Does Klay Thompson regret joining Mavericks for ‘tumultuous’ season?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – In the visitors’ locker room at FedEx Forum Friday night, Klay Thompson had one word to sum up the Dallas Mavericks’ season: “tumultuous.”

Thompson, whose first full season in Dallas ended with a 120-106 blowout loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, was the blockbuster acquisition of the offseason, joining the Mavericks after spending 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors.

The former Washington State standout appeared in 72 games, the most of any Maverick outside of Spencer Dinwiddie, which is a telling stat about the team’s injury misfortune.

“I think we persevered,” Thompson said. “We were down to eight, nine guys at one point. We held up the fort and got into the play-in and gave ourselves a shot to get to the playoffs.

“… I’m really proud of every man in this locker room. They show up to work every day. We try to do the right thing every day.”

The team that closed out its season Friday looked nothing like the one Thompson joined last summer with aspirations of winning his fifth NBA championship.

Would he have made the same decision, knowing what he knows now?

“Don’t do this to me,” Thompson said, dropping his head. “That’s kind of a ridiculous question because I don’t own a time machine and I don’t believe in going back or looking back. If I did that my whole career, I would not be where I’m at, and I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries. I’m here in Dallas and I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to the future.”

It’s a future that looks murky for the Mavericks.