Mavericks trading Klay Thompson would make last season's Achilles heel even worse

Klay Thompson's future with the Dallas Mavericks has come into question lately, as the team has been shopping the five-time All-Star for some time now. On one hand, trading him makes sense; He is one of the team's most expendable players with one year left on his contract. But if Dallas got rid of Thompson, it would be problematic because the Mavs were one of the worst 3-point-shooting teams in the NBA last season, and Thompson leaving would make this massive problem even worse.

Klay Thompson is one of the top 3-point shooters of all time. He currently ranks fourth on the all-time list of 3-pointers made, trailing Ray Allen for the third spot. His accolades are too prominent to ignore. It's one reason why the Mavericks can't afford to get rid of him.

Klay Thompson leaving would create a deeper hole for the Mavericks

The Mavericks struggled heavily shooting the ball last season. They ranked in the bottom five in multiple categories, including 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted, and 3-point shooting percentage. The team lacked the outside shooting to combat the issue, and it was clear they needed to equip Cooper Flagg with outside shooters for next season.

Shooting became their biggest weakness before long, and their entire offense suffered because of it.

Dallas failed to provide their Rookie of the Year with any corner shooters who could make his life easier. Their best long-range shooter on the team, percentage-wise, was center Marvin Bagley III, as he made 48.5 percent of his attempts. After Bagley II, Max Christie and John Poulakidas were the next best shooters. They each made above 40 percent of their attempts.

Khris Middleton and Klay Thompson were the next two best shooters after the players mentioned above. The issue, though, is that Bagley III and Middleton are gone, while Poulakidas is on a two-way contract, so his availability is scarce. That's why Dallas again can't afford to trade Thompson; he and Christie are the two best shooters on the team.

Last season, Thompson made 38.3 percent of his 3-pointers, a small decrease from the season prior. Yet, the numbers don't tell the whole story. In January, the former Splash Brother had multiple games where he made 50 percent of his long-range attempts. He shot 43.6 percent from beyond the 3-point line, as Thompson turned back the clock and looked like his old self, making it clear Dallas should keep him.

His numbers stayed consistent in March, when he still shot above 40 percent. It was a testament showing Thompson hadn't lost his shooting touch. It justifies why the multi-time champion can't be dealt. Dallas doesn't have many outside shooters to solve their issue from last season. Trading Klay Thompson would deepen the Mavs' Achilles heel.

Thompson's elite shooting makes him hard to trade away

Klay Thompson is one of the top 3-point shooters in NBA history. He holds many 3-point records, and it's something the Dallas Mavericks can't look past.

Remember, Thompson once hit 14 3-pointers in a game, the most in a single game. He also made nine long-range shots in a single quarter, breaking another record. Not to mention, Thompson ranks second in NBA history for career playoff 3-pointers made. His achievements can't be overlooked.

Thompson and Max Christie were two of the team's top five three-point shooters last season. It wouldn't make sense to trade either one of them, especially a lethal shooter who holds many records.

The former Golden State Warrior signed with Dallas two years ago, hoping to be the team's missing piece for another playoff run following their run to the 2024 NBA Finals. He still can be valuable, and the Mavericks still need a solution to their biggest weakness from last season.

Klay Thompson's past history and skillset is too hard to ignore. Dallas must hold onto him at all costs.

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