Dallas Mavericks Introductory Press Conference: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes

Dallas Mavericks Introductory Press Conference: Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes

all right hey everyone thanks for being here today for our introductory press conference welcoming uh Klay Thompson Naji Marshall and Quinton Grimes to the Mavs we’re excited to have him in Dallas in a second I’m going to turn it over to our VP of basketball operations and assistant GM Michael Finley for some opening remarks and then we’ll go into questions if you have a question please raise your hand we’ll find you with the microphone and uh yeah please state your name and affiliation so these guys can try to get to know you so with that Finn yes first of all welcome everyone here uh thank you for coming um it’s an exciting day for us to add these young men to our organization um last year we had a pretty successful year we did come up a little bit short but like every other team in this league except for one uh we look went into this summer trying to get better and I think with the addition of these three young men here uh we’re taking a step in the right direction and trying to get better uh we have three great young men who I think would do a great job for us on and off the court and we’re very excited to have them uh a part of the M Mavericks organization so without further ado open up for questions M Cur Mike Curtis Dallas Morning News just wanted to say welcome to Clay Nan Quinton um this question is for clay just after 13 years with the Warriors um why was now the time to um depart for a new team and what made Dallas the destination for you um well uh I mean whether you play basketball or work in the corporate world or wherever whatever industry sometimes change just consur greatness and a new change of scenery can do do wonders and um I’m very grateful for my time at uh Golden State but um I just felt like you know moving on could just re-energize me and uh do something special for the rest of my career and Dallas was so attracted because of the young players they have the style of play the uh you know world class treatment these players get from this organization and just a beautiful city who loves their Hoops um so when I was watching the playoffs and I’m watching the Mavs you know make a run for the championship uh I just saw myself fitting in really well with this team and the personnel and um they look like they have fun playing with each other and they play for each other and that was very attractive for me and um that’s really all I needed to see and there’s mutual interest there and that’s why I’m here Tim KO with the athletic um clay you obviously were were in the league when when Luca entered and and debuted I’m I’m curious your thoughts on you know first impressions of him and and what you’ve seen from him as as he’s gone from a rookie to to a superstar and then uh the other two Naj Quinton I’m just curious what your expectations are you know to play with Luca what what you think it’s going to look like feel like be like y’all got it I mean everybody know LCA is one of the top players in the NBA so I feel like our job is to go out there play as hard as we can and just try to get back to the position they was in last year and hopefully win the championship and then playing with Luca he makes everybody else on the court job a lot easier um for me as a shooter just coming in learning from Klay one of the best Shooters to ever touch touch a basketball so playing with Luka to be fun cuz he draws so much attention defensively so bet to knock down open shots make plays and just do whatever I can to help this team win and kind of like um Q said um Luke is an amazing player so um just to learn from him and you know just to play with him make the game easier for him um even to learn from like Klay and Quinn were great Shooters so um I’m just excited to play with everybody looking forward to it but yeah L is amazing player and just to make the game easier for him I mean Naji and Quinton said it uh Luca even before he got in the NBA you watch his Euro League highlights and you’re like this 18-year-old is doing this to grown men just it’s crazy so uh the impact he had on a rookie too you could see that he had greatness ahead of him I mean I think pretty sure he gave us a triple double in Oracle like in 2019 as a rookie and I don’t think that’s happened to us since maybe like a LeBron or Tim Duncan so to you saw the potential early and I think just playing him Kai and the rest of the guys uh I can help them space the floor and knock down shots or play defense whatever is needed Tim McMahon ESPN uh clay I’m sure you’ve heard and I know you had conversations with Steph with Steve Kerr what has this been like for you uh just emotionally kind of going through I divorce is probably not the right word but you know closing that chapter after 13 years and just everything that goes along with that um I mean probably a little disappointed at first but then as time goes on you have a lot of time to reflect and you realize what you did uh they can’t take that away from you as far as the Championships or I mean records are meant to be broken but the impact you have on community and all that uh that