Klay Thompson has agreed to a two-year deal worth close to $13 million with the Miami Heat after clearing waivers following a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks, a move that addresses Miami’s search for perimeter shooting while giving Dallas one less roster headache heading into training camp.
Why did the Mavericks agree to a buyout?
Thompson approached the Mavericks about wanting to play for a contender, prompting the team to work out a buyout rather than keep him on a roster that finished 26-56 last season. He was due $17.5 million in the final year of his contract before the agreement was reached. Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri credited Thompson’s contributions to the organization and wished him well in a statement following the announcement.
What does Thompson bring to Miami?
Thompson’s deal reportedly includes a player option for the second season. The Heat identified him as their top target after completing a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Thompson gives Miami a proven perimeter shooter to build around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Over his two seasons in Dallas, Thompson averaged 12.9 points while shooting 40.3% from the field and 38.7% from three, appearing in 141 games with 80 starts.
Where does this rank Thompson historically?
Thompson passed Damian Lillard in January to move into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point list and currently sits at 2,899 career threes, one of only five players ever to reach 2,800. He made at least 200 three-pointers in both of his Dallas seasons, extending his career total to 11 seasons with 200-plus makes, a mark only one other player in NBA history has matched. He remains behind James Harden’s 3,390 and former teammate Stephen Curry’s 4,248, and would pass Hall of Famer Ray Allen’s 2,973 with 75 more made threes.
How did Thompson end up in Dallas in the first place?
Thompson joined the Mavericks via a six-team sign-and-trade in the summer of 2024, arriving after 13 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where he won four championships and made five All-Star teams. His Golden State tenure included stretches lost to Achilles and knee injuries that cost him consecutive seasons, making his continued production into his mid-30s a notable part of his recent career arc.
What does this mean for the Mavericks’ roster?
Dallas now sits at 15 standard contracts after previously carrying 16, aligning with the regular-season roster limit heading into camp. The team’s roster includes Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and a mix of returning forwards and guards, and the Thompson buyout resolves one of the roster crunch issues the front office had been managing throughout the offseason as it finalizes its group under new head coach Jason Kidd’s successor, Dusty May.
What comes next for both teams?
Thompson is expected to officially join the Heat once the buyout and waiver process fully clears, giving Miami its added shooting piece ahead of training camp. Dallas, meanwhile, still has additional roster decisions to make as it works toward the 15-man limit, with a demanding early-season schedule against contenders like San Antonio and Houston awaiting new head coach Dusty May regardless of how the final roster shakes out.
