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Kyrie Irving Was the Main Reason for Klay Thompson's Move to Dallas Mavericks; NBA Insider's Sensational Claim
Klay Thompson will be playing for the Dallas Mavericks in the upcoming season as he left the Golden State Warriors in the off-season.
At the beginning of the offseason, Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks. The four-time NBA champion is paired with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The Western Conference winners from the previous season will be enhanced by his sharpshooting and interior defense, enabling them to challenge for another trip to the NBA Finals.
In an interview with the DLLS Mavs Podcast, Marc Stein claimed that Thompson's decision to relocate to Texas was greatly influenced by Irving's friendship with the former star of the Golden State Warriors. It was during the 2014 FIBA World Cup that the two first grew close.
"I covered the 2016 Olympics and the 2014 World Cup, where they were teammates, and you could tell then that Klay had a real admiration for Kyrie," Stein said. "...There is no question, Kyrie Irving is one of the players and peers that Klay Thompson really, really, really respects. And that was a huge factor for the Mavs because it's always great when players can be the advocates for your free agency push...When a peer pitches you, it just resonates more strongly many more times than not."
A few recent remarks made by Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd are verified by Stein's report. He recently stated that Irving's friendship with Thompson tipped the scales in Dallas' favor on the recently established "Dubs Talk Podcast" on NBC Sports Bay Area.
"When you talk about the recruitment, it was a lot of people that were involved in that. But one of the biggest players in that was Kai," Kidd said. "...It was a team effort. But I think player-to-player – in this league, they all talk about their situations, and they all recruit one another – this was about Kai and Klay being able to talk."
Thompson is not the main man at Mavericks as compared to the Warriors. He has less riding on his shoulders. In Dallas, he will be a spot-up or movement shooter whose job is to spread the floor for Irving and Doncic. The aging All-Star might find freedom in that smaller role and a fresh lease on life on the court.
Thompson's addition will be justified if he helps the Mavericks make a run at the NBA Finals in the upcoming years. His arrival gives the Mavericks rotation championship experience, which could prove to be very beneficial in the future. It seems that Irving was instrumental in making it happen for them.
ALSO READ: Dallas Mavericks Sign Klay Thompson in Massive USD 50 Million Sign-and-Trade; DETAILS Inside
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