The New Look Mavericks Could Be GAME BREAKING...

A lot of major moves have been made in NBA Free Agency so far with Paul George leaving the Los Angeles Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers, Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder over the New York Knicks, and Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks amongst other moves the reigning Western Conference Champions have made. It's a controversial move, but one that I think will do a lot for them and has the chance to really unlock their full potential. So, let's talk about it.
Subscribe today and become a Real One
Twitter: / three_cone​​​
Video Submissions: forms.gle/7Xgt...
#NBAFreeAgency #DallasMavericks #KlayThompson
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Tim Hardaway Jr. Trade
2:29 - Naji Marshall Signing
3:13 - Klay Thompson is a Maverick
4:41 - Can the Defense Hold Up?
5:29 - The Best Offense in the NBA?
8:08 - Klay was the Right Move
10:26 - This is Gonna Be Fun
11:32 - Outro

[@SouthernDrinkSlinger]

01) People are acting like DJJ was all defensive team - DPOY. The dude was playing 14 minutes per game on a terrible Bulls team before signing a vet minimum with Dallas. Then the Luka effect inflated his value, got him a bag, and he will regress back to what he really is on a team without Luka. Meanwhile, Naji Marshall was playing behind a stacked pelican's forward roster, getting similar production as DJJ, and brings more size to Dallas. Once the Luka effect inflates Naji's game, people won't even remember DJJ. 02) There are people actually saying the Mavs got worse. They replaced make-a-wish 3pt shooter THJ with one of the best 3pt shooters of all time. IDC if Klay's defense has regressed to being a liability, it's still more D than THJ played. You replaced Green with Grimes. I was hoping they'd trade Green for years now. He didn't fit the system & Grimes is a clear upgrade on the defensive end. Then you replaced DJJ with Naji, who has similar defense but Naji is a much better shooter. 03) Lively and Hardy are still rookies and they will improve year after year. The problem with Hardy is that he isn't a PG, and this team is already stacked on 2/3 players. 04) Stop bringing up O'Max. We all hope he improves, but he won't play in close games this year. He hasn't developed enough, and I'm honestly not sure he will next year either. 05) The Mavs solved some of their glaring issues that were super noticeable in the finals... 3 points shooting and a dependable 3rd scrorer. So much trash talk about not enough defense if Klay starts, but people aren't realizing that Kidd can run his rotations so only 2 of the 3 are on the court at the same time for most of their minutes, even if they all start. Grimes should be one of their better PoA defenders and you can run any combination of Grimes, Luka, Klay, & Kryie that you want 1-3.

[@azure950]

yeah i dont think grimes' defense is talked about much but he definitely has better iq on the defensive end than josh green and can actually defend on screens, naji is a really good defender and a good shooter that could do with a bit more volume but with luka's playmaking that could come up well, same with klay getting more good looks, and the defense is just better now with more players that can defend at a higher level, as you said thj is literally useless on D and djj was never talked about as some defensive wall or anything until he joined dallas, which maybe he improved his defense but its not like we're losing an all defense calibre player

[@JERWINIVANCORBETA]

speaking PURE FACTS

[@imdbtruth]

I agree with most of that.

[@greakfreakmyboy9822]

Mavs might not even be done making moves, wouldn’t be surprised if they flip kleber and one of Hardy or omax to bring in another solid bench piece. Mavs will be the 1 seed in the west next year and maybe number 1 overall seed.

[@No1Armadillo]

.... but still gonna miss Flight 55 !!!! He was fun to watch but yeah, you're right..... As i keep saying about Nico's Mavs... this team is built around chemistry and attitude, and if you look, every player we have, including the new recruits, are a reflection of Jason Kidd and how he approached basketball as a player.... if it was just about numbers, we should have simply stopped playing last season and let the Clippers claim their throne with all their super-stars.....oh wait, they crashed and burned! ..... because no chemistry!!

[@ArkhamDeluxe]

Casuals not realising that Klay has been brought in as the upgrade to THJ is hilarious 😂 They think that if he isn't the 3rd best player, the team will fail whereas THJ was unplayable last year in the playoffs and they made the finals?? Go off though ig

[@javierlandaverde4108]

Klay signed for Dallas to be a guaranteed starter not the bench. If he did then he would have stayed for the warriors but he still wants to be a starter. That’s the whole argument why he left and because they didn’t add the extra +1 year he requested

[@user-yq6lv5jx6w]

​@javierlandaverde4108 Klay left because he felt disrespected. He came to Dallas because he sees them closer to a chip than the other options on the table. He wants to finish with more rings than Steph and he very well might do it in Dallas😢

[@healthfadsfade]

Fr man the Mavs don’t even need 2016 Klay! 2024 Klay is plenty good 😂

[@Jaysolate]

Got absolutely fucked up in the finals and exposed as frauds tho. They shouldn't have been there in the first place

[@healthfadsfade]

@@Jaysolate Who you think can beat them in the West? If you say OKC I will laugh

[@rylbhadcomntz7660]

Mavs vs Thunder for WCF is shaping up nicely.

[@nkrumansantos1794]

Quentin Grimes is an underrated addition too. Dallas is building a roster will multiple threats from outside that dont hurt you on defense. You will not be able to stop them if Luka goes cold. Corner 3's will go in a lot more often.