will forever live and sometimes you know breakups are necessary to uh do what’s right and I’m not the first first athlete in the NBA to go through this I did grew up in Portland and I remember uh when Scotti Pippen came to the Blazers that was like the biggest day of my life and I’m not saying I’m Scotty but uh they were they were right there against the Lakers almost want a chip so I take a lot of inspiration from past athletes and how their careers might have gone you know astray when they either left the team or join a new team and some guys Thrive and I I look forward to just kind of being rejuvenated here and playing a lot a lot good basketball left in the tank Kevin gr m radio network here on the on the left clay for a question for clay for you just two-part question what was your relationship with Kyrie Irving and how that influenced you making the decision to come to Dallas and how would you define yourself as a player at this stage in your career and what that means to help this Mavericks team try to win a championship going forward some good questions um Kyrie and I are good friends I mean we came in the league together in 2011 we played on Team USA together twice obviously played against each other in the highest stages for many years and I’ve always been a fan of Kai’s game and guarding him was hell so it’s nice to be on the other end of that for once and see other Defenders get loose and get shook by him that’s going to be a good sight to see and then uh part two at this point in my career I mean still can’t leave me open and uh I can guard and I’m just excited I still think I can do what I’ve been able to do and it’s just about being in the best shape I can possibly be but I know I can um help this team uh whether it’s the knowledge I’ve gained or um big big scoring nights I just uh still know I can be a very very good player in this league uh well you’re good you’re good welcome guys uh Blake Elliot 1053 The Fan this for all of y’all one of the marks that this MAV team made was kind of defense and toughness I just wonder how much have all three of yall identifi with that and help to implement that with this Mavs team this year Well I say playing against these two I mean that’s why they’re here not cuz they it’s pretty because they lock up they’re willing to do the Dirty Work and I’ve got against both them so we’re going to have some battles in practice I’m excited about that definitely um that’s kind of myo um toughness defense so one of the things I bring to the game um and something I love to do so like you said you know that’s kind of what they uh use to get what they got this year and I’m just here to pick up whatever slack they lost or just add to yeah same thing just re what they said just coming in that was kind of my calling card coming in from Houston P for Co Samson kind of you can’t play defense you’re not going to be on the floor so playing for TBS as well too if you don’t play defense and scrap and fight for every 50-50 ball you know I go the court so that’s what I try to do from day one and I’m going still do it till I can’t play the game anymore really uh Eddy seom maps.com na well all of you really I’m sure had times to guard Luca but you in particular what what was it like trying to lock him down and how much uh of a relief is it to be on this side now as opposed to that side it’s definitely a relief um man Luke is a high level player man so locking down I W use that word but maintain you know um all three levels just unbelievable so just to be on his team and like Klay said let him do that to other people I’m going get enjoyment out of that for real and don’t recall it’s been a long time but I don’t remember if Steve Francis went to Tacoma Park but did you break all his records around that area uh no I did um he he was from that area I don’t think went Tacoma Park but I would have had to go there for a long time to do all that new East krugs uh NBC 5 Michael first question for you you know it’s like to be an All-Star player with a franchise and then making the move like he did to the Spurs uh what conversations you have with Clay about that and then for clay obviously your dad Michael longtime uh Laker and radio voice came out and said he was disappointed if you guys made up on that is it okay at the house um well to ask you a question we talked about this at dinner and it wasn’t about the basketball I talk to him more about the experience and the veteran leadership that he can bring to the team uh um the difference is he was a champion going to a different team and I was a guy trying to get a championship but the experience in veteran leadership we do have uh common commonality there and I think with with Clay he can bring that experience that knowledge for the young kid I mean for the young players as well as uh Luca and Kai so experience is is key and I think he he brings that to the table yeah my dad was dis appointed I really haven’t talked to much about it but I’m at the end of the day he was happy for me uh I mean he was a little selfish in his business interest cuz he wanted me to be at home with the family I was like Dad I’ve been in California my whole life I got to experience something new so uh he understood and he’s actually really excited for me and he