With marquee players signed and most impact moves already made, the NBA offseason is deep into a lull.
Yet, that doesn’t mean there are still some difference makers who could find new homes.
One of those players with an unresolved future is current Dallas Mavericks shooter Klay Thompson. As Dallas is looking to build for the future around soon-to-be second-year forward Cooper Flagg, Thompson might not figure into the team’s plans. That’s only magnified, given he has one year left on his deal, worth $17.5 million.
That makes Thompson a prime trade or buyout candidate. The tricky part about a trade is that teams might be reluctant to part with assets — whether draft capital or personnel — for a 36-year-old who shot a career low in 3-point percentage
last season.
Granted, that was still a very respectable 38.3%, but it’s clear Thompson is more of a role-playing shooting specialist at this point of his career. A buyout, however, would allow Thompson to pick his preferred destination. But the Mavericks likely don’t want to let him walk without getting anything in return.
Here are the top landing spots for Klay Thompson:
Los Angeles Lakers
Thompson was born in Los Angeles and still has ties to the area, so this would be a nice fit. The roster is very different from last season’s, but the Lakers ranked just 23rd in made 3-point field goals per game (11.8). Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves will dominate ball-handling duties, and Thompson excels at slipping past defenders without the ball in his hands. Coach JJ Redick, who was a sharpshooter in his own right, also knows how to maximize a talented sniper like Thompson. When Thompson signed with the Mavericks in July 2024, Thompson acknowledged that playing alongside Dončić was a big reason why.
Miami Heat
When Thompson is at his best, he has plenty of space to find soft spots in opposing defenses. Now that Miami landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat should have far better spacing, given Antetokounmpo’s ability to slash into the paint and draw multiple defenders. Miami also needs shooting help, though the Heat don’t have a lot of cap space to work with so this would appear to be more of a buyout scenario, unless Miami makes a player like Nikola Jović available.
Golden State Warriors
After failing to land Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, the Warriors are very clearly running it back. Why not, then, really run it back? The money would have to work, but there would be no fit better for Thompson than Golden State. Coach Steve Kerr is still there. Stephen Curry is still there. Thompson knows the system intimately and the Warriors — who tied for 17th last season in 3-point percentage (35.6%) — could definitely use a shooter like him. Highlighting that point: No team took more 3s per game (44.1) last season than the Warriors. Golden State, however, needs to get younger.
Dallas Mavericks
If teams don’t bite with any trade offers, and if a buyout becomes the only option, there is the case to be made for Thompson to stay with the Mavericks. His deal will expire at the end of the season, so Dallas will clear his cap space when that time comes. But, Thompson’s market could intensify closer to the trading deadline; perhaps a possible contender will need to add a shooter, or perhaps a team looking ahead to the 2027 offseason will want to enter free agency with more financial flexibility. If the objective for Dallas is to get something in return, patience might prove to be worthwhile.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Klay Thompson in Mavericks' plans? Landing spots if he's traded
