Klay Thompson may not be a Dallas Maverick much longer. The Miami Heat have been quietly circling the four-time NBA champion for weeks, waiting for Dallas to make a decision on whether to buy him out or keep him on a crowded roster.
Thompson, 36, is on the final year of his contract at $17.5 million. Dallas currently has 16 players with guaranteed deals and can only carry 15 into the regular season. Something has to give. The Mavericks would love to move Thompson in a trade for a pick or a young player, but the market for a 36-year-old wing making $17.5 million is not exactly robust.
If nobody bites on a trade, the Mavericks will likely buy Thompson out. That would send him to the open market as an unrestricted free agent, and the Heat would be waiting with about $8 million left of their mid-level exception.
Miami is desperate for shooting. The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade cost them Tyler Herro, who was their most reliable three-point shooter. Giannis and Bam Adebayo are not going to space the floor themselves. Someone has to. Thompson, even at 36, still shot 39 percent from three last season on high volume. He is exactly what the Heat need.
The fit is obvious. Thompson gets to play for a real title contender in the twilight of his career. Miami gets a Hall of Fame shooter for a fraction of what he would have cost a year ago. Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches in the league at putting shooters in position to succeed. This works for everyone.
The catch is that Dallas has to actually cut Thompson loose. There is a scenario where the Mavericks trade a different veteran on the roster, keep Thompson for one more year, and try to squeeze whatever they can out of him in a contract year. That scenario is not the leading option, but it is not off the table.
Thompson himself has not commented publicly since the buyout speculation started. He is not the kind of player who wants to force his way out. He has too much pride and too much history in the league. If Dallas wants to keep him, he will report to camp, play hard, and keep his mouth shut.
Miami is not the only team interested. The Warriors have flirted with the idea of a reunion. The Lakers, always active in the veteran market, would love to add another shooter around LeBron and Luka Doncic. The Nuggets and Rockets have both been mentioned in passing.
The Heat’s advantage is that they can offer the mid-level. Most contenders can only offer the minimum. That difference matters. Thompson is not going to sign for the minimum if he can get $8 million from a real contender.
Watch the next two weeks. If Dallas is going to move him, it happens before the end of August. Once training camp starts, the calculus changes. If Miami is going to land him, they need to be first in line the moment he clears waivers.
The chase is on.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
