The Miami Heat are not done making moves after acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, and one intriguing name could soon find his way into the rumor mill: Klay Thompson.
After spending the first 13 years of his career with the Golden State Warriors before joining the Dallas Mavericks, 36-year-old Klay Thompson is still one of the most respected shooters in NBA history.
While he is no longer the All-NBA player who helped build the Warriors dynasty, his elite floor spacing and playoff experience still make him an attractive target.
Miami’s interest would make plenty of sense since they are looking for knockdown perimeter shooters. The Heat need supreme shooting around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and few players in league history have stretched defenses the way Thompson has.
The challenge, however, is figuring out how a deal would actually happen. Let’s break down the possibilities.
Why The Heat Would Want Klay Thompson
Even at this stage of his career, Thompson solves Miami’s biggest problem right now.
The Heat will likely struggle to generate consistent three-point shooting and half-court offense as their roster stands. Thompson is still one of the league’s most feared perimeter threats, averaging 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 39.3% from the field and 38.3% from deep.
Those numbers are down from Klay’s career marks (18.6 points per game on 44.8% from the field and 40.9% from deep), but there is no reason not to believe Klay can’t get his percentages up.
His presence would create more driving lanes for Miami’s stars while opening up additional space for Giannis and Adebayo’s playmaking. Defenses simply cannot afford to leave Thompson alone, regardless of age or recent production.
Beyond the shooting, Miami values professionalism and postseason experience. Thompson is a four-time NBA champion who has appeared in six Finals and countless high-pressure games.
The Most Realistic Path: A Buyout
The easiest path to Miami may not involve a trade at all. If Dallas decides to blow it up asap, he could eventually emerge as a buyout candidate. In that scenario, Miami would become an immediate contender for his services.
The Heat have been one of the league’s most attractive buyout destinations because of their big market and consistent playoff aspirations. Thompson would be able to join a contender without Miami surrendering any assets.
From Miami’s perspective, this is likely the preferred outcome.
They keep their young players, keep flexibility, and add one of the greatest shooters ever for a fraction of the cost.
The Nikola Jovic Problem
If Miami wants to acquire Thompson ($17.4M) via trade, the salary-matching complications appear.
Nikola Jovic is one of the few realistic contracts capable of helping facilitate a deal. However, Miami recently committed to Jovic long-term, signing him through the 2029-30 season for an average of $15M-$17M per season.
That makes a straightforward Thompson-for-Jovic swap difficult to envision.
The Heat still view Jovic as a developmental piece with upside, and giving up a 23-year-old forward for an aging veteran on a short-term timeline may not align with long-term plans.
That’s why we would be surprised if Miami pursued this deal. Still, strange things happen when contenders believe a veteran can help them compete for a championship.
The Andrew Wiggins Scenario
If Miami truly wanted Thompson, Andrew Wiggins could become the key.
Wiggins holds a player option worth roughly $30 million and could potentially be used in a sign-and-trade. Such a situation would allow Miami to match salary more comfortably while potentially bringing back additional talent alongside Thompson.
A hypothetical package could involve:
Miami Heat Receive:Â Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin or Naji Marshall
Dallas Mavericks Receive:Â Andrew Wiggins
For Miami, the appeal would be turning one large contract into multiple rotation pieces while adding one of the greatest shooters of all time.
For Dallas, Wiggins would be an expiring contract as they completely tear everything down and build again around Cooper Flagg.
While far from guaranteed, this route appears more realistic than sacrificing Jovic.
Why Miami Might Pass
As intriguing as Thompson sounds on paper, there are legitimate reasons for caution.
Miami need shooters, but also perimeter defenders. Thompson is a dangerous shooter, but he no longer provides the elite perimeter defense that once made him one of basketball’s most complete guards.
The Heat would also have to decide whether adding another veteran is worth sacrificing younger assets or even more future assets. The Heat are stretched thin after the Giannis trade.
At some point, the Heat need to be careful about chasing one more championship and maintaining a sustainable future to some extent.
Prediction
The buyout market is the most likely path if Thompson ever ends up wearing a Heat uniform.
A direct trade centered around Nikola Jovic feels unlikely after Miami’s long-term commitment to the young forward, while a Wiggins-based sign-and-trade would require multiple moving parts to make it happen.
Still, whenever an elite shooter with championship experience becomes available, the Heat need to pounce. And if Klay Thompson ever reaches the open market, the Heat will be the first team to make a call.