[@Streets3544]

Bro, I am tired of this DJJ narrative, as if he was some lockdown defender, shutting people down night in and night out, which is far from the truth yes he’s good but we are a good defensive team as-an whole it’s not just one person. It’s a collective effort also with the additions. This off-season we have gotten deeper and better and I am happy we are our team is.

[@Byronic19134]

I think Josh Green is a bigger loss.

[@dundalis]

@@Byronic19134 Josh Green had the second worst on/off rating of any Maverick who played over 1000 minutes the entire season. The worst was Grant Williams. He's not even a loss. People just liked his energy and athleticism, and ignore the multiple bone headed decisions he made every single game.

[@dundalis]

Actually the defense is entirely predicated on the Lively/Gafford combo. They both impact the defense the way Luka impacts the offense. It's no coincidence the defense became elite when the Mavs got Gafford and were able to roll out 48 minutes of elite rim protection. They are the reason a team with Luka and Kyrie who are not as bad as people say but still not good, could still be the number 1 defense the last 30 games of the reg season. As long as they are both healthy this team will have an above average defense at minimum.

[@DreP-yd7pg]

@@Byronic19134Klay is replacing DJJ his offense is 20x better than him as well as THJ. and has solid defense that’s better than THJ. Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes are replacing Josh Green and they both have better defense and offense than Green does he’s too small and was inconsistent at times in the regular season/postseason

[@pinobluevogel6458]

I liked Josh Green a lot. He just came off one of his best shooting years and despite not making the best decisions or being completely wild at times, his amazing athleticism, energy and effort was always there. He has had some spectacular plays over the years, it was just great to watch him. Maybe it's for the best, but I still will remember him fondly as a fun player.

[@Smido83]

I see it this way: Grimes can (and will) replace Green 1 vs 1. I really love what Green did for us and its sad to see him go. I really hope he balls out in Charlotte and a true Contender gets him out of there as soon as possible (looking at you Milwaukee or Cleveland). But Grimes is basically the same player. The one thing I allways liked about Grimes (and hoped Green would do it too), he just lets it fly from 3 if open. No hesitation whatsoever. For his career he takes more then double the 3P attempts that Green does (per 36 minutes) with a similar 3P%. Marshall also can (and hopefully will) replace DJJ. They are a bit different, one is a better shooter/playmaker, the other one is more athletic. But the Pels defense was 6 points better with Marshall on the court. And lets be honest, who was DJJ before playing for Dallas and in Kidd's system? So I also think this swap isnt making us worse. BUT Thompson replacing THJ? Do I even have to talk about it? Thats a huge upgrade. Yes, Thompson isnt a great PoA defender anymore... and yet he is still better then THJ ever was on defense. And he is also a way, WAY better and MORE CONSISTENT scorer. Dude shot 45% on C&S 3's last season! The problem was he had to (or wanted, dont know) to create a lot for himself. Thats not what his job will be on our team. Just run around some offball screens and shoot the rock if open! So overall we clearly got better, while still being under the 2nd tax apron and without giving up a 1st! Ad the internal groth of our younger guys (specially Lively, hopefully Hardy and O-Max) and better chemistry (having a full season together) to the mix and I am more then happy with our offseason.

[@pinobluevogel6458]

What Green offered was a ton of effort, amazing speed and athleticism, a bit of passing and a lot of overzealous defense. I think Grimes is the smarter, more capable version of Green for sure. He was excellent at the Knicks and was seen as a player to put on top offensive threats and lock them down. (something Josh Green certainly tried, but didn't excel at) Grimes isn't absolutely amazing, but I like his shooting mechanics a lot better. Like you said, he also isn't scared to shoot, which is the first requirement of being a 3 point threat. Marshall is a way more complete and versatile player. DJJ has more speed, which can be important and ofcourse he is a high flyer which isn't just great for catching lobs, but also fun to see in games. Naji however, is a bit more stable as a defender, stronger and sturdier for sure. His passing is really good, he also has some playmaking instincts and quite a few tricks in his bag offensively. Making such an improvement defensively for one of the best defensive teams in the NBA is saying something. DJJ certainly isn't too far behind, but I still think Mavs got the better of the two players on both offense and defense. Great points overall, we will see what the Mavs can do with these new additions.

[@zachbennett5179]

Ideally I’d like to see Klay come off the bench as a flamethrower and part of the closing lineup. Start either naji or grimes as key defenders depending on matchups

[@lukaskywalker7791]

I'm a Mavs fan and I'll tell you, we upgraded but man, the Thunder made correct moves. That series could have gone differently given a few bounces. OKC missed tons of wide open shots, like we did in the finals. It's gonna be between OKC and Mavs. Wolves fans, happy to say Luka powns Gobert and Ant Man admires Dallas players too much. Denver is just shedding depth. Clippers... no comment. Lakers... no comment

[@JTB_FM]

Grizzlies will be up there too

[@hardywoodaway9912]

if Luka would have been healthy we would have swept OKC…

[@austinparks997]

I like the Klay pickup….but if we got PG it would have been game over. Klay, Luka, and Kyrie on the court together is such a defensive liability. I don’t even think Luka is half as bad on defensive as people think he is but he takes possessions off. PG is a good defender and can be a great on and off ball scorer. Klay is the best off ball scorer on the team right now. I just hope he’s consistent.

