Klay Thompson Linked to East Contender
Klay Thompson's days with the Dallas Mavericks could be numbered. He has been a trade (or even buyout) candidate this offseason as the Mavs look to the future. The former Splash Brother, now 36, is apparently drawing strong interest from the new-look Miami Heat.
Miami is looking for more shooting to surround their new superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo as they go all-in this season, and Thompson would certainly fit the bill. It would also bring more championship pedigree to the Heat locker room.
REPORT: Klay Thompson has emerged as a “player of strong interest” to the Miami Heat, per @flasportsbuzz / @Anthony_Chiang
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Insider Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tells us that Thompson has emerged as a "preferred option" for the Heat.
Klay, the former longtime backcourt partner of Steph Curry with the Golden State Warriors, has a career 40.9% mark from three-point land. His overall scoring was down last season to just 11.7 ppg, as the 36-year-old came off the bench for the first time in his 13-year career, and averaged a personal low 21.7 minutes per night.
Heat interested in Klay Thompson, with or without LeBron James
Miami also continues its hot pursuit of LeBron James in free agency, and Jackson says that the Heat's interest in adding Thompson remains strong whether LeBron joins them or not.
The insider warns, however, that Thompson being available is not an absolute certainty at this point.
"The question is whether Thompson will shake free from the Mavericks, either through a buyout or trade.
"The Mavericks, well below the luxury tax line, have no particular financial incentive to dump Thompson — who’s owed $17.5 million in the final year of a three-year contract — unless he’s willing to take a significant pay cut on a buyout."
For now, the Mavs' preference would be a trade, according to insider Marc Stein.
