6 Traits Klay Thompson brings the Dallas Mavericks have desperately missed

When the Dallas Mavericks completed a sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson from the Golden State Warriors, it was a huge moment for the franchise. The Mavs landed a top free agent, who's proved a lot in his NBA career to the Warriors franchise.

Thompson going to Dallas helped start a new era to join to the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But, Thompson brings more than just talent to Dallas.

For years, the Mavs have missed traits in players to help them deeper in the NBA Playoffs, and with Thompson's resume, he will add traits that the Mavs have missed.

6 Traits Klay Thompson brings that the Dallas Mavericks have desperately missed

The Mavs have needed these traits for years, and by signing Thompson, they gained traits that they have been missing.

Thompson is one of the best 3-point shooters to ever play and is an NBA Champion, but there are also several other things that he'll help the Mavs with.

6. Defense

Most NBA fans will remember Thompson for his 3-point shooting, but some might forget Thompson's defense. Thompson has been able to improve his defense to make him a better all around player. Thompson finished 11th in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2018, and was All-NBA Defensive second team in 2019.

Adding Thompson will make the Mavs a better defensive team. The Mavs' defense was elite at the end of last season, and adding Thompson makes the defense even better.

Thompson talked about how he wants to lock in defensively at his introductory press conference with Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall.

"Playing against these two, I mean, that's why they're here," Thompson said. "Not cause it's pretty, cause they lock up, and willing to do the dirty work. I've gone against both of them. So, we're gonna have some battles at practice. I'm excited about that."

Thompson saying that next to Marshall and Grimes makes him hungrier to help the Mavs improve the defense. Having Thompson lock in will help give the Mavs an extra boost of energy in an area that can get better. An improving defense always makes a team better, and Thompson helps bring that trait to Dallas.

5. Being a magnet who can help draw other marque free agents

For years, the Dallas Mavericks haven't been viewed by many players as a top free agent destination. But, the fact that Klay Thompson joined the Mavs is proving that the tables are turning in Dallas, and is becoming more of a free agent destination for the future.

The Mavs have a chance to win anytime with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving on the court, and adding Thompson proved they can be able to attract top free agents. Being able to attract other top free agents in free agency shows that players want to play for the Mavs in huge.

Even during the Dirk Nowitzki era, the Mavs still had issues signing top free agents, but Thompson being in Dallas will change that. Now that Thompson is in Dallas, other free agents going forward can have the Mavs as a destination for them to sign.

An example of Thompson's impact contributing huge on winning team is from 2016 when Kevin Durant joined forces with him and Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors.

Dallas being a free agent destination has changed drastically in just one free agency thanks to Thompson. If Thompson helps bring his winning attitude with Doncic and Irving, the Mavs will have the ability to draw others to Dallas, which hasn't always been the case.

4. Leadership

Leadership on the Dallas Mavericks has been kind of a struggle for years ever since Dirk Nowitzki retired in 2019. Luka Donic took time to develop into a leader in 2019 because he was a rookie in Nowitzki's final NBA season.

The Mavs have had their fair share of players who were leaders on other teams like Kristaps Porzingis and Kyrie Irving. As good as Irving is with his leadership to help the Mavs win, the team still needed more leadership, and Klay Thompson has brought huge leadership during his NBA career.

Thompson's game speaks for itself, and the Mavs will rally around him. Thompson also will have the ability to help mentor young players on the Mavs. Some of those players include Jaden Hardy, Oliver-Maxence Prosper, and Dereck Lively II. Younger players will listen and learn from Thompson with his NBA experience.

The Mavs also have a good locker room leader with Dwight Powell and Markieff Morris if they re-sign him, but the leadership got even stronger with Thompson on the team.

If there's one player who benefits a lot from Thompson's experience is Irving. The two share a bond with playing on two Team USA teams before, and the two can develop great chemistry in the locker room and on the court for the rest of the players to feed off of.

