Dallas Mavericks sign Golden State Warrior sharpshooter as free agency begins

The Dallas Mavericks, fresh off an NBA Finals loss to Boston, upgraded their outside shooting with a sign-and-trade with Golden State for Klay Thompson.

The Mavs traded Josh Green and other unnamed assets to the Charlotte Hornets as a part of a multi-team trade with the Warriors for Thompson and then extended the sharpshooter to a three-year $50 million contract.

Golden State drafted Thompson, who is 6 feet, 6 inches tall, with the No. 11 pick in the 2011 draft and teamed him with Steph Curry to create a backcourt known as the Splash Brothers. The duo would go on to help Golden State dominate the league, playing in 159 playoff games and winning four NBA titles together.

Thompson, now 34 years old, was crucial for the Warriors throughout their title run but started to show decline in recent seasons after multiple injuries including a torn ACL and a torn Achilles tendon. Last season he averaged 17.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range.

Over the first eight seasons of Thompson’s career, all with the Warriors, he never shot under 40% from beyond the arc. However in the last three seasons he’s shot under that mark twice.

Thompson made 268 3-pointers last season, good for the fourth most in the league while also shooting a higher percentage from 3-point range than such stars like Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard.

Thompson’s shooting could make a great fit next to a playmaker like Luka Doncic, who excels at generating open shots for his teammates, and his defense will be a plus.

Mavs sign Marshall

The Mavericks made their first signing of NBA free agency when they inked Naji Marshall to a 3-year $27 million contract.

What does Marshall bring to the Mavs and how does he fit the roster?

Marshall has played four NBA seasons, signing a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans after going unselected in the 2020 NBA Draft following a celebrated career at Xavier which saw the forward earn multiple All-Big East selections.

Marshall carved out a supporting role for himself on the Pelicans as a three-and-D wing, this season Marshall averaged 7.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.9 assists off 39% shooting from 3-point range while averaging 19 minutes a game.

Marshall is 6-foot-7 with a 7-1 wingspan and uses his length and athleticism to great effect on defense and would add another long athletic defender to the Mavs lineup.

He also provides insurance as free agent forward Derrick Jones Jr. departs for the Los Angeles Clippers on a three-year $30 million contract according to NBA insider Shams Charania.

The signing capped off a busy weekend for the Mavs as the team had already acquired Deuce McBride from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. and three second-round draft picks.