It’s the start of another chapter for veteran guard Klay Thompson. After two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, which did not go according to plan, he is once again a free agent, free to pick his next destination.
But instead of returning to the Golden State Warriors or following in the footsteps of his dad to Los Angeles, the four-time champion is headed to Miami, where he will join a star-studded Heat team. The development comes after weeks of pursuit by the Heat, who have long sought a perimeter scoring threat.
“Klay Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks,” reported ESPN’s Shams Charania. “Thompson and the Mavericks navigated a buyout from his $17.5 million expiring salary after the four-time NBA champion made it clear to Dallas that he wanted to play for a contender. The Heat made one of the NBA’s all-time greatest shooters their top free agent priority this summer to surround Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo and waited nearly two months on his release.”
Klay, 36, joined the Mavericks in 2024 after a legendary run with the Warriors. He craved a fresh start alongside Luka Doncic, but it only lasted for half a season before Doncic was traded away. As the Mavericks struggled, their timeline shifted, and Thompson no longer fit the franchise’s direction. Cutting ties was the best move for both sides, and now Klay has an opportunity to play meaningful basketball again.
While not favored in the East, the Heat are much improved after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer. Between him, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Klay Thompson, the Heat could emerge as a real title threat. It’s unclear what role Klay will have in the rotation, but he’ll be set up for success with star teammates and a genius head coach in Erik Spoelstra, who is known to bring out the best in players.
With averages of 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on 39.3% shooting last season, we know Klay can put up big numbers, even if his game has greatly diminished. But as someone who has helped change the course of NBA history, Thompson deserves to go out as a winner, and he believes this is the best path to that conclusion.
What’s surprising is that he seemingly never considered a return to the Warriors, validating the sentiment that they are no longer in the title mix. The Lakers also could have used Thompson, but it’s unclear what their level of interest was in a deal. The Heat made the next best fit, and it makes sense that they would sign Klay amid reports of their interest in DeMar DeRozan.
As for what’s next in Miami, there may be no more moves left to make. They were already limited on assets, and their latest signing leaves virtually no room for any further additions. By all accounts, this roster is what the Heat will be rolling with for at least the next season, and there’s a growing belief that they can surprise a lot of people.
