Lou Williams suggests ‘panic’ move to solve Klay Thompson’s Space Jam problem

The Dallas Mavericksthrough the first seven games of the 2025-26 season. are ranked last in offensive rating. They’re scoring just 103.6 points per 100 possessions, which would have ranked in the top 10 in the early 2000s, but in 2025, it’s downright miserable. Their most pressing issues entering the year, namely their point guard production, are starting to haunt them, and the way they work to watch the basketball is painful to score.

The situation for the Mavericks is worsened by the fact that Klay Thompsonwho Dallas signed to a three-year, $50 million deal in 2024, has been rotten throughout the new campaign so far. Despite starting all seven games, he averaged just 20.1 minutes per game, which with his production scoring falls off a cliff. He’s averaging a paltry 8.1 points per game so far on abysmal 32/26/100 shooting, which is so far from his level of play for most of his career.

In fact, Lou Williams, on Fanduel TV’s Run It Back, thinks that Thompson’s talent is siphoned by the Space Jam Monsters, and that the Mavericks should start D’Angelo Russell in his place while he waits to regain his talent.

“They have to make some adjustments. Dallas needs a point guard. A guy like Klay Thompson who is struggling and looks like somebody got their Space Jam basketball and needs it back. … At this point, panic and throw (Russell) in the starting lineup and see if that helps,” Williams said.

“Klay Thompson looks like someone took his Space Jam basketball and he needs it back … At this point, panic and throw (D’Angelo Russell) in the starting lineup and see if that helps.”

Lou Williams on the Mavs’ offensive struggles 👀

(via @RunItBackFDTV)pic.twitter.com/kVZC3knZ0g

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 4, 2025

Thompson is playing worse than ever, and the reality of that may simply be that he’s washed out and can no longer produce the way he once did. But the Mavericks have to acknowledge that and move accordingly.

The Mavericks’ Klay Thompson could be completely washed up

Thompson has had slow starts in the past, even during his prime with the Golden State Warriors. But this level of play will not be acceptable, not for a A Mavericks team that is already missing Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.

The 35-year-old guard has had several terrible shooting nights this season; he’s gone 3-11, 2-10, 4-13 and 2-9 in some games, and he’s not making up for that kind of ineffectiveness with other contributions on the offensive end.

Starting Russell doesn’t look appealing for the Mavericks, but they can’t afford to be picky at this point. This Mavs team needs a shot-making point guard, and Thompson is the most likely candidate to cede his spot in the starting lineup given his poor play.