[@mehdiharaketi495]

don't be pessimistic , i see the klay move as the best move of the off season because : - its the first time since a long time nobody's gonna say klay doesn't deserve his money , and the warriors did him a favor... -as a 3rd superstar (and yes klay is starting at the 3) , they don't need him that much offesively which means he's gonna have more energy for the defense (and that will be his aim too to not get benched), it won't be prime klay but he won't be a liability - u saw what happened with ky and how he regained his love for basketball in dallas and became one of the most lovable nba players - u can't deny that josh green + a 2nd for klay is straight up robbery + getting him to refuse 24mil from the dubs he built to go sign for u for 16.5mil probably needed some witchcraft

[@moses9647]

Couldn't agree more. As a Mavs fan I'm hoping someone else is able to knock off OKC. SGA is the real deal and they directly addressed their shortcomings particularly against the Mavs. I feel good about everyone else in the West in a 7-game series. Boston is going to continue being a problem though

[@picklerick8237]

Love to see a thunder fan giving us our flowers. Okc was already the 1 seed tho and you saw the moves they made👀. Looking forward to that rematch in the wcf next year 🤝

[@SomeGoodBroth]

Yessir me too

[@noahklassen4485]

A game seven would be so cool

[@pinobluevogel6458]

One thing I didn't realise that another commenter pointed me to (on another video) is that Klay Thompson, despite having a down year shooting and some bad shot selection, still shot over 45% on his open three pointers. This basically means, that with the massive playmaking advantage that the Mavs have over the Warriors, he is going to have more open shots and he is still getting respected by the opposing defenses, which means there is way more space for Luka and Kyrie to attack. Also having Kyrie on one side and Klay on the other, that completely overstretches defenses, as both are top shooters in the league. The only thing I'm worried about is Klay's defense. They really need to get him in lineups with their defensive guys, he could also be a swap with Luka and Kyrie if one of them goes to the bench, so they always have this offensive threat out there, that could really work.

[@joshuaharmening7750]

I feel like Klay "quiet quit" the Warriors last season. He didn't want to give them his best. He was over it.

[@johnnelson3665]

That is pathetic. Not giving your all for the team you play for. I hope he fails even more if true.

[@JERWINIVANCORBETA]

Lets be for real here. They at least winning 60 games with this new and improved lineup with the core finally getting a full season of chemistry. Nico aint even done yet.

[@iopne4025]

If healthy maybe

[@robglobal1]

PJ Washington could be the Mavs sleeper next year!

[@AJ-zy9jf]

Lakers and Warriors fans really mad and coping in the comments 😂😂😂 Mavs just got Klay for 17-18 mil a year. A steal.

[@geordiejones5618]

Its a steal in 2022. Now its still a bit of an overpay, which is worth it if the Mavs get back to the Finals. Nuggets got worse, clippers got worse, Suns/Lakers most likely the same, Wolves need something else. OKC really the only West team that got better so the field feels fairly favorable for Dallas, but they still lost in 5 to a Celtics teams that was missing a starter for 3 games. It might mean a 7 game series but Brown and Tatum are 5-2 in game 7s, those two losses to Lebron in 18 and to the Heat after going down 0-3, so they are crazy though to beat as a duo in game 7, only losing when up against the best player in the NBA as young players and up against historically unfavorable odds.

[@leonelelias9210]

@@geordiejones5618 it´s a steal not an operpay, klay is still a movement shooter and a decent defender, 16mill for one of those in the current nba is a steal.

[@SomeGoodBroth]

CRAZY steal

[@SomeGoodBroth]

@@leonelelias9210that sounds like someone who should be making 20 mil a year in todays nba

[@kennethhanes5702]

@@geordiejones5618in todays league, 18 points on 39% from three and 9 threes a game is a steal lol

[@Salmonpaper26363]

Scary thing is we already know Luka and kyrie play well together and they’re going to get buckets regardless. Even if Klay has off shooting nights the mavs could still win the majority of those games. With Klay having a hot shooting night I see them being pretty much unstoppable

[@spojsvojs]

Before you all throw some slander on Klay,let me remind you that they said Kyrie should retire before he joined Dallas 😉

[@pinobluevogel6458]

Kyrie was never as bad as Klay was to be perfectly honest. But let's not get too negative, I think Klay will be better in Dallas, which is already good enough as a shooting option.

[@spojsvojs]

@@pinobluevogel6458 He was unplayable during covid...It cannot get worse then that 🤣

[@pinobluevogel6458]

@@spojsvojs Get over it finally. In hindsight, I'm really happy he chose this route. I don't think he would have gotten to Dallas if he wasn't so unfairly hounded by the press about every little thing, just for having conservative values and standing up for his community. New York was probably the worst place for him to be and I'm happy he is in a good place now where he is respected and loved.

[@marcusht7352]

I think this team’s bench has great defensive potential, and I have faith in Kidd to put the right lineups together throughout the game to go on defensive runs. The starting and closing lineups will not have as great defence, however the offence will be damn near unstoppable.

[@charlesthompson5645]

Pj Washington will grow from getting cooked in the finals hopefully.

[@markitzero4777]

Everyone has to pay their dues, especially your first time in the playoffs.

[@ukog6048]

​@@markitzero4777true I mean ask LeBron..

[@pinobluevogel6458]

I think PJ can look back at an amazing playoff performance overall. Yes, Boston defended very well, but he was instrumental at getting the Mavs out of hard situations by being able to create enough offense out of the middle when they doubled Luka or Kyrie. With Naji Marshall basically being an even better player at that role, they have 2 guys that they can rely on to create out of these specific spots, while being still good at the defensive end. Also, PJ was so clutch in most of his games. Even when he played bad all game, he picked it up at the end of games when it mattered. This fits amazingly well on a Mavs team that lives in the clutch.

