Heading into the NBA All-Star Break, the San Antonio Spurs are three game sbehind the Oklahoma City Thunder, good for the second-best record in the Western Conference.
Thanks to All-Star play from Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox, as well as key contributions from the rest of the supporting cast, the Spurs have gone from playoff hopefuls to legitimate title contenders, all in the span of just a few months.
However, they aren't frontrunners, and a big reason for that is their shooting. The Spurs are 22nd in the league in 3-point percentage, making only 34.7% of their shots from deep. Harrison Barnes has proven himself unreliable in recent weeks, and Devin Vassell has a rather lengthy injury history. As they prepare for a playoff run, the Spurs have been linked to a premier buyout candidate.
With a roster spot opened up after waiving Jeremy Sochan, the Spurs could target a proven veteran.
Spurs Predicted to Land Klay Thompson
First, the Dallas Mavericks have to buy him out. Klay Thompson is shooting 37.5% from deep this season, which would be a welcome addition to the Spurs' rotation. After trading away Anthony Davis, the Mavericks have signalled ot the rest of the NBA that they don't plan on playing competitive basketball.
Keep in mind, Thjompsoin signed with the Mavericks in 2024 after Dallas made the Finals, hoping he could be the missing piece next to Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. He did not sign up to play for a rebuilding team, and would almost certainly embrace playing for the playoff-bound Spurs, even if it meant taking a paycut on the buyout market.
"The Spurs are in the bottom 10 in three-point percentage, so they should have interest in Thompson if he gets bought out," wrote Sports Illustrated's Joey Akeley. "Though Thompson is under contract for $17.5 million next season, I bet he'd be willing to give up a good chunk of that to join a contender."
Would Thompson ask to be released by Dallas? Would the Mavericks give in? If they do, the Spurs have both the means and motive to land him, and in an effort to win a title without the Golden State Warriors, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr, the Spurs make sense as a landing spot for the second-best shooter of his generation.