The Mavericks are not rushing toward a Klay Thompson buyout, even with the Heat circling.
Dallas is now operating under new leadership, with Masai Ujiri taking over as the team’s president of basketball operations. He inherits a roster that still feels split between two paths: some veterans who hint at a team ready to compete now, and a younger group that could still need another year or two to settle in.
That’s where Thompson comes in. He’s in the final year of his deal and set to make $17.5 million, which has kept his name in trade chatter for a while. The expiring contract makes him easier to move, but it also creates a tricky decision for Dallas as it tries to sort out what kind of return, if any, is out there.
For now, the Mavericks are leaning toward the trade market rather than a buyout. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Dallas is showing “little interest to this point” in a Thompson buyout, according to Mavs Film Room on X.
That approach tracks. Shooting still carries real value, and even with Thompson no longer at his peak, he remains a dangerous perimeter threat. Last season, he hit 2.9 threes per game while shooting 38.3 percent from deep.
If Dallas can’t find a deal, a buyout could become the fallback. But the Mavericks don’t appear eager to go there yet, and they can afford to wait - especially if the Heat grow more desperate in their search for depth around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
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