The Dallas Mavericks are about to kick off a blatant tank to finish the 2025-26 NBA season, and there's no reason to keep Klay Thompson on the roster. In an effort to move him to a contender, the Lakers are the clear landing spot.
For all intents and purposes, the Dallas Mavericks' season is over. Cooper Flagg is not quite ready to lead a winning team, Kyrie Irving is still injured, Anthony Davis is expected to miss the next several months, and Klay Thompson is a shell of himself.
Try as they might, the Mavericks are going to miss the playoffs, tank, and land another franchise cornerstone in the 2026 NBA Draft. Led by players with superstar potential like Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and AJ Dybantsa, Flagg could find himself with a long-term running mate, and the Mavericks could finally open a window of contention.
Irving, Davis, and Thompson are all great players, but they are not a winning trio by themselves, and they no longer fit the Mavericks' timeline. Thompson certainly has the lowest trade value of those players, although the Los Angeles Lakers are a clear landing spot.
Why Lakers Are Mavericks' Best Trade Partner
After the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers, there is great reason for fans to pause when it comes to dealing with LA again. However, moving on from those misgivings is really the only way for the Mavericks to move forward.
The team must deal with the reality they have, not the reality that could have been.
Looking at the top teams in the NBA, the types of franchises that could use a win-now veteran, and the OKC Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and New York Knicks don't really have room for an aging star.
The Lakers, on the other hand, are a perfect fit.
Roundtable's own Mike Fisher wrote: "We can make the argument that Dallas should move Thompson - via cut or trade - as a favor to him, the logic being that he's 'earned the right' to play for a contender."
After trading Doncic, who wanted to spend his entire career in Dallas, the Mavericks' front office has to repair its reputation. Sending Thompson to an NBA backwater for future assets would do the opposite, making Dallas an even less attractive free agent destination.
However, moving Thompson to Hollywood? He can ride out his career playing with Luka--a dream--and LeBron James while chasing titles in sunny California. As the Lakers continue to invest in their winning core, they could send a future-driven package to Dallas.
In exchange for Thompson and the injured Dante Exum, the Mavericks could land Maxi Kleber, Jaxson Hayes, Dalton Knecht, and a top-ten protected 2031 first-round pick.
Kleber and Hayes are on expiring contracts, and Knecht is seeing a decrease in minutes after a rough rookie season. Perhaps a bigger role on a tanking Mavericks team could help him find his shot again?
Landing a first-round pick, even a distant, protected one, is such a massive haul for Thompson. The Lakers, despite their 23-13 record, are 23rd in 3-point attempts and 25th in 3-point percentage. A proven floor-spacer like Thompson, even as his stardom wanes, should be a welcome addition, and the Lakers wouldn't have to give up any win-now pieces.
Dealing with the Lakers again might be tough, but with Nico Harrison no longer calling the shots, the Mavericks will have to rebuild both their roster and image. This deal helps them do both.