[@Wes-jq8zg]

​shit that was beautifully said bro 10/10 👏

[@dundalis]

PJ will not be starting games for the Mavs come playoff time. Not because he's a bad player, but because one of Grimes or Marshall will end up being straight up better. Klay will actually be better off playing the 4, and playing PJ's role on defense anyway.

[@CheyenneSedai]

I wish Denver could make some moves like this to get their depth back. Excited to see how the Mavs do.

[@LLRhettLL]

It depends. The role players need to step up if they want to win the finals. Same with Klay, as long as he can shoot the ball they are serious contenders

[@t7-nba379]

Still not good enough to beat boston

[@javierlandaverde4108]

They got better offensively but on defense they took a hit

[@user-pe4wj5qj4f]

@@javierlandaverde4108 marshall better than DJj, Grimes better than Josh Green, Klay better than THJ defensively. How did we get a hit?

[@maduit]

@@t7-nba379 You never know how a season goes. One injured Star Player (such as Tatum or Brown) could totally change the power dynamics.

[@sighberian5463]

@@javierlandaverde4108 Even if the starting 5 defense won't be as good as last year's starting 5, the bench defense is way better. THJ alone would tank the whole defense.

[@-hunt-6225]

Casual fans in the comments saying Luka doesn’t commit to defense. None of them watched Mavs games. Nobody could knock him for defense until his body broke down in the finals and the Mavs were out matched by a 10man deep team. How do you think the Mavs had the best defense in the league after the all star break morons?!

[@edwarddavidson868]

You're mostly correct but also calm down lol

[@HookahDoncic98]

@@edwarddavidson868no. You don’t know how it feels to be a mavs fan before 2011 always being doubted and still dumped on for nothing

[@adamdavis2760]

You're not wrong but if Luka doesn't get in better shape the blueprint is there. Everyone is tired and beat up by the finals. Go at him on offense forcing him to move and defend. Pick him up early when he is on offense. He kind of disappeared in the 4th because he was exhausted. He simply must get in better shape

[@Mr.Byrnes]

@@HookahDoncic98😂 *sad violin plays* it’s alright champ…I mean runner-up

[@Xlaeflicks]

@@HookahDoncic98 doesn’t matter if we’re being doubted, at the end of the day, we gon beat the doubters lol. Chill out

[@SolomonGrumpie]

Looking forward to this professional version of the Red River Rivalry

[@fresnoniiji]

Klay put up 20+ when he had state minutes. The question is he still a good defender?

[@alexanderhenry9133]

Klay is definitely a worse defender than he was pre-injures, and has gotten worse since 2022. But he is still a better defender than Tim Hardaway Jr.

[@gotu1957]

I am followong NBa for 20 years+ from Slovenia as much as i can, it is not because of Luka.. and one thing that i do not understand is how people dont see getting Klay over THJ is not an upgrade?? Yeah Dallas lost DJJ but come on..

[@funeralopolis1]

Everyone underestimates and under grades Nico’s moves until they come here and kick everyone’s ass. Nobody thought PJ, Gaff, DJJ, and Kyrie would work out and they did. At this point in his tenure, he’s shown a great ability to find talent with little money available and limited trade assets. I don’t think Klay will be any different. They obviously have a plan for him, and should fit in very well. Losing DJJ sucks, but when you’re going against JB and Tatum, not having a guy on the other end that can make them work defensively is a hindrance. Nico has a plan for sure. The only flub he’s made was Williams, but that generated PJ so he rectified that. Give Nico the resources and draft capital that OKC has and we would have already won a title. Just gotta be patient!

[@markfisher1062]

PJs shooting will get a lot better Lively Hardy and OMax are going to keep getting better People keep sleeping us lol. This roster is insane

[@urbaindelva7869]

O-Max is not even part of the rotation.

[@markfisher1062]

@@urbaindelva7869 not this year bc we didn’t necessarily need him and wanted to develop him. Wouldn’t surprise me if he was our backup pf this year

[@simple_guy123]

I'm excited to see mavs next season so far it's solid A trade for me losing DJJ and josh green but got naji and grimes, not to mention klay. how is this a lose situation? it's a big improvement for me hope all the player stay healthy next season

[@connor_phillipz5689]

The Mavs are still going to have a great defense. They weren't the best defense in the NBA to close the season just because of DJJ. Will they be a bit worse? Sure. Their point of attack defense will be worse, but every other aspect of defense they will be the same or better. Combine that with an offense that will almost certainly be better than last year and they've made massive improvements this offseason. It'll be the Mavs and the Thunder competing for the top of the West this season with Minnesota likely close behind.

[@urbaindelva7869]

I think the Mavs made good moves. I'm also excited to see what they do, but I still have a lot of concerns about them. The addition of Klay, the development of Lively, and the further ingratiation of PJ and Gafford into the Mavs' system are all worth looking forward to. However: 1) How will Klay's regression as a defender impact the Mavs? 2) Luka is playing in the Olympics despite STILL being unhealthy. How will he look going into next season? 3) How will Marshall and Grimes fare in the new environment? 4) Will Jason Kidd adjust the Mavs' offense to not be so reliant on Luka and Kyrie, especially with Luka's health in question? We will find out, but good off-season for Dallas.