thinks we have a great shot to do something special here not just this year but for many years so he was all on board once the dust settled and he realized that uh it was really a match made in heaven price m.com uh Quinton you have a brother that plays for in National Hockey League for vancer what’s that like when you guys get together and talking basketball and hockey and for clay you once scored 60 points on just 11 dribbles I don’t know how you did that could you explain that to [Music] us I go be being uh my brother been in NHL really my first year actually going to see him in the playoffs cuz just in high school I had a um first couple leagues um seasons in the league he was knocked out the first round and stuff like that so being able to go watch him um in the playoffs you kind of showed that what it’s like for him cuz he going on his think he just sign another contract so it be going on a year 18 when he’s done so just seeing a guy like that just being able when I was in high school be able to pick his brain like what it’s like to be a pro uh how to take care of my body being able to see like what he does on a day-to-day basis on how to just level up his game um on the on the ice as you get say so it definitely a big help for me just having somebody like that another pro athlete in my in my household I can just pick up the phone and call and just talk about how to take care of my body how to just try to take that next step in high school but he’s been a huge um help for me during this process just in the in the league all the time highs lows somebody I can call and just talk to all the time about just a little things about being a professional athlete really yeah that was a good night for me uh I mean I was lucky to have Stephan KD on the floor so you know they weren’t going to leave them and uh I also played with some great passing big men I mean Zaza was on the team and he gave me permission to wear number 27 here actually so that was nice to him but uh other than that I mean just one of those nights where you’re in the zone and you don’t really think about much other than just getting that ball and let it flick off your wrist and hopefully you have many nights like that in the mass uniform though that’d be nice good morning over here to your left Valencia King with talk sports welcome to Dallas all of you and my question is kind of deals with family and you touch on it a little bit cue but we know no one gets to this level of success without a support in a village around them what is it like sharing these moments with your family and how do you kind of have those conversations and thanking them for being your support along the way yeah my family has been super super supportive my whole career my mom should do I think as any mom would to do whatever she could and make sure to see her son reach your dreams and just I give all the glory to her her and my dad were the the biggest Inspirations for me growing up they did anything possible for me to make sure I was in the best position possible um to reach my dreams so I give really all the credit to them because without them I definitely wouldn’t be here today at all yeah definitely basically stole the words out of my mouth my mother my dad you know my a coach um they just really been supportive of me um I got a large I got a bunch of siblings so they just all happy for me and it’s just a great time for us all um put in a lot of work to get here you know and they all helped me out play the factor so just to be able to be at this moment and just had him here even um it’s unbelievable yeah like Naji and quit said just starts with your parents and I was lucky enough to have two s two brothers who beat up on me till I was 18 uh both professional athletes and my father played obviously in the pros so it’s kind of was my calling I just wanted to do what he did and felt in love with the game early and they never forced me really to do anything I always had a love for it and they just always supported me and I’m excited to get them out here to Dallas though we’re going to have a great time and Southern Hospitality is real so I’m really excited to experience that Rashad Miller Dallas weekly I have two questions for Nai and one for clay first you know your nickname The Knife you were undrafted so what was the motivation behind you making sure that you had different things that you could display on the court and also last season you guys well the Pelicans faced a lot of injuries so how was that how did you utilize that time to get better at the game um being undrafted um when motivated me I just knew I was a good player um and I just wanted the opportunity to showcase my skills and I knew when I got the opportunity you know it was it was over with but um as far as the Pelicans yeah we had a lot of injuries and just being able to be the next man up um you know other teams don’t have sympathy for you um and you know when it’s your opportunity you got to you take full advantage of it you know cuz you may not get many so that’s just kind of how I looked at it really and for clay I know the Bahamian team didn’t make it to the Olympics but what do you see for that program and what do you want to contribute to that program oh man shout out Chris Marco and uh