The Mavericks are still seeking a Klay Thompson trade and want a first-round pick. LeBron James' move to Philadelphia frees up Golden State and Miami.
Dallas Mavericks forward Klay Thompson remains a name to watch on the trade market, and the two teams most frequently linked to him this summer both missed out on LeBron James on Friday.
James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending free agency negotiations that also involved the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat. Thompson is in the last season of a three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks, earning $17.5 million.
Dallas will surely exhaust its evaluation of Thompson's trade market before considering a buyout. Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford are the veterans the Mavericks are most open to moving, while teams inquiring about Kyrie Irving have been told he is not available. Dallas has sought a first-round pick in exchange for Thompson.
Thompson, 36, averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21.7 minutes over 69 games last season, all career lows. He shot 38.3% from 3-point range and 41.8% inside the arc. He moved into fourth place on the NBA's career 3-pointers list in January.
Thompson missed two full seasons earlier in the decade, tearing the ACL in his left knee during Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and rupturing his right Achilles tendon in November 2020. The five-time All-Star has not been selected to an All-Star team since 2019 and has come off the bench for much of the past two seasons.
After missing out on LeBron James, the Heat appear to be a logical option for Thompson if he were to reach the open market. They want another wing with size behind Wiggins, Hardaway Jr., Ryan Conwell, and Pelle Larsson. However, with few movable contracts after acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, a trade is complicated, making a buyout likely necessary.
Golden State has remained a speculated possible landing spot for Thompson before his NBA career ends. They have mostly looked at veteran minimum additions in free agency as of late. In the short term, trading for Thompson would likely prove complicated.
Thompson mentioned at Fanatics Fest last weekend that he has one year left on his deal, and it'd be nice to end in Golden State. He didn't rule out a return in a separate exchange with another fan.
The Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri as president of basketball operations and replaced Jason Kidd with Dusty May as head coach. Dallas went 26-56 and is rebuilding around Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
Thompson, an unrestricted free agent next summer, could attract more interest before the February trade deadline if no trade occurs before training camp.
