Klay Thompson arrived in Dallas as a sign-and-trade Splash Brother chasing a fifth ring beside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. He left Friday via buyout, with the Mavericks announcing the end of a two-year run that never reached the postseason.
The Associated Press, ESPN, the Dallas Morning News, and USA TODAY Sports all dated the agreement to Friday, Aug. 21. Thompson still must clear waivers. ESPN's Shams Charania reported he plans to sign with the Miami Heat for two years and nearly $13 million, including a player option in the second season.
The AP, citing a person familiar with his plans, said he intends to join Miami and could sign as early as Sunday if no team claims him.
The tenure that did not match the billing
Thompson joined Dallas from Golden State in the summer of 2024. The AP summarized how that threesome plan collapsed after Dallas traded Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Irving tore his ACL a month later, and Davis was later flipped to Washington.
Dallas won the draft lottery and selected Cooper Flagg, who won Rookie of the Year; Thompson then came off the bench in most games for the first time since his Warriors rookie year, the AP wrote.
The Dallas Morning News put the on-court ledger in one paragraph can keep: 141 games, 80 starts, 12.9 points per game, 40.3% from the field, 38.7% from three. Career rates remain higher — 19.6 points and 41% from three in the AP's summary — and he sits fourth all-time with 2,899 threes after passing Damian Lillard last season (ESPN/AP/DMN).
Camp roster size
Thompson was owed $17.5 million for 2026-27, the last year of a three-year contract (ESPN, DMN, USA TODAY). Buying him out lets Dallas open September camp at 15 standard contracts, the league maximum into the regular season, the Morning News reported. The same story noted that after Thompson, only Irving (34) and Caleb Martin (31) remain 30 or older on the Dallas roster.
ESPN said Thompson told the 26-56 Mavericks he wanted a contender and that Miami prioritized him after acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo. That is the sportswriter read of the transaction: a veteran on a rebuild timeline seeking a title window, and a Heat team stocking perimeter shooting around a new co-star.