him being able to bring the island together Islands together and a nation of 400,000 people that’s very dear to my heart because that’s where my family’s from my father grew up and I still visit visit my aunties and uncles and cousins out there and there to be three NBA players and Buddy DeAndre and Kai from that small island and a chance to go to the Olympics is so special I just look forward to contributing um you know my knowledge of the game I mean ant apparel has sponsored the jerseys helped out the travel so just lending a helping hand as much as I can because uh when my father came up and he was playing in the league the Bahamas didn’t have the infrastructure or the uh as it wasn’t as organized as it is now and Chris has done a great job along with Buddy and Eric and DeAndre of really building a great basketball culture in the islands and fact they were one game away from the Olympics is incredible and it’s uh super inspiring for anybody who’s from the Caribbean that you know you can make it and make noise on the world stage so I’m I’m just proud of the team Bahamas clay Chuck cooperstein Mavericks radio play byplay how surreal is this moment the fact that you are sitting here as a member of the Mavericks doing something as you mentioned you wanted telling people you wanted to do something different but the reality that you are actually doing something different right now yeah surreal but I’m embracing it um the organ the organization show me so much love and the fans whether it’s on the Internet or in the street are very grateful and everyone I met there’s just a great Buzz around the city uh especially coming off a championship appearance everyone wants to get over that hump and that’s what what’s so attractive to me is to um be someone who can help them win and help uh these young guys grow and being on the back end of my career or in my 30s it’s so special to have this opportunity not many guys who play 13 years get a chance to win a championship or championships to end their career and I think we’re set up for a great run and uh expectations are high but you got to welcome that I mean that’s what you want as a athlete you want to have that pressure and you want to have expectations from the fan base the city that you know we want a winner and that’s what tracked me too I’m not really into breaking more shooting records I just want to win at this point that’s that’s what that’s what I’ve learned in Golden State like everyone’s got to make sacrifices to win at the highest level and uh I’ll make sacrifices for the team but as long as we play winning basketball ball that’s that’s all that matters Scot Dixon with the AP clay Steph said this week that the thing he wanted for you more than anything was to see the joy back in your game had you lost some of the joy in the game um there was times last year it was really tough I mean you know everyone expects you to be that all NBA player and you know sometimes it’s hard to consistently do that that’s why there’s only 15 slots on that that team and uh coming here is just such a fresh start and feeling just wanted again and like I bring Great Value uh it just gets me excited to go out there and even work out after this press conference and get shots up and uh so yeah there was times last year was tough where it wasn’t as joyful had been in the past and um it’s nice to kind of shed that and have a whole new Fresh Start whole new group of guys get to know and uh co-workers so a whole new city it’s uh it’s really cool and I’m going to embrace the heck out of this opportunity Dorothy Gentry with IM messenger media I’m back back here guys right over here Dorothy Gentry with IM messenger media Quinton and Nai and Clay two questions for all three of you one when and where are each of you the happiest and then number two if you had a different Talent other than basketball what would that be can you sing dance tap dance swim what I’m going let the Young Bucks get that one first um I got to think about that I think we could all agree that we’re definitely the happiest on the basketball court I feel like anytime you going through a good day a bad day like you want to be on that Court putting in work just trying to get better and just Just For the Love of the Game just being out there hearing the ball bounce and they go through the net that’s just to me no better feeling for sure definitely being on on that basketball court and then to your second question I guess hden talent I mean I can I guess I can juggle a little bit play the piano a little bit so if that’s a hidden talent I would go with those two for sure um definitely probably the gym um nice summer day when you got all your work in and it’s it’s cool outside you don’t got nothing else to do that’s probably one of my favorite places to be but um I’m talented at everything to be honest do it all so you I’m good at it so that’s funny I mean I’m with them we’re hoopers so we’re happiest on the hardwood playing pickup getting shots up music blaring in the background and then uh man I’m also my happiest when I’m next to a body of water and everyone knows I love the ocean but I could it could be a lake it could be a creek I got a fishing rod or I got a kayak something that just some water sport really guess