Klay Thompson Trade Rumors: Mavericks Shopping Veteran Guard, Heat and Clippers Interested
Klay Thompson’s time in Dallas might already be running out.
The Mavericks are actively looking to trade the veteran shooting guard, according to multiple reports over the weekend. Both the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers have been named as interested teams, and Dallas is reportedly willing to move on to reshape its roster after a disappointing first year with Thompson in the lineup.
Thompson signed with Dallas last summer with the idea of chasing another championship next to Luka Doncic. That did not quite happen. Doncic got traded to the Lakers midseason in one of the wildest moves in recent NBA history. The Mavericks have been in a full pivot ever since, and Thompson has become an odd fit on a roster that is now trying to build around Anthony Edwards.
Why Dallas Wants to Move Him
Thompson’s contract is real. He is making around $16 million and has multiple years left on the deal. That is not a killer number, but it is a chunk of cap space on a player who does not fit the timeline of the new Mavericks core.
Dallas is building around Edwards, who came over in the Doncic deal, along with a group of younger players and draft picks. Thompson is 35 and does not really fit that group. He was brought in for a specific championship push that no longer exists.
The Mavericks would love to convert Thompson’s contract into draft capital or younger players who match their new timeline. That is a hard trade to construct, but it is not impossible if a contender is willing to pay for veteran shooting.
Miami as a Fit
The Heat just added Giannis Antetokounmpo in the biggest trade of the summer. That team suddenly needs shooting around Giannis, and Thompson is one of the best pure shooters of his generation. Even in his diminished current form, he can still stretch the floor and hit open shots.
Miami’s cap situation after the Antetokounmpo trade is complicated. They gave up a lot in that deal, and they will need to be creative to add another significant salary. But if any team can find a way to make it work, it is the Heat.
Thompson next to Antetokounmpo would give Miami a killer half-court combination. Space for Giannis to attack, elite shooting on the second side, and a veteran presence that this team could really use.
The Clippers Angle
The Clippers lost Kawhi Leonard to Toronto earlier this offseason. Los Angeles still has plenty of veteran pieces and a franchise that is desperate to be relevant in the wide-open West. Thompson would be a nice addition to a Clippers roster that is trying to figure out its next chapter.
The salary match is easier for the Clippers. They have some veterans on shorter deals that could be moved to bring Thompson in. It is not a perfect fit, but nothing about the Clippers’ current situation is perfect.
What Thompson Wants
Thompson has publicly said he is happy in Dallas. That is what everyone says publicly. Privately, he has to want to be on a contender at this stage of his career. He won four championships in Golden State and he did not leave for Dallas to spend his final years on a rebuilding team.
If Miami or the Clippers can offer a real path to compete, Thompson would probably welcome the move. His agent has to be working the phones to make sure his client lands somewhere he can win.
The Bigger Picture
Thompson’s career is winding down. He is not the player he was five years ago. But he can still shoot, he still knows how to play, and he still has value to a contender. The Mavericks moving him is the right basketball decision for both sides.
This might get done in the next couple weeks. Preseason games start soon, and Thompson would prefer to be in his new locker room before that begins. Whichever team gets him instantly upgrades its shooting and its veteran leadership. It just becomes a question of what Dallas can extract in return.
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.
