The Miami Heat‘s interest in Klay Thompson hasn’t changed.
The competition has.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Thompson remains Miami’s top offseason target to bolster its perimeter shooting, but Pat Riley’s front office is no longer operating in a one-team market.
Speaking on NBA Today, Charania said several teams are monitoring the four-time NBA champion’s situation with the Dallas Mavericks, leaving open the possibility that Thompson could be moved via trade or, if circumstances change, eventually become a buyout candidate.
“Sources tell me Klay is the Heat’s number one priority right now to acquire,” Charania said. “Be it trade or buyout, he has one year left on his deal with the Dallas Mavericks. … We’ll see where Klay Thompson could end up.”
For Miami, the message was straightforward. The Heat remain firmly in the mix, but landing one of the NBA’s premier shooters could become more challenging if Dallas creates a broader market for the 36-year-old.
Dallas Still Holding Its Ground
GettyNBA insider Jake Fischer said the Heat could explore a trade for Klay Thompson if the Mavericks continue to resist a buyout.
Charania’s update arrives one day after NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks continue to resist the idea of simply buying out Thompson’s contract.
Instead, Dallas is trying to extract value from the final season of Thompson’s three-year, $50 million deal.
“The Mavericks, to my understanding, have been keen on wanting to keep Klay Thompson for a trade,” Fischer said during a Bleacher Report livestream. “The word has been consistent, though, that Dallas does not want to buy out Klay Thompson and see him walk for nothing.”
That approach isn’t surprising.
Although the Mavericks reshaped their roster around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, team officials still believe they can remain competitive enough to contend for a playoff berth in the Western Conference.
“They want to hold a high price for Klay, for now, because they do envision this group being a playoff-caliber-ish, play-in-caliber team around Cooper Flagg next year,” Fischer added.
As long as Dallas maintains that position, Miami’s clearest path to Thompson likely runs through a trade instead of waiting for a buyout that may never come.
Heat Already Have a Potential Framework
Fischer also identified a deal structure that could work, although it’s far from clear whether Dallas has any interest in taking on Nikola Jovic and the four years remaining on his newly signed contract.
Jovic’s salary provides a workable financial match, and Miami’s willingness to include the 23-year-old forward in trade discussions predates its blockbuster acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I do think that there is some possibility that there could be a trade of Klay Thompson to Miami,” Fischer said. “There’s a rough salary match with Nikola Jovic there.”
Fischer did not indicate whether the Mavericks view Jovic as a desirable return, only that the contracts can be structured to satisfy salary-matching requirements.
Jovic signed a four-year, $64 million contract after averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 47 games last season. But his long-term role became less defined after the Heat added Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis, giving Riley greater flexibility to address another roster need.
That need remains obvious.
Miami spent much of the offseason searching for additional shooting to create space around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and Thompson still checks that box despite showing signs of decline last season.
He averaged career lows of 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 69 games, but still shot 38.3% from 3-point range while averaging 2.9 made 3-pointers per contest. Those numbers help explain why Riley continues to view Thompson as an ideal complementary piece for a roster built to contend immediately.
Charania’s latest reporting, however, suggests the Heat’s pursuit is entering a more competitive phase.
Miami still has its target. It just may have to outbid several rivals to land him.
Miami Heat’s Klay Thompson Pursuit Gets New Twist After Shams Report