guess me excited and uh if I didn’t po what would I what my hidden talent uh man I just I’m pretty good at like I’ll be a good Jeopardy contestant I really feel that way I got a lot of knowledge that’s pretty useless but a lot of a lot of hours spent on Wikipedia and stuff so I got some random facts stored in here Tim Tim K with the athletic again got one for Kay one for for Michael uh clay you talked about your relationship with uh with Kyrie um earlier but but when you say when you say you feel like this is a chance to be rejuvenated uh how much did did Kyrie and and watching Kyrie and watching you know how uh he has been rejuvenated here in Dallas uh whether it’s conversations with him or just watching him how much did that affect and impact this this decision um he actually was one of the first people who text me just how uh grateful he is to be here and how the city’s embraced them the organization embraced him especially after what he had to go through and I’ve known Kai for a long time and he’s been super Down to Earth ever since I met him and uh just a very gracious person and um for him to come here and embrace the city and embrace the role he has uh just inspired me um cuz I mean they were so close to winning the whole thing and you know I think we can help get them over that hump and uh sorry what was part two uh yeah just whether that that pretty much it just whether you had conversations directly about that or just watching him yeah we did we had some good we text a lot nowadays that’s Millennials so we had some good text threats yeah and then Michael um what was the process like for for you guys and the front office like you’ve got some Shooters up here um when did you guys as a front office you know kind of come to the realization that this roster you know needed more shooting was it something that you learned in the playoffs was it something you learned in the finals was it something that even before the playoffs started that that you hop to address in the offseason well I think every team in the league would love to have more shooting uh that’s the way the game is going and it was very obvious during our playoff runs especially in the the games that we lost not only in the finals but in some of the other playoffs games that if we had more shooting it would get us gives us a better opportunity to win those games and I think uh in the finals we saw that a couple games we make a shot here and there um that’s a different Series so now by adding these type of players it’s not going to answer our uh it’s not going to be the ultimate answer per se but it gives us a better chance to win those games when we need big shots to be made especially uh I know these three guys are capable of making those taking and making those big shots Nick from lockon first for clay a lot has been said about how difficult last season was for you what’s the most frustrating thing on the court you’re hoping to break out of here in Dallas and then for Quinton nii what parts of your game do you hope take another step here in Dallas well uh with guys like Luca and Kyrie on the floor I don’t I think just me being out there is going to give them a lot of space to operate and same with our big big men I mean and Derek and Daniel just their ability to roll and and finish is also great I play really well with uh big men who like me and Tra Jackson had a great Rapport last year because uh he’s so good at the rim and I saw the same thing with those two guys and I just um I don’t think you can stick to me as much as you could in the past with guys like Luca and Kai out there and that’s what also was very attractive for me I think just My overall game um get better on defensive end offensive end um yeah just from every way just in every type of wayes get better um make the game easier continue to soak up knowledge and and learn and for me kind of you get back to being more a playmaker like how I was in college and high school and stuff like that just like you said like Luke and Kyrie going to and Clay definitely going to have a lot of attention on them on the court so just being know to playoff close outs knocking down taking open shots when it’s there so just being able to learn from JK and you can see from watching all the games in the playoffs he gives Freedom so all the guys out there so I’m super excited about that just learning every day from this it’s a great organization felt like family the whole time I was in the building yesterday meeting everybody a bunch of new faces so I’m really excited to just be around the whole organization everybody every single day and Finn uh you’ve lived through a lot of the history of this organization and seen the the comments through the years of not being able to reel in the big free agent fish how did this come about uh over a term of months or years or H how would you describe the the process uh winning um everyone wants to be a part of a winner uh in the past you know Dallas has had you know some winning teams but we just couldn’t get over the hump of being a consistent winner and over the past couple years I think uh the word around the league is that not only we are a winning organization on the court but off the court as well and I think with that it makes it attractive for