Klay Thompson is headed to South Beach. The Dallas Mavericks announced they had agreed to a contract buyout with the veteran sharpshooter, and now Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat on a two-year, $13 million deal that includes a player option in the second season, pending him clearing waivers.
The Mavericks bought out Thompson’s contract, which had one year remaining and would have paid him $17.5 million for the 2026-27 season. Dallas made the move after signing Thompson in 2024. The Mavericks are pivoting toward a youth movement led by reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg. That leaves little reason to keep Thompson on next season’s roster.
The move gives Miami much-needed shooting around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo on a roster the Heat have been actively reshaping this offseason. Thompson’s addition comes after Miami traded Tyler Herro to Milwaukee as part of the Antetokounmpo blockbuster and let Norman Powell walk in free agency.
Miami’s front office had reason to prioritize outside shooting. Entering the offseason, the Heat could not realistically retain both Herro and Powell. That is because they both needed the ball in their hands and struggled defensively. Along with Simone Fontecchio and Nikola Jovic, Herro and Powell were among just four Heat players last season to attempt at least 6.0 three-pointers per 75 possessions. That was the second-fewest such group in the NBA.
Thompson is one of the best shooters in NBA history. He’s a four-time NBA champion, three-point specialist, and five-time All-Star. He also ranks fourth all-time in career three-pointers made. He passed Damian Lillard last season and sits at 2,899 for his career.
Despite his pedigree, he delivered mixed results during his two years in Dallas. Thompson averaged 12.9 points across 141 games with the Mavericks on 40.3/38.7/85.1 shooting splits. However, he fell out of the starting lineup midway through last season after head coach Jason Kidd moved him to the bench just seven games in.
It’ll be interesting to see what Thompson looks like in Miami. He brings the shooting that the Heat desperately need. If he can play well, he could help elevate this Heat team and turn them into a real contender. However, if he can’t shoot well, then this could hurt the Heat.
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