Recent ranking Illustrates why Klay Thompson makes the Mavs a monster in the West

The Dallas Mavericks began their offseason with a bang.

After losing in the NBA Finals to the Boston Celtics, Dallas was motivated to add more shooting. Their 3-point shooting woes were part of the reason that Dallas ultimately fell to the Celtics, and they desperately needed to add a consistent shooter.

Dallas went out and signed Klay Thompson to a three-year deal via sign-and-trade, and this was the perfect move for the Mavs to finally gain a third option next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Mavs needed a third scorer and more scoring, and Dallas killed two birds with one stone by bringing in Thompson.

Thompson seems ecstatic to be joining the Mavs core and competing for his fifth ring, and while there have been many doubters regarding Thompson's fit in Dallas, there is finally starting to be some praise.

Thompson's rank as third option is exactly what Mavericks needed

Yahoo Sports' Ben Rohrbach recently ranked every team in the NBA's No. 3 option, and he ranked Thompson at No. 19. This is a big compliment for Thompson and where he stands compared to other supporting stars, and this is why the Mavs struck gold.

They already have Doncic and Irving who form one of the league's best duos, and the addition of Thompson is the cherry on top. They needed someone who could take the pressure off their shoulders and support them off the ball, and that's exactly what he'll do. Thompson's off-ball gravity will help open up the floor for the star duo, and if it doesn't, Thompson will be making the defense pay by drilling open shots.

He may not be the same defender he once was, but he still remains confident in his shooting. Thompson still knows the defense can't leave him open, and him just being on the floor will affect how teams defend Dallas.

Outside of drilling threes, Thompson also gives the Mavs someone who can score off the dribble when needed from the mid-range. If teams run him off the 3-point line, Thompson can put the ball on the floor and drill mid-range shots from off the dribble. Although this isn't his strong suit, he can also get all the way to the rim when needed.

Defensively, Thompson is at his best when guarding wings. He doesn't have the same lateral quickness that he once had, but he still has the instincts and drive to compete. Thompson shouldn't be expected to be the defensive stopper that he once was, but he'll at least have to be competitive in order to remain a good fit in that starting lineup next to Irving and Doncic. He'll likely have P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II on the backline for defense, but he'll have to hold his own as well.

During Media Day, Brandon Williams commented on Thompson's defense, and it doesn't seem like Mavs fans will have too much to worry about. He complimented how Thompson can still move his feet well, and him being good in this area will drastically help the Mavs.

Thompson finally getting some respect this summer when being compared to his peers should be a big breath of fresh air for Mavs fans, and the tea is fired up and ready to go now that media day has come and gone. He seems invested in being the best version of himself with the Mavs, and time will tell if he ends up being one of the best No. 3 options in the league and deserves to be higher on this list.