Klay Thompson to Join Heat After Mavericks Buy Out $17.5 Million Contract

Q: Will Klay Thompson sacrifice millions in a buyout to join Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Miami Heat for a title run?

Possibly, but only if Dallas cannot trade him and a buyout lets Miami replace most of what he gives up. The reporting points to Miami as one of Klay Thompson’s strongest potential destinations, and multiple insiders say he is open to the Heat because they offer what he wants most at this stage: a real chance to compete deep in the playoffs alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. Miami also has a clear basketball need for his shooting, and the Heat have reportedly kept part of their midlevel exception available for him. Financially, a buyout only makes sense if Thompson does not truly lose much. He is owed about $17.5 million by Dallas, and reports say Miami could offer roughly $7 million to $8 million if he becomes a free agent. In that scenario, Thompson could give back a similar amount in a buyout and recover much of it from the Heat, meaning the sacrifice would likely be limited rather than a massive forfeiture. The bigger obstacle is Dallas, not Thompson. The Mavericks still prefer a trade, have little tax-driven reason to do a buyout, and there have been reports that no formal buyout talks have happened yet. Dallas does need to trim its roster, but it has other ways to do that. So the most realistic answer is that Thompson may be willing to give up some money for Miami, but not likely “millions” in a dramatic sense unless most of it is offset by a new Heat contract. His title priorities make the move logical, but Dallas still controls whether it can happen.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Aug 21

Dallas bought out the final year of Thompson's deal Friday, sending the 36-year-old toward Miami once he clears waivers.
The move followed a sharp decline in Dallas: Thompson averaged 11.7 points in 69 games and posted career lows of 39.3% from the field and 38.3% from three.
Jason Kidd moved Thompson out of the starting lineup after seven games, and he later settled back into a reserve role despite Dallas having promised him a starting spot.
Miami views Thompson as a low-risk shooting addition for a roster reshaped by Giannis Antetokounmpo, even as his days as a major two-way difference-maker appear past.