Klay Thompson’s Dallas Dream collapsed fast with Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis trades

When Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2024, the intention was simple: join Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving to form the most lethal trio in the league. For a four-time NBA champion who was looking for a fresh start, it was a dream scenario. But fast forward to February 2026, and that dream hasn't just faded, it’s been completely broken. Due to Kyrie Irving’s ACL injury in early 2025 and a series of franchise-altering trades that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers in 2025 and Anthony Davis to the Wizards in 2026, Thompson finds himself in an odd man out situation as the Mavs franchise is pivoting towards the rookie sensation Cooper Flagg.The foundation of Thompson's signing with Dallas crumbled within eight months of his arrival when the Mavs sent their offensive force, Luka Dončić, to the Lakers in a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis in exchange. With a grand slam basketball title, Davis’ arrival at Dallas was highly anticipated, but his time with the Mavs didn’t pan out as everyone expected, as it was defined more by injury reports than the trophy room. In his two seasons as a Mav, he played in just 29 games and was sidelined either by a groin injury or a hand injury. For the 2025-26 season, Davis averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting at an efficiency of 50.6% from the floor in 20 games. On February 4, 2026, the Mavericks officially pulled the plug on their experiment and sent Davis to Washington in exchange for a package of picks and role players. But this also left Thompson without the supposed central gravity on the hardwood. First, without Luka’s vision and playmaking on the court, and then without Davis’ 7 '5 " wingspan in the paint, Thompson struggles to adjust to the continuous changes and is averaging a career-low of 11.6 points on just 38.9% shooting from the field.With the veteran core dismantled, the Mavericks put a lot of hope on their #1 overall pick from the 2025 NBA draft, Cooper Flagg. The arrival of this former Duke's phenomenon changed the offensive trajectory of the franchise. Despite the current 19-31 record, Flagg continues to show potential to make Dalla’s ultimate dual force. He is currently leading the team in total points (926), points per game (20.1), and steals (55) and steals per game (1.2). While Flagg’s development is a win for the front office, it leaves Thompson in professional confusion and uncertainty. According to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, “Thompson, brought in to complement Dončić and the injured Kyrie Irving, is a player the Mavericks will listen to offers about.” For Klay, the move to Dallas was supposed to be about adding a fifth ring, instead, it has become a masterclass in how quickly an NBA contendership can vanish.