Veteran guard/forward Klay Thompson has been the subject of both trade and buyout rumors this offseason, with the Mavericks said to be open to the former and not pursuing the latter.

On a Twitch stream with PlaqueBoyMax, Thompson explained his primary goal in the latter stage of his career (Twitter video link via Kevin Gray Jr. of DLLS Mavs). The 36-year-old is in the final season of his contract, which will pay him $17.5MM in 2026/27.

“I want to compete for a championship, not necessarily win one, but … have the chance to go and try and get another one,” Thompson said. “I want to play a role on a team (that can make a deep playoff run). Whether it’s this season or next season. That’s really my only goal.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

• In an interesting interview with CJ Moore of The Athletic, Dusty May explained why he decided to accept Dallas’ head coaching job after winning a national championship this past season with Michigan. According to May, he was first approached about the position when new general manager Mike Schmitz called him on May 24 to ask about the Wolverines trio of Morez Johnson Jr. (Mavs), Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State) and Aday Mara (Oklahoma City), all of whom were selected late in the lottery. May had just returned home from meeting with fellow Big Ten coaches about the state of college basketball. “I was so excited for Big Ten meetings, like ‘we’re going to find some solutions,’” May told The Athletic this week. “I go there and I was just like, ‘Oh my God, nothing’s getting fixed. Ever.’“
• May told Moore he had always harbored ambitions of coaching in the NBA and was drawn to the Mavs’ job because of Cooper Flagg, president Masai Ujiri, and Schmitz, whom he’s known for some time. May said the fundraising and administrative aspects of being a college coach took away from what he really enjoys: the game itself and developing relationships with players. “I just spent so much more of my time doing everything but coaching,” he said. Moore asked May if he’d consider returning to the NCAA ranks someday. “I hope not, because that would mean I did sh—y here,” May said, laughing. “I’d like to win and stay.”
• It’s been a busy offseason in Dallas, with a managerial and coaching overhaul and several roster changes. Tim MacMahon, Zach Kram, Ben Golliver and Dean Oliver of ESPN recap the moves the Mavs made this summer, with No. 9 overall pick Johnson being the most prominent player addition, and preview the coming season.