guys like is to to want to join join us and and make our organization and our team even better so I think winning is a very uh uh easy easy to sell to athletes nowadays to put them in a winning environment and these guys are gr was grateful enough to to join us in that uh Blake Elliot 1053 The Fan again this is for all three of you I just wonder how much any of y’all had a rapport with Jason kid and if not what kind of intrigued you about him as a head coach it’s obviously going to be running this uh franchise I mean it’s Jason kid you seen his highlight tape still like Luca will throw crazy passes but I still have not seen the passes made that Jay kid used to make to this day and just learning from a Hall of Fame Talent like that someone who I really grew up idolizing and appreciating his game and his athleticism um he just has a mind for basketball and I know we’re all excited to play for him like I’m just excited to ask him what it was like to guard Michael then guard Kobe and I got a lot of questions for him really cuz I grew up watching that whole era kind of pigy back off clay said like I mean it’s Jason kid number one number two just to be able to learn from from Jason kid every single day is um unbelievable honor and I’m so excited to play for him and yeah Jason kid like they said like we been practice every day picking this brand just seeing the game through like his L what he SE and just being ask me questions about like what like clay said mcard and Michael G and Kobe being in the being in the finals and stuff like that so I’m just excited to get to work honestly Chuck Cooper Ste again with the maps playby playay on radio for all three of you um how did you guys choose the numbers that you ultimately are going to be wearing clay um well uh Kyrie took my number so I was pretty no I’m just kidding uh I mean it’s a change for me so I’m it’s I’m not mad at the change I’m actually excited for it I mean there’s been a lot of great 31s in this franchise history uh Jason Terry won a championship wearing that number and we play very similar style as far as the offguard position spacing the floor shooting um so he had a great year with them um who else I mean grew you had Nick War 31 here wow I don’t remember the Nick days when he he was on the mass huh that’s right he had a good they had a good year with him too but uh love Nick the quick but um I mean Reggie Miller wore 31 and I I I uh watched so much footage of Reggie coming off screens as a teenager especially the like his game-winning his his ability to make game-winning shots I mean that is the most inspiring thing to see as a shooter because he had no fear whether he took he made or missed the shot he was going to live die by it and I still have that image of him in the East finals pushing off Mike curling off the right wing and cashing that three I mean that’s how I modeled my game after just being able to space the floor and you can’t leave me open like you could regie and that was an inspiration for me as well and I thought I’d have a chance to pass him in threes made so that’d be a cool way to honor someone who really paved the way for a shooter like me um 13’s kind of a number I Bo growing up and play some of my best basketball and honestly got to hear you know wearing that number so um I think the mental mentality I had wearing that number and I approach the game is something I want to get back um so yeah yeah five was my high school number coming back to Texas um 24 is retired because of Kobe so I learned that coming uh Mark H did a great job as I think everybody should retire number 24 for sure in the NBA and then coming back to Texas prob was like I said my high school number want to get back to just playing a lot more freedom just a lot more fun so I feel like that was a perfect thing for me to go with [Music] honestly um this one’s for Quinton um I think last time we saw you we’re obviously in Detroit um dealing with a knee issue just how are you feeling physically and are you 100% right now yeah I’m been 100% you know what I mean I’ve been feeling great working out every day just trying to just be in tip top shape or whenever go out to Vegas in a few days working out with the guys out there literally trying to get in Tip Top PR shaer and get ready for the season but yeah definitely 100% clay you’ve talked about your relationship with Kyrie and the communication there I obviously don’t go back as far with Luca I’m curious you know I know you’ve competed against him a lot what’s the relationship like between you guys and you know he’s been over in Europe obviously but what uh what’s the communication been through this process and and since you uh decided to come to Dallas uh he text me um saying how excited he is and I relay the same message back and I think there’s definitely a mutual respect there I mean I remember seeing him at the end of the West finals in 2022 and I told him just how much I loved his game and how he really elevates his teammates and this guy’s limit for his ability and I think that resonated well with him and he was real gracious and defeat and um I just appreciate someone who is not afraid of the moment and competes to the to the end and Luca fits that bill so uh I think we’ll be able to bring the best out of