[@adamdavis2760]

Luka has that "Harley Race" body with a smoker's face. He reminds me of a 13-year vet from back in the 90s

[@wesleynewell1663]

Hilarious Harley race reference😅😅

[@alexham28]

The Mavs will make the final move at the trade deadline

[@leonelelias9210]

maybe they will wait until the middle of the season, to see hwo this new lineup looks

[@cowboys1fan18]

I look at it as Klay replaces THJ, Grimes replaces Green, and Naji replaces DJJ. I am curious about the starting line up. Obviously Klay isn't the defender he was before the injuries, so with 3 average to below average defenders in the starting line up, it could be a challenge when shots aren't dropping.

[@charlesthompson5645]

Jarret Allen for rui and reaves

[@rome8180]

People are way overhyping this Klay move. He's a one-dimensional shooter at this point. Would people be making these kinds of videos if they'd added Grayson Allen or Buddy Hield? Heck, Grayson is a better defender at this point. Klay was literally just coming off the bench for a team that missed the playoffs.

[@jessief2048]

We lost the finals because of shooting.Klay fills that void.

[@NoTime4NoHo]

OKC vs DAL WCF would be amazing TV.

[@jerryxiao410]

How confident does everybody feel that Luka will be physically fit to play At championship level next season?

[@irefusebeastmark4728]

“Don't count your chickens before they hatch.”

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

Klay Thompson is a huge upgrade on Tim Hardaway Jr. Klay Thompson will be a very solid scoring 3rd option shooting up 3s when Kyrie and Luka find him.

[@sighberian5463]

Even Killian Hayes would have been an upgrade over THJ

[@adamdavis2760]

I think Klay is of the mindset that he just wanted one more bag. I honestly don't think he has much in the tank. He will come out and play decent early on but I believe he will fade as the year goes on. I hope I am wrong because with a good Klay, Kyrie and Luka they could be fun to watch

[@geirhelgason6535]

Regarding the POA defense. I Think it is overblown, did they take a step back? Yes, but their defensive strategy was always funneling the offense into the paint to either D Live or Gafford and then scramble out and rotate to the shooters. So I think the defense will take a step back, but not as much as people think.

[@SomeGoodBroth]

People are overreacting like DJJ was 2014 Kawhi😭😭

[@sighberian5463]

Bench defense way better than last year

[@EduardoOliveira-zx9ju]

@@SomeGoodBroth Boston had the perfect strategy. Double Kyrie/Luka, then guard the lobs. DJJ and PJ were left WIDE open.

[@devontae7262]

Since the draft pick that became Derrick lively almost went to the knicks, imagine the knicks with lively

[@OvadiaCorporation]

If you believe the advanced numbers, Klay is a net negative at this point because he only provides a high 3-pt % & and every other stat is below avg production. GSW was a below .500 team with Klay on the floor and is an on-off -7.6. He is going to be 35 next season... Dallas will likely be better w/Lively's and others development, but Klay is 8-10 years removed from his prime and regressing.

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

They just need Klay to hit open 3s which he can still do. Also Klay is not a good defender anymore but he is not terrible he will not get hunted on that end.

[@TonyHernandez-wv5vi]

Dallas has way better defensive centers

[@nova6813]

Because of Dallas having 3 massive offensive player in Luka, Kai & Klay now what if for the 4 & 5 (im not a nba analyst so idk if this is a shit play) what if you put Gadford and DLive out together and bench PJ as the 6th man?

[@vn_loc7316]

Who going to guard the wings? 😭

[@x1u_r1e]

the mavs definitely get improved spacing off of Klay shooting

[@actrue9712]

So now the mavs have 2 players 2 not show up if they make the finals

[@robinsonhumbertomancillape6701]

Irving play so poorly in the NBA final, that If I could I would trade him for some more reliable player. I am huge fan of Klay, I wish he could give his best to Dallas, but it is also true that he is not the Old gun that he was

[@Kelbonobo]

Klay is there to replace THJ not DJJ. Naji is there to replace DJJ and he’s objectively a better defender AND shooter. Grimes as well over Josh. The Mavs upgraded everything 💯

[@312tails]

Now they have three stars who can’t play defense.

[@ukog6048]

Klay would be a good sixth man💙🐎

[@bornashamloo]

Mavs, Thunder, Wolves The Western Conference runs through I-35 this season

[@noahklassen4485]

The wolves might be worse because they will have to let some players go because of salary cap

[@MaxPotentialGreatness]

Nuggets

[@robglobal1]

Mavs def upgraded but Wolves and Thunder arguably upgraded more and dont be surprised if the Lakers steal another star somehow!

[@5wisher5weet]

Cone...Klay Thompson. He knows a thing or 2 about cones

[@fresnoniiji]

What I don't understand is why did gsw only get 2 second round picks?

[@noahklassen4485]

It’s a sign in trade clays contract was up

[@fresnoniiji]

@@noahklassen4485 you explained nothing lol

[@frederickfairlieesq5316]

Klay will be better than the haters expect but not as good as the optimistic fans expect. He’s not going to make or break the season. Good signing, good moves overall by Nico.

