Mavericks Hit Klay Thompson Tipping Point No Other Team Wants to Be In

As the Dallas Mavericks stumble through a disappointing 2025-26 season, sitting at a dismal 12-23 record heading into January 2026, the franchise has reached a critical juncture with veteran shooting guard Klay Thompson. The four-time NBA champion, signed to a three-year, $50 million deal in the summer of 2024 with championship aspirations, is now emblematic of the team’s broader struggles. Thompson’s sharp decline—at the worst possible time for a rebuilding Mavericks squad—has pushed Dallas to a tipping point where his diminished production, reduced minutes, and remaining contract obligations make him a burdensome asset that no contender truly covets in a trade.

Klay Thompson’s Arrival: High Hopes Dashed by Reality

When Thompson joined the Mavericks via a historic six-team sign-and-trade in July 2024, it was billed as the missing piece for a Finals contender. Fresh off a 2024 NBA Finals appearance, Dallas paired the legendary Splash Brother with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, envisioning unstoppable spacing and veteran leadership. Thompson himself expressed excitement, citing the team’s young talent, style of play, and organizational treatment as key factors in choosing Dallas over suitors like the Lakers.

In his first season (2024-25), Thompson averaged a respectable 14.0 points on 39.1% three-point shooting, starting all 72 games he played. While not vintage Klay, it was serviceable alongside Dončić’s playmaking, which generated open looks.

But everything changed in February 2025 with the blockbuster trade sending Dončić to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. The Mavericks pivoted toward defense and interior dominance, drafting Cooper Flagg No. 1 overall. Thompson, now 35 (turning 36 in February 2026), was suddenly a veteran on a transitioning roster plagued by injuries (Irving’s ACL tear) and inconsistency.

The Decline: Statistical Evidence of a Sharp Drop-Off

Through 32 games in 2025-26, Thompson is enduring the worst season of his illustrious career:

• 11.1 points per game (career low, down from 17.9 in 2024-25)
• 37.4% field goal shooting and 35.1% from three (both near career lows; his career 3PT% is 40.9%)
• 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists in just 21.7 minutes per game

Early in the season, slumps were brutal: shooting as low as 25.9% from three in October stretches, with games like 2-of-10 (1-of-6 from deep) for 5 points. Corner threes—a career strength at 43.6%—plummeted to 29%. Analysts pointed to reduced usage, fewer spot-up opportunities without Dončić’s gravity, and age-related loss of explosiveness.

A benching in November 2025 marked a low point. Head coach Jason Kidd demoted Thompson to the reserves, where he’s started just 8 of 32 games. Off the bench, production ticked up slightly (11.9 PPG, 37.1% 3PT), but recent games show regression: just 13 minutes in a January 1 loss to Philadelphia (9 points on 4-of-9 shooting), his second-lowest minute total as a Maverick.

Advanced metrics paint a grim picture: negative plus-minus in most lineups, low true shooting percentage (around 50.8%), and diminished defensive impact. Once a two-way force, Thompson now struggles with lateral quickness and effort consistency.

The Tipping Point: Minutes, Role, and Team Fit

The Mavericks have hit the uncomfortable reality that no other NBA team desperately wants. Thompson’s $16.7 million salary this season, followed by $17.5 million in 2026-27, represents a significant commitment for a player providing replacement-level (or below) production.

Dallas’ interim front office (Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi) is actively exploring trades, per reports from Shams Charania, Marc Stein, and others. Thompson prefers a contender, but his decline deters buyers:

• Contenders need reliable shooting without defensive liabilities.
• His contract lacks appeal for salary dumps or rebuilds.
• Potential suitors (Lakers reunion? Spurs? Warriors nostalgic return?) hesitate due to age, shooting inconsistency, and the cost to acquire him.

A January 1, 2026, article from The Smoking Cuban crystallized it: “They’ve reached a tipping point with him that no other team wants to be a part of.” Reduced to 13 minutes in a loss, Thompson’s role has shrunk as Dallas prioritizes youth like Flagg.

Kidd praises Thompson’s professionalism—”He’s been great coming off the bench”—but the writing is on the wall. With the February 5 trade deadline looming, Dallas wants assets or cap relief to build around Flagg, P.J. Washington, and a returning Irving (potentially mid-2026).

Why This Timing Hurts Dallas Most

Thompson’s decline coincides with the Mavericks’ identity crisis:

• Post-Dončić trade fallout: Fans disillusioned, attendance dipping.
• Injury plague: Davis inconsistent, Irving out long-term.
• Poor record: Last in the West early, now fighting for play-in.
• Asset poverty: Limited picks until 2031.

Paying premium money for a declining veteran hampers flexibility. Trading him now might yield seconds or young flyers; waiting risks zero return in 2027 free agency.

Comparisons to past veterans (e.g., late-career declines of shooters like Joe Johnson) highlight the risk: Teams avoid inheriting the “tipping point” where production no longer justifies cost.

Potential Trade Scenarios and Landing Spots

Reports link Thompson to:

• San Antonio Spurs: Swap for youth/salary relief; fits Wembanyama timeline.
• Golden State Warriors reunion: Emotional, but unlikely without major assets.
• Lakers: Past interest, but roster fit questionable.
• Multi-team deals: Involving Gafford or others for better returns.

Challenges: Matching salaries, Thompson’s no-trade leverage (implicit preference for contenders), and low market value.

If no deal materializes, Thompson finishes the year as a mentor—bittersweet for a Hall of Famer.

Thompson’s Legacy and the Road Ahead

Klay Thompson remains one of the greatest shooters ever: fifth all-time in threes, key to four Warriors titles. His resilience post-ACL/Achilles tears inspired many.

But Father Time is undefeated. At 35, on a mismatched roster, his decline accelerates Dallas’ pain.

The Mavericks must decide: Ride out the contract or cut losses? Either way, they’ve arrived at the tipping point no team envies—stuck with a legend whose prime has passed, at the exact moment they need to turn the page.

As the deadline nears, Thompson’s future hangs in balance. For Dallas, moving on—however difficult—may be the only path forward.