each other I really do Wales and BFB DFW uh clay the last time we saw you you were uh standing out on the court looking around at the uh Chase Center One Last Time what was going through your mind there in that last moment oh that was at the golden one Center and uh just um I mean a lot of uncertainty you know our season ended uh my contract was coming up so I just remember like man I’m going to soak this all in um it’s didn’t have the best night obviously going scoreless getting beat by 24 it still stings but I just remember like man I’m just going to take this all in because there’s nothing guaranteed in pro sports like whether I get a contract extension or I’m somewhere else while I was still in that Warriors uniform I’m looking up and I’m seeing Warriors fans littered throughout the arena uh I was still very grateful in that moment I just wanted to take it all in because you never know when a good thing comes to an end started with clutch points over here I just want forting Nai I just wanted to get you guys initial thoughts when you heard that clay was coming to Dallas I told everybody was going to win a championship yeah that was basically it I was excited um unbelievable like I said earlier to learn from Jason kid um learn from Kay even himself you know become a better shooter you know just a pro a better Pro he’s been in the league a long time and you know just unbelievable people um feels surreal um me and my friends be so excited about it and I’m excited myself yeah I told my friend like you about to get a ring I’m about to get a ring so but I definitely just like like I said one of the best Shooters of all time from me as a shooter coming in I’m going learn from every day um being able to shoot with them every day in practice just competing against them every day in practice so that’s when kind of bring the best out of each other so going against knowledge every day like we got a good group of guys I just when we got clay I was like man sc’s the limit I’m just excited to learn from him every single day honestly um Faith Knight back here with d210 this question is for Quinton after being in New York and Detroit as a Texas native how does it feel to be back home playing in Texas oh it feel it feels great like being in New York and you come back to Texas you like you said sou hospitality is real and just how nice people are just like seen a lot of familiar faces already within the league I see a couple guys from The Woodlands of my area so it’s been going to be great my mom she was crying was even she was even at the house when I got the news she was on the boarding the plane so she had fatime and she was balling I feel like everybody in my family was just super excited because I know it’s just a three-hour drive so they’re super excited and can’t wait to see me in a MAV Jersey Landon Buford from lander.com uh this question is for all you guys um in regards to community work um once you guys get settled um what can the Dallas Community um be expecting from all three of you guys nice hoodie that’s what I’m that’s what I’m talking about yeah well I mean I’m sure Na and Quinton feel the same way but there’s nothing really better than being able to give back and teach the game especially the youth whether it’s just form shooting defensive sliding uh I look forward to working with the obviously Mass foundation and getting involved in yeah the Grassroots level I mean Texas is a hot B for Youth Sports I know that and I’m excited just to share my knowledge I’ve G from my career uh that’s really the best part I mean for any athlete is being able to pass down that knowledge to the Next Generation most definitely um I’m a huge basketball fan so whether whatever level it is high school college like I know everybody so um coming up I know like clay said the Grassroots out here is pretty good so just you know tapping into that you know giving my knowledge back um and just paying back what the game gave to me um I look forward to you know exploring and seeing what they got to offer as far as the youngest and just teach them everything I can yeah I think it’s really more of a rewarding feeling being able to get back to your community help out the youth and just kind of you never know who you might Inspire being out there for just um couple hours you know you might Inspire in the Next Generation the next you out there so I feel like it’s great that you always get back to the community cuz they do so much for us as a fan base um as a community so I know Dallas pretty well they’re big Sports Town football baseball basketball so being able to get back to the youth is going to be something I’mma definitely be participating and excited about clay Adam maraso from Spectrum who was all the way in the back uh you mentioned being a Cali kid most of your life what excites you about being in Texas being in Dallas and do you have to get a freshwater boat to match the saltwater boat do you switch the engine kind of what’s what’s the play there here going forward well I got a little Boston wher and I’m pretty sure it’s a great lake both so and a trailer so I’ll be I’ll be ready but uh I’m I mean excited to eat barbec I’m excited to go to a Cowboys game um just do all the things not too much barbecue though cuz I’m getting