Klay Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a buyout, concluding the guard's two-season tenure with the team. Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after clearing waivers, according to ESPN.
Thompson, who had one year remaining on his three-year, $50 million deal signed in 2024, joined the Mavericks ahead of the 2024-25 campaign as part of a sign-and-trade. He averaged 11.7 points per game last year, shooting 38.3% from three-point range, and primarily came off the bench, starting only eight games. This marked a significant drop from his 2022-23 season with the Golden State Warriors, where he averaged 21.9 points and shot 41.2% from beyond the arc.
"Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization," Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a statement. "We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward."
Thompson, a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion during his time with the Warriors, is one of the greatest 3-point shooters in league history. He has made the fourth-most three-pointers all-time, recently surpassing Damian Lillard. He is currently 74 behind Ray Allen for third place on the all-time list.
His expected move to the Heat places him on a team that recently acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. NBA insider Marc Stein reported in July that the Heat were interested in pairing Thompson with Antetokounmpo and center Bam Adebayo. The Heat's acquisition of Antetokounmpo involved multiple first-round picks, a pick swap, a second-round selection, and players Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis.
Upon signing with Miami, Thompson would instantly join a contender and could carve out a role as the Heat face challenges in their pursuit of repeating as champions, potentially becoming a significant obstacle for teams like the New York Knicks.
