Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. Image via: NBA
Where this lands depends on what each side is willing to give up. Miami has reportedly discussed sending Nikola Jovic and other assets to Dallas, though Marc Stein’s reporting suggests the Heat might prefer to simply wait Thompson out and sign him once he clears waivers. The Lakers, meanwhile, could offer a package built around Jonathan Vanderbilt and a second-round pick. There is now talk that Dallas may have more suitors than it needs, and not enough Thompson to go around.
Category Details Player Klay Thompson Current Team Dallas Mavericks Rumored Team Miami Heat (Los Angeles Lakers also in the mix) Contract Status 3-year, $50 million contract Salary Cap Hit $17.46 million Trade Likelihood Unsettled. The shooting guard’s $17.46 million salary makes him an easy expiring piece for Dallas to move rather than absorb through a buyout, and multiple insiders now describe the Mavericks as motivated sellers. Contract: $17.46 million salary, 3-year, $50 million contract. Career earnings: $298.7 million The financial angle matters too. Moving Thompson clears his $17.46 million hit off the books, giving Dallas more room to maneuver as it builds out the roster around its core going forward.
Reports conflict on whether Miami pursues a trade or waits for a buyout Latest Insider Update Marc Stein reports Miami remains at the front of the line for Thompson Potential Return Nikola Jovic plus additional assets (per Brett Siegel. Klay Thompson arrived in Dallas this offseason looking for a fresh start after years in Golden State, but his tenure has already turned into trade chatter. It has put Dallas in control of the outcome. Rather than releasing Thompson and getting nothing back, the front office can extract value from a team that wants his shooting badly enough to give up an asset for it.
