Mavericks' biggest X-factor next season isn't Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving

Just over two months ago, the Dallas Mavericks' 2023-24 season ended in Boston as they lost Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics in blowout fashion. Dallas didn't have the firepower to keep up with Boston's star-studded lineup, and the Mavs' shooting was horrendous.

Dallas' star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving was good at best in this series, and those around them didn't step up when they were needed. X-factors are important in the playoffs, and the Mavs' X-factors were nowhere to be found for most of that series against Boston.

Doncic and Irving needed a third player to step up around them, and while P.J. Washington had his moments, his shooting cooled off as well from the levels that fans saw in the rounds prior.

The Mavs were getting tons of open looks from downtown, but none of their shooters were stepping up to the plate. Dallas' front office emphasized getting more shooting this offseason, and Klay Thompson alone will help the Mavs' shooting return to where it needs to be.

Thompson named Mavericks' biggest X-factor over Doncic and Irving

Dallas acquired Thompson through a six-team sign-and-trade early in the offseason, and according to Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes, Thompson is Dallas' biggest X-factor for the 2024-25 season.

Last season for the Golden State Warriors, Thompson averaged 17.9 points per game while shooting 38.7 percent from downtown, and he is poised to become the third scorer for Dallas next season.

Hughes thinks Thompson will be the X-factor for the Mavs because of the uncertainty around his defense. He went as far as to call Thompson a "defensive liability against guards." Thompson is going to need to be at least decent when guarding on the perimeter considering that he is in the starting lineup with Irving and Doncic, and his defense could end up making or breaking Dallas' boom potential early on.

If Thompson can defend at a high level, Dallas may have built the best big three in Mavs history. Thompson, Doncic, and Irving are already all excellent on the offensive end, and Thompson's defense improving some would make Dallas' starting lineup scary. His defense is better than people give him credit for, and it'll undoubtedly be an upgrade from what Tim Hardaway Jr. did on that end last season.

Hughes also talked down on Thompson forcing jumpers even when he's cold but then dove into the positives of what would make him great on the Mavs. He emphasized the importance of Thompson accepting a "diminished role" and how that would make him a "major spacing asset to a Dallas offense that might at times look unstoppable."

Thompson must accept whatever role is assigned to him, and he already seems much happier than he was last season with the Warriors. He is spending time with some of his Mavericks teammates in Los Angeles right now, and they are laying the framework for another great season.

Thompson playing at a high level will be crucial in Dallas' performance next season, and although Irving and Doncic are the two most important players on the team, that doesn't make them the biggest X-factor.

Everyone already knows what Doncic and Irving are going to bring, but Thompson's potential impact is unknown at this point. Jason Kidd and the coaching staff aren't going to make things hard on Thompson, and that's exactly what is going to make him successful as a Maverick.

If Thompson can be good on the defensive end while knocking down a high clip of his open threes, the Mavs are going to be in great shape. Thompson will thrive off the open shots that Doncic and Irving create, and he is poised to plug in as an excellent third piece next to them.

Thompson is going to be a key component of the Mavs' performance next season, and the big three of Irving, Doncic, and Thompson could lead Dallas to the top of the Western Conference once again.