After spending the first 13 years of his NBA career with the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson moved on and joined the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason via a sign-and-trade that was part of a historic six-team transaction.

The 34-year-old sharpshooter may already be well past his prime, but can still shoot with the best of them when the occasion calls for it. His debut with the Mavericks was one of these special occasions as Thompson put on a vintage performance in his first game with his new team.

Thompson, who slid over from his usual shooting guard position and started at small forward, scored 22 points on seven-of-13 field goal shooting, including six-of-10 three-pointers, to help Dallas beat the San Antonio Spurs, 120-109, in their season opener. The 6’6 guard’s six three-pointers set a new record for the most threes made in a Mavericks debut, making his first game with his new team even more memorable.

Dallas’ decision to acquire the five-time NBA All-Star is more than just a marketing gimmick. He made this clear in their win versus the Spurs, proving that he still has much to offer this Mavericks team that fell short in last season’s NBA Finals. Thompson and his legendary three-point shooting ability–he has made the sixth most three-pointers in NBA history and is a career 41.3% three-point shooter–fill a major need for this Dallas team that has struggled to find consistent wing play since Doncic’s rookie season in ‘18-’19.

Having a player of Thompson’s caliber running through screens and spotting up on the perimeter should open up the floor for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to operate. Even on nights when Thompson’s shot is not falling, his mere reputation as an all-time three-point shooter should still skew defenses in his direction. This alone should justify the price tag of his three-year, $50 million contract for the Mavericks. 

Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., and Josh Green, who are all no longer with the team, were decent rotation pieces over these past few years, but none of them could come close to drawing the same amount of respect that Thompson can on a night-to-night basis. The importance of decongesting their offense became a priority after the NBA Finals where they were easily shut down in five games by the Boston Celtics.

With Doncic, Irving, and now Thompson onboard, this Dallas team has what it takes to score with the best teams in the league on a nightly basis. Defense might be an issue versus certain teams, though Thompson was an elite defender once upon a time and should be able to rediscover that part of his game if he is motivated enough.

The taste of the NBA Finals is still fresh for these Mavericks and with Thompson now onboard, the hope around the team is that they can make it back to the final round of the postseason sooner rather than later. They have the tools in place, at least on paper, to be a truly dominant team. A motivated Thompson, who is out to prove that he is still an elite player, could be the trigger that ultimately helps Dallas win an NBA championship once again.

Sometimes, all a person needs to rediscover himself is a new beginning, and Thompson has exactly that with these Mavericks.