The shocking stats behind Klay Thompson’s stunning decline

The Mavericks are in bad shape, but Klay Thompson is even worse. The team is still reeling from the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers back in February. Fans in Dallas remain furious general manager Nico Harrison, who has finally been fired, as the team stumbles to a 2-6 start, including a humiliating loss to the Pelicans.

Kyrie Irving remains sidelined with an injury. Anthony Davis continues to battle nagging health issues, as he seemingly always does. The lone bright spot is rookie phenom Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the draft, who’s putting in the work to stay in the Rookie of the Year race. Even so, the overall picture in Dallas is bleak. And it doesn’t look like it’s changing anytime soon.

Klay Thompson’s nightmare season

Within that mess, there’s an even sadder story: Klay Thompson’s. One of the greatest shooters in NBA history and a player with a résumé few can match, Thompson has gone from dynasty cornerstone to struggling veteran.

Against New Orleans, he came off the bench for the first time since March 11, 2012. Now in his 13th NBA season, after missing two full years due to devastating Achilles and ACL tears, Thompson, nearly 36, is facing a harsh reality. Once he returned from those injuries, he never truly got back to his old self. His play declined gradually over time, but this season, the drop has been steep.

In his second game as a reserve, he went scoreless: 0 points on 0-for-6 shooting, including 0-for-5 from three. For a player once synonymous with shooting perfection, it was painful to watch.

Jason Kidd benches Thompson

Head coach Jason Kidd, out of options, has decided to bring Thompson off the bench to make room for D’Angelo Russell in the starting lineup. It’s a stunning move for a player who’s appeared in 874 NBA games, starting 821 of them, and hadn’t been a reserve since his rookie year.

The numbers tell the story. Thompson, fifth all time in career three-pointers made, shot over 40 percent from deep in each of his first eight seasons. In three of the last four, he’s fallen below that mark. This year, his efficiency has completely collapsed. Once known for his elite lateral quickness on defense, he now struggles to stay in front of opponents. And offensively, even open shots aren’t falling.

Klay a shadow of his former self

Thompson’s averages this season are brutal: 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, with just 31.4 percent shooting from the field and 26.7 percent from beyond the arc. The signature weapon that once defined him has all but disappeared.

Kidd insists the decision to bench him was mutual, and Klay himself says he’s fine with it, that he feels better physically and believes “big things are coming.” Still, reports suggest the Mavericks could be exploring trade options.

For now, what remains is the memory of one of the most beautiful eras in modern basketball: Thompson’s years with the Golden State Warriors, where he won four championships and reached six NBA Finals. Alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, he helped form the league’s last great dynasty, coached by Steve Kerr.

That legacy endures. Even as his game fades, Klay Thompson will always be remembered for the magic he brought to the court, an icon who changed how basketball is played, and whose story, for all its pain, is still unforgettable.

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