a little older so I got to a diet serious so uh but on cheat days for show but um I’m I just embrace the culture I mean yeah go to a Rangers game I got a couple friends on that team who play with my little brother in the uh in the Dodgers and in the Triple A so I’m just excited to get a feel the city and just embrace my new City it’s it’s very exciting so first question is this is Noah Weber from the smoking Cuban first question is for Quinton Quinton um there was a stat from the end of your time with the Knicks that you were guarding the toughest players in the league you ranked first do you take pride why do you take so much pride in guarding the toughest players and question for clay and nii when you see the Mavericks have the number one defense to close the year how exciting is that to be able to join that and bring y’all’s defensive skills to that yeah I definitely take a lot of Pride on defensive end I I think once I made that transition in Houston from Kansas like coach Samson it’s a you got to give 110% or he he going to run you to death and I wasn’t trying to run so I make sure every time I Ste on the court just kind of just stuck with me and then once I went to the Knicks everybody know tib like you got to give it 110% again or he not going to play you as a rookie you got to earn that trust some other way besides pounding the air out the bat I knew that wasn’t going to be the way so then in my second year me getting every assignment from Trey young and Jason Tatum I wanted to make sure I’m trying to make the guys whoever I’m guarding kind of life hell for real so I’m going out there trying to make it hard every single time I got a lot of Pride and that then not going to let you score on me if you going to score on me I’mma tip you hat it’s probably going to be a tough bucket so but I’m going keep coming at you on defensive and offensively as well so take a lot of pride in that in um I think it’s unbelievable um especially you know what I bring to the game and just to be number one in the defense and to add to that is just crazy and I’m just really just looking forward to it I mean I’m so excited you know I used to have to do the a job which is Chase around the best player for 40 minutes and although I’m capable having great Defenders especially on the wing just gives me a lot of relief to be able to switch and guard bigs to point guards and just the versatility of this team defensively I think has gotten better this off season and us three can really you know guard anyone on the perimeter or even on the Block we’re not afraid of that challenge and I think that’s what Michael and the rest of the front office saw in US is like these guys compete and as an athlete skill is important but that competitiveness that’s what really puts you over the top uh skin Wade from the Mavericks TV broadcast and the Ben and Skin Show I’m not really concerned about Nai but a little bit with Quenton and clay that you were dodging Dorothy’s question about the dancing so I would like to get you on record do you have as specific dance move or an overall Dance Floor strategy that you like to employ I mean I can take a twostep a little bit so I mean I’m back I’m back in Texas I know how that Texas twep so to answer that question I can do that one for you I don’t have a go-to move it kind of just flows but I think I’m a good dancer I’ve never watched myself on film dancing so I don’t want to really but I think I’m a good dancer when I’m in a good mood and something’s going right in my life I’mma I’mma let it rip on the Dance Floor just being honest Tory Garcia with the Dallas Morning News um Michael obviously this organization lost a big asset in Derrik Jones Jr what do you see from Nai specifically that’s similar and different to his game well you know Nai brings a a toughness similar to what Derek Jones brought to us um he has a ability to guard in my opinion you know one through five if need be uh and he has a a desire to get better you know he’s he’s going to do whatever it takes you know to win ball games and that’s one of the things that really attracted us to the young man and I’m looking forward to see him you know take on those challenges night in and night out and I know that if he continues to do that that the sky is the limit for him Dwayne price again uh clay the Mavericks only scored eight they only hit 18% of their three-pointers in the NBA finals against Boston where you sitting there watching the series and saying I scored 60 points on 11 dribbles I’m going to Dallas and get another ring that’s funny well you know that regular season defense a little different than that finals defense but uh I mean I was watching just as a basketball fan and you know I did see like man I could really help this team I just they’re right there they’re maybe a few pieces away not a not big adjustments but just very little adjustments from getting over the top I mean I mean Dirk went through it in his first Finals and Luca did too so we’re knocking on the door and that’s what really really got me excited to be here

Watch the introduction Dallas Mavericks’ introductory press conference for Klay Thompson, Quentin Grimes, and Naji Marshall.

Video: Dallas Mavericks

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