Former NBA champion likens Klay Thompson's Mavericks role to his 2014-15 Wizards stint
Former NBA champion Paul Pierce sees Klay Thompson proving his value with the Dallas Mavericks deep in their campaign, similar to what he accomplished during his stint with the Washington Wizards in the 2014-15 season.
"The Truth" shared this on the "Ticket & The Truth" podcast, which he hosts with Kevin Garnett, uploaded on Oct. 18, highlighting how, like his role was in his lone season in Washington, the Mavericks will truly feel the impact of Thompson's presence in the playoffs.
Pierce said:
"Klay's value will not really gonna show in the regular season as it will in the playoffs. That's what I'm thinking. As you get older, you just, the regular season you kinda try to go through it and you save those special performances when it really counts."
"He's a champ. He's gonna hit big shots. Like my value when I went to Washington. I was like, I won't put up huge numbers at that point but you know what, I'm gonna be here down the stretch and I'm gonna make these big shots. That's what Klay's gonna bring to them."
Check out what he had to say below:
Pierce, who won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 2008, played one year in Washington after one season with the Brooklyn Nets. With the Wizards, he played and started in 73 games, averaging 11.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 26 minutes. In the playoffs, he helped the team reach the Eastern Conference semifinals and had numbers of 14.6 points and 4.2 rebounds in 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Klay Thompson, 34, moved to the Mavericks in the offseason to get a fresh start at this late stage of his career. He spent 13 years with the Golden State Warriors where he became a four-time champion and a multiple-time All-Star.
Luka Doncic says Klay Thompson crucial for Mavs in upcoming season
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is high on Klay Thompson joining them for the upcoming NBA season, believing that if the team utilizes his abilities fully, he can help them go over the hump and realize their champion goals.
Thompson, who signed a three-year, $50-million contract with Dallas, joined a team that made it all the way to the NBA Finals last season. The Mavericks are hoping that with his experience in big games and his two-way game, he will be the final championship piece for them.
Speaking about what Klay Thompson brings to the team, Doncic said during media day (via ESPN):
"Championship. That's the goal. I feel like our dreams can be possible because he's here now. He's added a great value to our championship aspirations."
He added:
"When me and Kai, when we have the ball, you basically can't help off of Klay. Because if you leave him wide open, he's going to make it. So I think the spacing is going to be crucial for us..."
In his final year with the Golden State Warriors last season, Thompson averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals on 43.2% shooting and 38.7% from deep.