The agreement for a contract buyout between the Dallas Mavericks and Klay Thompson marks the end of a two-year period that was marred by the unexpected trade of Luka Doncic. Thompson is set to join the Miami Heat after clearing waivers, as per a reliable source familiar with the plans of the five-time All-Star. The Mavericks failed to make the playoffs during Thompson’s tenure, following Doncic leading them to the NBA Finals in 2024.
Thompson came to Dallas in a sign-and-trade deal with Golden State, providing the Mavericks with a seasoned 3-point shooter to complement Doncic and another scoring guard in Kyrie Irving. However, the promising trio’s prospects crumbled after Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in 2025, and Irving sustained a significant knee injury, sidelining him since then. Davis was subsequently traded to the Washington Wizards before the last season’s trade deadline.
The trade involving Doncic had a detrimental impact on the Mavericks, despite them defying the odds to secure the top pick in the draft lottery shortly after. With that pick, they chose Cooper Flagg from Duke, who went on to win the Rookie of the Year award, injecting new optimism into the franchise. Flagg’s arrival led to Thompson primarily coming off the bench for the first time since his rookie year with the Warriors.
Thompson’s buyout is part of a significant overhaul of the Mavericks’ roster. With his departure, only five players from the team’s lineup two years ago remain, alongside new faces in the front office with Masai Ujiri as president of basketball operations, Mike Schmitz as general manager, and Dusty May taking over coaching duties from Jason Kidd.
Thompson, a four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, spent his first 13 seasons with Golden State, enduring two seasons marred by knee and Achilles injuries. During his time with the Mavericks, he averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from beyond the arc. Throughout his career, Thompson has maintained averages of 19.6 points per game and a 41% 3-point shooting rate. In January, he surpassed Damian Lillard to secure the fourth spot on the all-time 3-point list with 2,899 made shots, trailing only Curry, Harden, and Allen.
Having missed the playoffs only twice in 11 seasons with the Warriors, Thompson matched that number in his brief stint with Dallas. Ujiri expressed gratitude towards Thompson for his contributions to the Mavericks, acknowledging his exceptional talent and competitiveness.
In related news, DeMar DeRozan has agreed to a one-year contract with the Denver Nuggets, valued at the veteran minimum of $3.9 million US. This move marks DeRozan’s fifth team in his 18-year career as a six-time All-Star pursuing his first NBA championship. The addition of DeRozan bolsters the Nuggets’ backcourt experience following the departure of Peyton Watson in a multi-team trade, where the young forward was sent to Cleveland. Watson, who started 40 games last season, posted career-high averages in points, rebounds, and assists.
DeRozan, originally drafted by Toronto in 2009, spent nine seasons with the Raptors before being traded to San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard. Since then, he has also played for Chicago and Sacramento, with the latter being his most recent team. DeRozan averaged 18.4 points last season, ending a streak of 12 seasons where he averaged at least 20 points per game. His playoff appearances have been limited, with just two winning seasons post his successful spell with the Raptors.