NBA

Klay Thompson gets Mavericks buyout, expected to join Heat: report

BY kenyatta Davis
4 min read


One of the greatest shooters of all time seemingly won’t be available for long.

The Dallas Mavericks and guard Klay Thompson agreed to a buyout Friday, Aug. 21 for the final year of his contract, worth $17.5 million. And though Thompson still has to go through the waivers process, he’s expected to sign with the Miami Heat, if not claimed, according to ESPN.

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Thompson, 36, is a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion known for his precision and accuracy as a perimeter shooter. With Miami, he brings much-needed shooting to a roster that underwent an overhaul after the June acquisition of star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

While the Heat are set to roll out a stout defensive team, perimeter shooting had been one of the clear weaknesses, and Thompson fills that need. Given that Antetokounmpo is a player who commands enormous defensive attention, a shooter like Thompson should presumably have ample space to operate if opposing teams send double-teams and extra pressure toward Antetokounmpo.

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NBA champions through the years

2026: New York Knicks (beat San Antonio Spurs in five games)

(Dustin Safranek, Imagn Images)

After Masai Ujiri took over the Mavericks, the franchise fired former coach Jason Kidd and replaced him with Dusty May, the former Michigan Wolverines coach fresh off of an NCAA championship. Dallas is undergoing a youth movement built around Rookie of the Year forward Cooper Flagg.

Thompson, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, didn’t fit that timeline, so the franchise opted to move on after it could not find a trade partner.

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Thompson rose to fame during his 11 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, when he was paired alongside Stephen Curry to form the “Splash Brothers,” the most prolific shooting duo in NBA history.

Thompson averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season across 69 appearances. He converted 38.3% of his 3-point attempts.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Klay Thompson gets Mavericks buyout, expected to join Heat: report



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kenyatta Davis
kenyatta Davishttp://seduiremedia.com

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© 2026 Séduire Media. All rights reserved.

All editorial content, photography, video, graphics, recordings, and original reporting published by this publication are protected under applicable copyright laws.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmitted, displayed, or otherwise exploited without prior written permission.

For licensing, syndication, photography rights, music rights, recording rights, or republication inquiries, contact: licensing@seduiremedia.com