The Mavs needed leadership for years since 2019, and they struck gold with Thompson bringing in his leadership to the team.

3. The ability to be a third scorer

The Dallas Mavericks offense will begin with the dominance of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Now that Klay Thompson is on the Mavs, he has the ability to be the third scorer on the team.

Last season, Doncic and Irving led the Mavs in scoring, but the team was lacking a third scorer. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished as the team's third leading scorer, but struggled deeply in the playoffs to be the third scorer.

In the 2024 NBA Playoffs, P.J. Washington finished with the third-most points averaged on the team with 13, but isn't really viewed as a third scorer. With Thompson's ability to score at all angles, he can have the potential to ace being the third scorer and take some weight off of Doncic and Irving's shoulders.

The Mavs losing Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, and Derrick Jones Jr. also helped Thompson be the third scorer because the Mavs had inconsistency from players to score at a high level for the entire playoffs.

Thompson was an elite third scorer from 2017-2019 when Kevin Durant joined forces with the Golden State Warriors with him and Stephen Curry when the Warriors made the Finals, and Thompson can do it again with Doncic and Irving.

Third scorers in the NBA are always important to have for a team, and the Mavs have been lacking one. Now, they can have their third scorer of the future with Thompson on the team.

2. Confidence as a shooter

There's no denying that Klay Thompson can shoot the ball from three, and also mid-range. When a player is an elite jump shooter, they will shoot with confidence, and Klay Thompson is someone who lets it fly with confidence when shooting the basketball.

At times last season, the Mavs had players on the team that wouldn't shoot with much confidence. Some of those players included Derrick Jones Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, and even P.J. Washington at times. Hardaway Jr.'s confidence was lacking at the end of the season and was unplayable during the playoffs.

What's good about Thompson is he will never be afraid to shoot the basketball, particularly from three. Thompson was deeply criticized for his 0-of-10 game on field goals in the NBA Play-In Tournament against the Sacramento Kings.

But, Thompson knows that he needs one shot to go in in order for him to get hot from the field, and when Thompson gets hot shooting the basketball, it gives Thompson and his team a great chance to win the game.

Thompson has averaged at least 20 points per game seven times in his career, so he will never be afraid to shoot, and that is a good thing for the Mavs. Confidence in shooters will always be needed for a team to have success and have confidence in their players, and Thompson helps bring that to Dallas. Thompson's confidence can help influence players like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Quentin Grimes to shoot the ball more with confidence, and that will hopefully be contagious to those around them.

1. 3-point shooting

Klay Thompson was one of the players to change the NBA by having teams shoot more 3-pointers today than teams did years ago. The Mavs have always been struggling in shooting the three since 2019 when Dirk Nowitzki retired. Nowitzki was a great 3-point shooter, and the Mavs needed to find ways to get 3-point shooting back.

The Mavs had inconsistency from Tim Hardaway Jr. to shoot the three, and Luka Doncic was slowly developing his 3-point shot. Kyrie Irving and Doncic are elite 3-point shooters, but the Mavs needed more 3-point shooting. Thompson will add the 3-point shooting off the catch the team has been missing.

All signs showed the Mavs needed 3-point shooting badly when the team shot poorly from three in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, and Thompson is the perfect fit for 3-point shooting.

Thompson has shot at least 40 percent from three in nine of his 11 NBA seasons played, and he's a huge upgrade to help the 3-point shooting. Having any player on a team that has nine seasons of shooting at least 40 percent from three is very impressive.

Dallas will be one of the top teams next season in 3-point shooting next season with Doncic, Irving, and Thompson on the same team. These three players have the ability to make a 3-pointer anywhere at any time, and that will be scary for teams that will have to play Dallas.

Thompson has brought huge traits into Dallas, that the team has been missing for years. More positive things have come into Dallas with Thompson on the team. Thompson is already spending time with his new teammates in California right now, and he is going to be an incredible piece for the Mavs.