Although the Mavericks are said to be very much open to discussing trade scenarios involving Klay Thompson, the team has yet to engage in “extensive” talks about the veteran sharpshooter, sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
The Heat have been the team most frequently linked to Thompson and they could theoretically match his $17.5MM expiring salary by trading Nikola Jovic, who will make $16.2MM in 2026/27. However, while Miami internally discussed the possibility of moving Jovic earlier in the offseason, the front office doesn’t appear to be enthusiastic about that scenario, Siegel writes.
As Siegel points out, Jovic, 23, is one of the few younger players left on the Heat’s roster after Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, and Kasparas Jakucionis were sent to Milwaukee in the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster, and Miami has long been high on the former first-round pick.
It’s worth noting too that Jovic’s value is at an all-time low as his four-year, $62.4MM rookie scale extension takes effect following a disappointing, injury-plagued 2025/26 season in which he averaged just 7.3 points per game on .366/.269/.683 shooting. The Mavs would likely seek sweeteners in order to take on that four-year contract, while Miami is presumably reluctant to sell low.
If a Jovic trade is off the table, the Heat’s only realistic path to landing Thompson would be if he’s bought out by Dallas and reaches free agency. That’s also the outcome the 36-year-old’s other suitors are hoping for, according to Siegel, who identifies the Lakers and Warriors as two other teams with interest. The Magic, who had “serious” interest in Thompson when he was a free agent in 2024, haven’t renewed that interest this time around, Siegel adds.
After reporting last week that the Mavs and Thompson have yet to discuss a buyout, Siegel says nothing has changed on that front, writing that the veteran wing hasn’t approached the team about negotiating his exit and Dallas’ front office wants to try to use Thompson’s expiring contract to extract something of value in a trade.
If Thompson were to pursue a buyout and the Mavs were to relent, Siegel views the Heat and Lakers as the top contenders for his services. Those teams are widely considered to be closer to title contention than the Warriors, and Thompson spoke this week about his desire to get back to the postseason and contend for a championship. Notably, he’s also said to have interest in playing in Los Angeles and signed with the Mavs in the first place due in large part to the opportunity to team up with Luka Doncic.
The idea of Thompson reuniting and “riding off into the sunset” with longtime Warriors teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green isn’t out of the question, Siegel writes, but he classifies it as “highly unlikely” that Klay would return to Golden State before the 2026/27 season tips off.
