Mavericks' Klay Thompson Coveted By Miami Heat After Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade

The Dallas Mavericks are in the process of retooling their team around Cooper Flagg, who had one of the greatest rookie seasons we've ever seen.

It's also a new regime in Dallas, led by team president Masai Ujiri, general manager Mike Schmitz, and head coach Dusty May. They don't have any ties to anyone on the roster, and they need to secure future assets more than anything.

One player in trade rumors is sharpshooter Klay Thompson. His tenure in Dallas has been far from what he expected when he joined Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving fresh off a run to the NBA Finals, but he has been the perfect veteran in the locker room.

Still, he wants to compete for championships, and the Mavs are far from doing so. That could put him on the move, and with the Miami Heat looking for more shooters after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, they have emerged as a likely option.

According to the Miami Herald, "Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, a five-time All-Star and the fourth-most prolific three-point shooter in NBA history, has emerged as a player of strong interest to the Miami Heat, multiple sources said in recent days. The Heat has interest in adding Thompson whether LeBron James joins the Heat or not, a source said."

As far as how they might get there, Marc Stein reported late on Monday night that "The Mavericks, league sources say, continue to explore Klay Thompson's trade market, showing little interest — to this point — in buying out the four-time champion’s final remaining season..."

As the Herald pointed out, there is no financial incentive for the Mavericks to buy out Thompson's contract since they're well below the first tax apron, so they're going to search for a trade. Thompson likely has more value as an expiring contract than he does as a player, but they could still leverage that in the right trade.

If Thompson asked out, the Mavericks could oblige and let him walk. Or, they could use that salary to take on bad money.

Projected Trade Between Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks for Klay Thompson

There is only one salary that lines up perfectly for the Mavericks and Heat to make a trade, and it's a bad contract. Here is a projected trade.

Miami Heat Receives: Klay Thompson
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Nikola Jovic, 2029 first-round pick swap

Nikola Jovic was handed a four-year, $64 million contract extension that kicks in this year. It was a questionable contract when he signed it, and he hasn't done anything to live up to it yet, averaging 7.3 PPG while shooting 26.9% from three, and he has yet to play in more than 50 games in a season.

Jan 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The last thing the Mavericks need is another player in the frontcourt who can't shoot, especially one on a contract this heavy. It's one of the worst contracts in the NBA.

However, swapping first-round picks with Miami in either 2029 or 2032, the two years they have open, could be interesting. By 2029, Cooper Flagg will be 22 years old and entering his prime, while Giannis Antetokounmpo will be 34. It would be easier to talk Miami into swapping that pick over 2032, when Flagg would be 25 and Antetokounmpo would be 37.

More than likely, the Mavs would like to get a third team involved to offload Nikola Jovic's contract in a scenario like this, while the Heat will continue to hope for a buyout for Thompson.

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