal Mavericks are robbing him of

The conversation around tanking has shifted for the Dallas Mavericks over the past two weeks after winning four of their last five games, and while the notion that Dallas could become a playoff team isn't nearly as far-fetched as it was a couple of weeks ago, this Mavericks team clearly isn't a title contender. For someone like veteran Klay Thompson, this isn't what he signed up for when he joined Dallas in the 2024 offseason, and recent reports from ESPN's Shams Charania confirm this.

Charania reported that teams across the league think Thompson wants to be on a contender for the remaining two years of his current contract, which would make sense considering he thought he was joining a contender when joining a team coming off an NBA Finals appearance just weeks before he signed with Dallas. The Mavericks are officially exploring trades for the future Hall of Famer, and his life in Dallas has significantly changed over the last year and a half.

Thompson is a four-time champion, and all he knows is winning from his time with the Golden State Warriors, so it's clear this situation in Dallas is a complete farce compared to what he signed up for. Thompson has been a great veteran leader in Dallas' locker room this season, but if this reporting from Charania is based on Thompson's actual thoughts, it's clear the Mavericks should do right by Thompson and try to ship him off to a contender.

Klay Thompson wants to contend — and this isn't happening in Dallas

Following an abysmal start to the season from a shooting perspective, Thompson has steadily increased his efficiency from outside and even in the mid-range, as coming off the bench seems to have also improved his shot quality. Thompson has been a solid individual defender this season too, which has been his most impressive feat this season, considering he turns 36 years old next February.

All that being said, Thompson could still definitely help some prospective contenders that need a shooting boost. Thompson's slow start can also be partially attributed to Dallas' lack of playmaking in their offense before they nailed their point guard situation down, so while he may not have a fiery trade market by any means, there's definitely reason to believe other teams would still be interested in his services despite how rough it looked a few weeks ago.

Thompson is completely justified in wanting to win a championship as soon as possible, given his acumen and what he's provided to the game of basketball, so the Mavericks should do their best to ship him off to a place where this is actually achievable, even if they aren't in a position to play appeasement tactics when it comes to making trades.

Dallas will need some sort of decent compensation in a potential Thompson trade, whether it's picks, more shot creators, or a young flyer. Helping find a contender for Thompson is definitely what Thompson deserves if he wants to go that route, but the Mavericks can't make a trade that would hurt them at the expense of helping Thompson out on the flip side.

It wouldn't be insanely surprising to see Thompson in a Mavericks uniform beyond the deadline, but this would likely only be a situation that presents itself if Dallas' uptick in production continues by the time Kyrie Irving is on the precipice of returning.

If things really turn in the Mavericks' favor the rest of the season, perhaps Dallas could be a decent playoff team this year with top-four seed potential in the 2026-27 season, but who knows if the Mavericks will be in a position to continue their partnership with Thompson until then.