[@michaelyeboah7789]

Grimes is a steal. That kid can defend and hit shots

[@DGPMusic22]

We gave up Josh green for klay, I get losing jones but ppl think jones was the only reason our defense was good haha

[@xavierharris4036]

how do you not bring up the Klay injury AT ALL

[@nathaneastman5556]

Everybody knows hes not the same klay from 2016

[@SomeGoodBroth]

Yeah it pretty much goes without saying at this point

[@cloudunderweather9554]

I honestly like mostly everything the mavs did. But for the love of God Luka, SIT AND REST. none of this matters if luks doesnt take a few months (yes, probably months) to heal that chronic knee inflammation. And J Kidd, you have a lot more to do that just figuring out rotations. The lack of team identity was painfully obvious at some points. Get your game plan down to a science and stop relying on the brilliance of your duo.

[@edgardoMurnia]

Yeah their defense would be broken indeed.

[@user-pv3wm9qo9d]

Can you make a video about the Orlando Magic?

[@ctoaun23]

Skeptical of the Mavs moves for sure. On paper i guess they got better but it just feels wrong, especially with Klay who is a huge net negative if you look at any impact metrics. But theyre clearly still a force in the West, look forward to seeing how it actually plays out cuz it's a pretty different team and identity in ways.

[@TheJudgementofDog]

Why is everyone acting like Dallas just got Prime Klay Thompson? I just don't see it. Klay is on the decline. He's inconsistent. He's not the defender he used to be. He's not quite washed yet, but he's definitely close to hitting the showers. They basically replaced THJ with a slightly better version of him.

[@abiolaolayinka2023]

And that's the thing, even a slightly better version of Klay will be incredible for us. The shots were there, Luka created the most open shots in the league last season, but there was no one to knock down those shots. THJ would brick open shots. Now you place even a declining Klay Thompson, arguably the second best shooter of all time, to catch and shoot open threes? A career 40% 3P shooter, not having to move off screens as much, just standing and being open? That's great. And if opponents start respecting Klay's shot, that opens up Luka to score even more. Opens up shots for others on the floor, and with Naji and Grimes, that's better shooters. Plus the intangibles Klay brings, we already saw what a Vet Kyrie did to Luka and the young core, you add a 4-time champion in Klay Thompson, that's better.

[@TheJudgementofDog]

@@abiolaolayinka2023 That's the thing though, Klay isn't even near the shooter he once was. Sure, he is arguably a top 5 shooter of all time, but currently he's not even top 20. On top of that, he's become inconsistent. I wouldn't just leave him open on purpose, but I wouldn't freak out if he gets an open shot either. He's basically Kyle Kuzma now.

[@MaxPotentialGreatness]

@@TheJudgementofDogthese are facts. All you gotta do is run klay off the three point line and he’s exposed. Once he misses shots , he gets unhappy and he gets worse. He doesn’t have the same lift on his jumper therefore making his offense less effective regardless of the close out. Yes he cant still stroke but too inconsistent.

[@glorious644]

​@@MaxPotentialGreatness 39% at 9 attempts a game is poor shooting by your lofty standards?

[@lv_lambo3162]

Please someone name 1 player that has cooked Klay as of late 🤔 yall keep mentioning his defense but can’t say anything in particular about his defense that fell off

[@jalynjones9136]

Klay isn’t washed but idk why we’re hyping this trade up as if it really moves the needle for Dallas if klay couldn’t be of any help to Steph curry the greatest magnet in the league what makes yall think he’s gonna boost kyrie & Luka ?? lol he’s not a good defender anymore and although he remains a great shooter he’s become very very streaky this move is being heavily overrated and the kings are now better than the mavs after adding demar

[@blaynebittencourt5076]

I think the mavs downgraded with klay. They lost good defense.

[@jesserodriguez1983]

It's funny how everybody's on Thompson's ban wagon now

[@Cory-zn5mq]

Can't guard them now you gotta pick your poison klay or a lob

[@mrbojangles3712]

Am I the only person who remembers klay being terrible the last 2 full years basically

[@ctoaun23]

Nope I do. Super inconsistent, lots of washed talk, even warriors fans were unhappy with their legend, dude got benched for a play-in team then of course the final 0-10 game. I mean it's definitely worth a punt for the Mavs over thj but it's also entirely questionable as to whether this improves them. Time will tell!

[@AdrianCuison]

mavs problem is not defense, its offense.

[@bohanxu6125]

Now that I think about it. What Klay did is essentially the same as what KD did.

[@magnaibayarusukhbayar995]

No

[@velasome]

No

[@oscardennis8212]

think about it more

[@oscardennis8212]

think about it more

[@jjreyes7037]

Mavs were a 5th seed, also the Mavs weren't the ones who eliminated the Warriors. This is insanely different bud.

[@juliethompson4899]

Is there a steam you don't mention thunder?

[@HoopEnthusiasts]

Winners of the offseason. 1. Sixers 2.Thunder 3.Mavs 4. Knicks

[@arjunadan3812]

​@@JASON_574 KP is a injury prone and their centre is too old. This is their Achiles heel.

[@RasuiTheFallen]

thunder first sixers still not doing shit with old ass PG

[@arjunadan3812]

@@JASON_574 Lively(as a rookie)did 2 pts. in the 3 games when KP played and 10-11 pts. when KP missed... Kidd played THJ 20 min!😯 for 0 pts/ast/Reb in game 3, don't tell me this game wasn't rigged!

[@javierlandaverde4108]

@@JASON_574roster in just contracts for the starter is 500+ million 👀 then will get hit hard in the luxury tax and new cap rules. Other than 2 years they will have to start giving up guys to lower that down.

