The Miami Heat’s pursuit of Klay Thompson has not changed. Neither, apparently, has the obstacle standing in their way.
Miami remains Thompson’s most prominent suitor if the Dallas Mavericks eventually buy out the four-time NBA champion, according to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel. But despite weeks of speculation about that possibility, Siegel said Thursday there still have been no buyout negotiations between Thompson and Dallas.
“Basically, the latest on Klay, and it still holds true today that there have been no talks to this point between the Mavericks and Klay Thompson on a potential buyout,” Siegel said on Clutch Scoops.
That leaves the Heat waiting.
And if Thompson does become available, Miami already has a specific vision for him: play the role Ray Allen once filled around the Heat’s previous championship core.
Heat Envision Klay Thompson as Their Next Ray Allen
GettyRay Allen of the Miami Heat makes a game-tying three-pointer over Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs in the fourth quarter during Game Six of the 2013 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 18, 2013, in Miami, Florida.
“The Miami Heat continued to loom as his biggest suitor, but that is in the event of a buyout,” Siegel said. “They want to sign Klay Thompson using the rest of their mid-level exception and bring him into that Ray Allen type of role.”
Miami has preserved its remaining midlevel exception while monitoring Thompson’s situation. Recent reporting has similarly placed the Heat at the front of the line among teams hoping Dallas eventually releases him, though the Mavericks have preferred finding a trade.
The Allen comparison carries particular weight in Miami.
Allen joined the Heat in 2012 after an accomplished run in Boston and accepted a reduced role alongside LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. He averaged 10.9 points in his first Miami season before hitting the corner 3-pointer that forced overtime in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, helping save a championship run that ended with the Heat defeating San Antonio in Game 7.
Thompson would arrive with a similarly decorated résumé. The five-time All-Star won four championships with Golden State and established himself as one of the greatest shooters of his generation.
Miami wouldn’t need the Warriors version of Thompson.
It would need his shooting.
“They want him to be a catch-and-shoot guy that has championship experience,” Siegel said.
Klay Thompson Would Give Giannis, Bam More Shooting
The fit is easy to understand after Miami’s blockbuster acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Putting another high-volume perimeter threat around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo would provide Erik Spoelstra with additional spacing while giving Miami another player accustomed to postseason pressure.
Siegel said the Heat envision Thompson helping “hold things together for this team on the perimeter” alongside Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.
There remains one significant catch: Thompson isn’t a free agent.
Dallas prefers trading his expiring contract and has shown little appetite for simply paying him to leave. Earlier this month, Siegel reported that neither Thompson nor his representatives had approached the Mavericks about a buyout and that Dallas wanted something in return for him. Thompson has also publicly emphasized that he wants an opportunity to compete for another championship.
Siegel reiterated Thursday that Miami’s preferred route is not a trade.
“The Heat want Klay Thompson,” he said. “They want him in a buyout scenario, though.”
That distinction explains why Miami’s pursuit has become a waiting game.
The Heat have the role. They have money earmarked for the possibility. And they have a championship contender that could use precisely what Thompson has spent his career providing.
What they don’t have yet is a free agent.
Heat Have Iconic Role in Mind for Klay Thompson Amid Latest Buyout News