Jason Kidd realizes that Warriors fans already know about Klay Thompson

The Golden State Warriors watched Klay Thompson leave the franchise that drafted him and made him a star in free agency. It was heartbreaking, but both sides were ready for a new beginning. Thompson joined the Mavericks in a contract swap as Golden State added several pieces to replace one of the greatest shooters of all time.

Thompson took a step back in his final year in Golden State. He came off the bench for the first time since his rookie season and clearly wasn’t the best Klay. The future Hall of Famer was unhappy with the Warriors and knew it was time to move on.

Some of the same issues are cropping up in Dallas, and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd quickly realizes Thompson can’t fill that crucial role.

Warriors fans noticed that Thompson was largely on the bench late in November’s NBA Cup showdown. It was shocking at the time, but Dallas has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving at the helm. These are two elite offensive options with defensive questions. Klay is similar at this stage of his career, which is causing problems for the Mavericks.

Kidd opts for a more defensive-oriented three-point option in his final lineup. Dallas dominated the Wizards on Thursday night, but in Tuesday’s win over the Grizzlies, Klay was ejected with 8:45 left in the fourth and never returned. Hall of Fame point guard Spencer Dinwiddie used to give them some more ball-handling ability as well. Thompson was forced to sit out four games, but it was clear Kidd didn’t want him to finish things off.

Dallas has no shortage of options. Doncic, Irving, PJ Washington and Dereck Lively II are included in the starting and closing groups. Kidd still opens games with Klay, but can use Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, Naji Marshall or Maxi Kleber to finish. It depends on the matchup and could be Klay if Thompson has the better hand.

Thompson’s numbers are down in Dallas, but the veteran is still trying to adjust. He averages 12.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.7 steals in 28.1 minutes per game. Klay only shoots 37.9 percent from the field and 36.0 percent on his threes. The Mavs need more offensive contributions since the defense isn’t coming from the 34-year-old.

Things didn’t go as planned, but Dallas is better offensively with Klay on the field. They have an offensive rating of 121.0 with him versus 114.7 when he’s on the bench. Their defense is 2.0 points per 100 possessions worse with Thompson. It’s this very trade-off that causes Jason Kidd to avoid him in close games. The Mavs want the defense to block the play, and Klay simply can’t guard the league’s best offensive weapons at this point.

Klay Thompson will forever be a legend. The Golden State Warriors moved on because he wanted a massive contract as a declining talent. This step could ultimately work out for everyone involved. Thompson isn’t part of the final group in Dallas, but the Mavericks look elite. It could be his chance to win another ring. Just don’t expect him to suddenly turn back into top-notch Klay.