[@narrow3601]

​@@arjunadan3812Wasn't gonna but now honestly I don't know what to tell you

[@lv_lambo3162]

The grizzlies, Houston, spurs & the kings will finish 8*9*10

[@SomeGoodBroth]

Yes klay will start mavs fans. People acting like he’s gonna play the entire 48 minutes😭😭

[@jaymic1]

Thompson is getting old. Simple as that. He will not be able to help bring a title to Dallas. Same thing is happening with Kyrie. The best effort coming from the entire roster got them destroyed in the finals.

[@coreyskeins3289]

I got Luka 😂 bring out Lucky I'm from the south 😂

[@TheDonkeyFLOPPER]

klay even at his lowest is still better than THJ

[@mikemiddaugh7610]

Anything short of a finals appearance will be a failure. Judging by the way the west looks, Mavs had a lot of luck on their side.

[@noahklassen4485]

You don’t know ball

[@mikemiddaugh7610]

🎣 will be coming a lot earlier than you expect.

[@EduardoOliveira-zx9ju]

@@mikemiddaugh7610 They defeated the first seed, third seed, and fourth seed. Not a bad year in Kyrie and Luka's first full season together

[@mikemiddaugh7610]

@@EduardoOliveira-zx9ju I didn't say the Mavs are not any good. Just don't expect finals again. They most definitely lucked out.

[@EduardoOliveira-zx9ju]

@@mikemiddaugh7610 I TOTALLY disagree! Mavs had the leagues' leading scorer, a 50/40/90/ guy and one of the best defenses. They also shot the second most threes. They were the underdogs every series

[@anthonytrevino3191]

You could make argument they are worse so idk what’s groundbreaking

[@Jewbacabra]

Its not the defense. That narrative is just wrong. Dallas lost in the finals because of theyre offense. Game 1 everyoen outside of luka was 1/14 from 3. Game 2 luka and kyrie combined for 95% of the teams 51 points at the half. Once luka and kyrie where drained it got uglier towards the end. They need the others around them to hit timely shots and at the bare minimum hit a open shot. There were momments where the celtics wouldnt score for a good min or 2 and dallas could not capitalize whatsoever. It was frusting watching luka and ky kick out shots and DJJ n PJ either air balled or clanked. Luka clearly gave up on his team at one point n just isolated the entire time not a good look but i dont blame him

[@SomeGoodBroth]

Bro…….THANK YOU GOD DAMN

[@maus3r3r]

Finally someone who watched the finals and understood what was going on. Also no wonder Luka played horrific defense if he felt like he is the only one who can score offensively. People keep saying the Mavs got absolutely recked, but keep forgetting how much they underperformed compared to what they played before (including ky in game 1 and 2, and Luka in game 5). If they just played close to normal the finals would habe gone to game 7 or Mavs might have even won. In the blowout in game 4 you could see that with a better performance the series could have gone either way. And btw. they lost that series in game 3, where they almost made the comeback, until the refs decided to remove Luka. I understand that this call can be made by NBA rules. I still think it is ridiculous and Luka got an offensive foul for the exact same move in the third quarter of the same game…

[@RoycoCru]

their defense gon be cheeks

[@chokloconqueso8446]

Celtics in 4

[@lv_lambo3162]

Klay just guaranteed that the Mavs get back to the finals. Don’t @ me 🤷🏽‍♂️. Let’s go Mavs

[@Jaysolate]

😂😂😂 Blow bys all game long. That perimeter defense is a joke 💀 lively ans gafford fouling out every game next season ong

[@HookahDoncic98]

Klays defense isn’t much worse than djj you really act like we are playing a 5’11 guard at sf

[@SomeGoodBroth]

@@HookahDoncic98he acts like Klay gonna play all 48 minutes💀💀💀

[@ctoaun23]

​@@HookahDoncic98Klay is a net negative and his defence is far worse than DJJ. Enjoy the season.

[@Stephen_Jabs]

many people just ignores that playing Luka, Klay and irving at the same time will be a defensive liability and it will just make the mavs problem go worst, Mavs Lakers and Warriors may not win another ring because of their bad line up, but atleast they could try....

[@Dopeamiine]

I am going to enjoy watching the Mavs struggle to get to the 2nd round next season. This is 100% equivalent to what the Suns did. The Mavs have absolutely zero defense when Klay, Irving, and Luca is on the floor. We saw how a all offensive power house does with zero defense does. Plus Klay has the mental of a bathing cat.

[@justice4g]

Klay was terrible last year

[@SelfmadeJib]

Nothing changes Celtics still better than the field.Diff team same outcome Cs in 5 most 6

[@HookahDoncic98]

Celtics will never change, choking is in their dna

[@VasilisHionis]

the mavs are worse now. clay is a hasbeen. I promise you he wont do anything but collect $

[@Anon-qp3kt]

Nah bro, Klay is done out here

[@Fuceril]

Another guy to exploit on defense, honestly not that good of a pickup

[@lukaskywalker7791]

we were exploited on defense all the way to the finals. Who's your team?

