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Klay Thompson arrived in Dallas with the kind of résumé that suggested he could help push the Mavericks toward another championship. Instead, two seasons later, that opportunity has disappeared.
The Mavericks reached a buyout agreement with Thompson on Friday, ending his brief tenure with the organization. The 36-year-old veteran is expected to clear waivers Sunday before joining the Miami Heat, according to a league source cited by The Athletic.
For Thompson, the move represents more than a change of teams. It is another turn in a career that has shifted dramatically from the championship years he enjoyed with Golden State.
Klay Thompson’s Dallas chapter ends without a playoff appearance
Thompson spent two seasons in Dallas but never appeared in a playoff game for the Mavericks.
He played 21 games alongside Luka Dončić and 45 games with Kyrie Irving. The roster around him also changed dramatically during his time there.
Dallas lost Dončić in a blockbuster trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025. Anthony Davis, who arrived in that deal, later dealt with injuries, while Irving suffered a torn ACL and missed the entire 2025-26 season.
The Mavericks eventually traded Davis to Washington and struggled badly down the stretch, losing 30 of their final 37 regular-season games. Thompson remained one of the team’s most dependable shooters through the turbulence. He made 418 3-pointers during his two seasons in Dallas, the most by any Mavericks player during that span.
Thompson is still chasing another championship opportunity
The buyout comes shortly after Thompson made his priorities clear.
During an August Twitch appearance, he emphasized that he wanted to be part of a team capable of making a deep playoff run. At this point in his career, another opportunity to compete for a championship appears to matter more than maintaining stability with one franchise. That makes the expected move to Miami particularly significant.
Thompson is no longer the same player who once routinely carried a massive scoring burden alongside Stephen Curry. His role changed in Dallas last season, when he moved primarily to the bench. He still averaged 11.7 points and shot 38.3% from 3-point range on 7.6 attempts per game. He appeared in 69 games and started only eight.
Why Miami could give Klay Thompson a different ending
Miami has reportedly been pursuing Thompson while managing a tight roster situation.
The Heat’s interest makes sense from a basketball perspective. Thompson remains a dangerous perimeter shooter, and his experience could give a veteran-heavy roster another reliable option from outside. The bigger question is whether Miami can put him in a situation that matches what he wants most.
Thompson has already experienced the downside of joining a team that was expected to contend before circumstances changed. Dallas never became the championship challenger he envisioned when he left Golden State. Miami offers another opportunity.
This time, Thompson would arrive knowing exactly what he is chasing.
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Klay Thompson’s next move could define his final NBA chapter
Thompson enters this stage of his career with four championships, five All-Star selections and a reputation as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history. But his Dallas chapter will be remembered differently.
He joined the Mavericks after their run to the 2024 NBA Finals, hoping to help them take another step. Instead, injuries, major roster changes and organizational upheaval prevented that vision from developing. Now Thompson gets another chance to control where his career goes next.
Miami could become the place where he finds the playoff opportunity Dallas could not provide. For a player who has already accomplished almost everything individually, that opportunity may be the most important part of what comes next.
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