Klay Thompson's confident message shows why Warriors shouldn't have let him go

Dallas Mavericks basketball is back in just a few days as they take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night in their first preseason affair.

Unfortunately for fans looking to get a glance at this season's Mavericks squad at full strength, superstar Luka Doncic will miss Monday's game after suffering a calf injury before training camp began earlier this week.

Despite Doncic's injury occurring early in camp, the Mavericks have had a positive start to the season. Sophomore standout Dereck Lively II was announced as the team's starting center to start the season and will have a chance at competing to be the team's starting center all year long depending on how he plays.

In addition to Lively II, newcomer Naji Marshall has shined in his first few days wearing a Mavericks jersey. While Klay Thompson was rumored to be a future starter in Dallas the day he was brought in, Marshall has made a name for himself as a potential starter later in the season or even to begin the year if Jason Kidd decides to go that direction.

Thompson remains confident he had a great final season with Warriors

Despite Marshall's surprising start to camp, Thompson has still showcased why he is a future First-Ballot Hall of Famer. Thompson hasn't just played excellently his first few days in Dallas, but he's made everyone around him better. He is a leader, and all of his teammates and the entire organization are doing whatever they can to make him feel at home.

Thompson will still need to prove a lot on the court but it's become clear why the Mavericks made a move for the four-time champ after just a few days of training camp.

Despite excelling in his first few days as a Maverick, fans were left with a bitter taste after Thompson's last game as a Golden State Warrior saw him go 0/10 in the season's most important game. With this in mind, Thompson has begun to operate this season with a prove-it mentality.

Recently, Thompson talked about how he felt about last season in an interview with Tristan Jass, and the 34-year-old responded by saying he still feels like he had great production last year.

“At the end of the day, I look back like, bro, I still play a phenomenal brand of ball," Thompson said. "You average 18 a game and shoot 39 percent from three in the league. I’m not gonna let someone tell me that’s not great.”

With those stats, it's no wonder why Thompson feels good about his last season in Golden State.

Despite his sour end, Thompson still contributed massively to his former team's success. Thompson was constantly the Warriors' floor spreader when Stephen Curry was carrying the load of the ball-handling abilities.

While Thompson will have a similar role in Dallas, his job will be much easier with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the floor.

It wouldn't be surprising to see Thompson's 18 points and 39 percent from behind the arc rise in a Mavericks uniform. Last season, Thompson attempted nine 3-pointers per game. This will likely be another stat that rises with Doncic and Irving dishing him the ball.

Dallas' first preseason game against Memphis on Monday night will be a good first look at how Thompson's role will look on the Mavericks.