[@gdgjjjkkk]

They literally picked up Naji Marshall and Quentin grimes, two great perimeter and 3 n D players, are u stupid?😂

[@dariusgarlandbf]

@@lukaskywalker7791bros mad

[@alexham28]

The Mavs have a solid defense

[@Treeko55]

​@@lukaskywalker7791prob a lakers fan

[@ricomamaril7532]

This trade will just make it worst...still no defense and the new guy is inconsistent already..waste of money

[@charlesbolstridge3871]

Well the defense just got worse with, him and Luca 70% blow buys are in their future😅🎉

[@dustinsirois4788]

Dallas is not going to be able to defend good enough when the playoffs hit man. Luka kyrie and klay even if they give you max effort on d they still gonna struggle with a team with great wings like Boston or now the Knicks. The offense will have to carry them and I'm not sure it can I don't see kyrie being able to light up Boston or the Knicks with the plethora of wing defenders they can throw at him.

[@ArkhamDeluxe]

So you're assuming they make the finals with that comp so why do you start your comment with the start of the playoffs lol.

[@dustinsirois4788]

@@ArkhamDeluxe not sure if that’s directed to me lol those were just teams that I know will give em a hard time didn’t even realize they were both east teams when I said it and Dallas would only see em in the finals. Good call out tho I think the Thunder will give em a hard time this yr as well for sure

[@nathaneastman5556]

Our defense is better than last seasons

[@nathaneastman5556]

@@ArkhamDeluxe Brother our team only got better on both ends the only team that stands a chance in the west is the Nuggets

[@SomeGoodBroth]

Why is everyone acting like DJJ was 2014 Kawhi and Klay is Isaiah Thomas on defense playing 48 minutes. You do know we got more players than just klay right?

[@user-fm8mc3yc8d]

bro people are overhyping this team. i understand they went to the finals, but i felt like if luka didn't win it this year, then he never will. the west obviously has okc, but then you add in ant and wemby. i don't see him getting past all 3 or 2 of those teams again. i also don't believe klay moves the meter that much, and a lot of it is bc of luka. luka is too ball dominant and i believe is a large part of why they lost the series in embarrassing fashion against the celts. while there was a lot of hype around him and kyrie, they were great individually. they don't play off of each other, they literally take turns. thats the problem. and i really don't think there's anyone who can play off of luka. as good as he is, he takes away from everyone else. he's more like harden than he is lebron. great individual player, but can't elevate those around him. fyi im not trying to hate, this is just how i see it.

[@itsjustbrycej]

Holy casual

[@BrianXu352]

Actual robot 🤖🤖🤖

[@Im_Moody]

So your blaming Luka for other people not making their shots

[@user-fm8mc3yc8d]

@@Im_Moody i mean it's not like luka balled out the whole series as well. there was 3 games that were definitely on him, maybe 4. he even noted this himself.

[@Im_Moody]

@@user-fm8mc3yc8d how? I mean he had one game that was totally his fault but you can’t blame him for the whole series everyone deserves the blame. You are blaming Luka for holding the ball way too much. BC no one was making their shot so what do you want him to do keep passing to teammates who couldn't make wide-open shots

[@crashlight54]

Klay's defense and attitude were just awful last year, I can't really get behind him like that. Not to mention, if he's bricking all his threes at the worst possible time, he gives you nothing

[@colec1033]

the cope from mavs fans acting like they got better when they lost their best defender and added a washed shooter who cant defend is crazy. The run last year was a fluke and that was their ceiling they're not going to get fluke shooting performances out of role players like they did last season

[@ianstewart9255]

This sounds more like a cope from you dealing with the mavericks success tbh. It’s ok bro

[@colec1033]

@@ianstewart9255 😂 they didn't win anything bub and theyre not getting back to the finals.

[@cheap272]

That defense is gonna be horrific

[@moses9647]

Lol someone didn't watch the Mavs postseason evidently. It was Luka's worst postseason by far and they beat 3 of the top 4 seeds in the West without any Game 7's. Even with their spotty defense they held Boston to their lowest averages all year long they simply couldn't crack the Celtics defense.

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

@@cheap272 Like it was in the post season where they had the best defense at times?

[@abdulbutt73]

Celtics in 5 still

[@realityblood]

celtics aren’t even better than the knicks and sixers

[@Fuceril]

​@@realitybloodput the pipe down lmao

[@ThatFunnyPlace]

​@@realitybloodcan't say that about the current chanmps you just sound dumb

[@carlos1lan1]

They got lucky to face injured teams the whole playoffs

[@narrow3601]

​@@realitybloodmy god, what on earth will it even take for them to better than apparently anyone at this point.

[@abcs3356]

klay washed yall, im telling you. like melo in okc, lakers, etc. past their prime. but im glad they got rid of hardaway. that dude was trash.

[@rayyanahmedkhan8158]

No

[@sethdavis3046]

Youre not wrong but klay would probably still be an all star if not for the injuries

[@nathaneastman5556]

You can point at a bad shooting night of any star and call them washed

[@SomeGoodBroth]

I’d still take Blazers melo over THJ😭😭

[@ctoaun23]

​@@nathaneastman5556I'd more point to his impact metrics where he's a huge net negative

[@Didyoufalloutofacoconuttree]

Oh noooo Celtics in 6 now

[@SomeGoodBroth]

As a mavs fan I can’t say anything😔

[@ctoaun23]

Probably still in 5 tbh. Mavs got completely punked

[@kjjr3270]

As long Luka is playing iso ball and ain't ready to sacrifice some of his scoring, there will be nothing game breaking about this team, also this ain't 2017 no more.

[@emilfrederiksen.1622]

They just made the finals muppet

[@nathaneastman5556]

He plays iso ball but he averages 11 assits?

[@SomeGoodBroth]

@@nathaneastman5556creates the BEST spacing next to curry and jokic💀💀