Klay Thompson looks forward to 'being rejuvenated' with Mavericks: 'Sometimes breakups are necessary'

Breaking up is hard to do.

Sometimes, it's a long time coming. That was the case with Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors, who failed to reach agreement on a new contract this offseason after 13 years and four NBA championships together.

Now Thompson's a Dallas Maverick. And he's ready to turn the page. The Mavericks introduced Thompson alongside offseason acquisitions Quentin Grimes and Naji Marshall on Tuesday, and Thompson spoke with media for the first time as a Maverick.

He told reporters that "there were times last year it was tough where it wasn’t as joyful as it had been in the past" in Golden State and declared that the split was "necessary."

Thompson cited Scottie Pippen's transition from the Chicago Bulls to the Portland Trail Blazers late in his career as a comp for his move to the Mavericks. Pippen won six championships during a Hall of Fame career in Chicago before spending his last six seasons with the Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets.

"I look forward to being rejuvenated here," Thompson continued. "A lot of good basketball left in the tank."

Thompson leaves a Warriors team that finished 10th in the West and failed to advance past the play-in round for a Mavericks team that advanced to the NBA Finals. He'll play alongside two of basketball's most potent offensive weapons in Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.

After being slowed by devastating ACL and Achilles injuries in recent seasons, Thompson believes that joining the Mavericks "can spur greatness."

He also spoke about what drew him to Dallas.

Irving wears the No. 11 that Thompson wore in Golden State. So Thompson will switch to jersey No. 31. He said that he'll do so in part to honor Indiana Pacers shooting great Reggie Miller, who Thompson says he modeled his game after.