Apr 7, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) gestures after scoring during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
Apr 7, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) gestures after scoring during the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
NBA veteran Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks back in 2024, and a lot has changed since then. In the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, the franchise’s entire timeline has shifted, creating much uncertainty about the future.
At 36-years-old, with a desire to compete, Klay clearly does not fit this current Mavericks roster, and that’s why his availability has become such a big story this offseason. The process of finding him a new team has been active for months now, and the Mavs remain focused on finding a trade, despite Thompson never asking for one. The latest update illustrated just how determined they are to find a suitable arrangement.
“Since the end of May, the Mavericks have made the former five-time All-Star available in trade talks as he enters the final year of his contract at $17.5 million. To this point, while there are teams with a level of interest in the veterans’ services, no extensive trade talks have been held,” reported Brett Sigel of ClutchPoints. “League sources say Thompson has not yet approached the team about a potential buyout, and the Mavericks are focused on finding a trade for the veteran sharpshooter. The Mavericks do not hold interest in buying Thompson out and want to utilize his expiring contract to add something of value, whether it be second-round draft assets or something else.”
With averages of 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 39.3% shooting last season, Klay is on the decline, and interest in a trade has been limited on account of his $17.4 million contract. So far, the Miami Heat are the only team to make a strong push for Klay, but they reportedly remain unwilling to include the necessary pieces to pull off a trade.
“Even though the Heat could get creative with a trade offer revolving around 23-year-old forward Nikola Jovic, this doesn’t appear to be a scenario Miami wants to see play out. Jovic is a young talent the Heat have coveted since drafting him 27th overall in 2022, and he is one of the team’s only youthful options after trading Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis for Giannis,” Seigel added.
The easiest path for Klay would be if he were bought out or waived by the Mavericks, making him a free agent. From there, he could pick any team if he’s willing to sign for the veteran’s minimum. But the Mavericks much prefer a sign-and-trade agreement so they can recoup some assets and get something back in exchange for a four-time champion.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins, Klay’s perimeter shooting would prove valuable for the Heat, but it looks like the only way he’ll end up there is via a sign-and-trade deal. It would be a similar situation for other Klay pursuers, and that’s why he’s still a Maverick as things stand currently.
In the end, only time will tell what happens with Klay Thompson, but there’s a chance he may have played his last game for Dallas. Whether it’s through a trade or buyout, their breakup seems inevitable, and it will open up the NBA legend to end things on his terms.