After the Dallas Mavericks hired Dusty May as their next head coach, fans are optimistic that the team can overperform.
After all, May has a track record of finding success no matter what the expectations are, as exhibited by his 2023 Final Four run with Florida Atlantic University and his national title with Michigan in 2026.
The Mavericks, much like the Owls and Wolverines, will not enter next season as favorites. Rebuilding around Cooper Flagg remains the top priority, and they could swing a trade for assets and players who better fit their timeline.
Klay Thompson Landing Spots Revealed
Even with reason to believe that the Mavericks might be able to turn the ship around sooner than expected, it stands to reason that Klay Thompson will not be a part of their future.
The veteran is certainly an all-time great, but is well past his prime and only has a limited window left. Last season, he averaged 11.7 points on 38.3 percent shooting from 3-point range.
While he's no longer an All-Star, teams looking for a final piece could certainly use his floor-spacing and leadership. As the Mavericks look to add young players and draft assets, the San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trail Blazers, and Detroit Pistons are all expected to be suitors.
"While the Mavericks are not going to get back a hefty return for veteran Klay Thompson, who played only 21.7 minutes per game last season, there are enough contender-types sniffing around that the Mavs have some hope of landing draft capital for him," wrote Heavy's Sean Deveney. "Thompson is 36 but shot 38 percent from the 3-point line last year and has one year and $17 million left on his contract. The Pistons, Spurs, and Blazers are said to be among the interested teams."
All three teams could easily absorb his salary, and all of them have ample young players and/or draft assets. The Spurs could give the Mavericks back their 2030 first-round pick, the Pistons could give the Mavericks a timeline-fitting depth piece, and the Blazers, intriguingly, could even part with Scoot Henderson.
At one point in his career, Thompson was worth multiple first-round picks. Those days are long gone, but if Dallas can get three teams in a bidding war, they might be able to garner an impressive return.
