The Dallas Mavericks have reached a buyout agreement with Klay Thompson, ending his two-season run in Dallas. ESPN reports that Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers.
Thompson appeared in 141 games with the Mavericks, including 80 starts, over the past two seasons. He averaged 12.9 points per game while shooting 40.3% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range.
Thompson initially joined Dallas in 2024 to play with Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving and the roster that just lost in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, hoping to help the team try to get back with his championship experience. His tenure in Dallas fell short of his expectations, as Dončić got hurt and eventually traded unexpectedly and the Nico Harrison saga that transpired as a result, not exactly what Thompson envisioned when he joined the franchise.
The future Hall-of-Famer leaves the Mavs with his place among the greatest shooters in NBA history firmly intact. On January 15th of this year, Thompson passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point field goals made list. He currently has 2,899 career three-pointers, making him one of only five players in NBA history to reach at least 2,800 made threes.
“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. “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 also continued to showcase his elite shooting from beyond the arc during his time in Dallas. He made at least 200 three-pointers in both seasons with the Mavericks, bringing his career total to 11 seasons with 200 or more made threes. He is one of just two players in NBA history to record at least 10 seasons with 200-plus made three-pointers.
This buyout marks the end of Thompson’s chapter for the Mavericks, while Dallas moves forward with a changing roster and a new direction under Ujiri.