Klay Thompson’s search for one more real shot at a title may be taking him far from Dallas and, potentially, right into Miami’s plans.
Thompson left the Golden State Warriors hoping to be a key piece on a contender, but that idea unraveled quickly with the Mavericks after they traded franchise star Luka Doncic just over six months later. Now Dallas is rebuilding, and the path Thompson wanted there no longer exists. Miami, though, could offer the kind of landing spot he was after.
According to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Thompson is still very much on the Heat’s radar as they look to keep adding shooting around the newly formed duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
“Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, a five-time All Star and the fourth-most prolific three-point shooter in NBA history, has emerged as a player of strong interest to the Miami Heat,” Jackson and Chiang report.
Miami already made its biggest move of the summer by landing Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, but that may not be the end of the shopping. The Heat have also been linked to Thompson’s former Finals rival LeBron James, which only adds to the sense that they’re still hunting for more firepower.
The Antetokounmpo deal doesn’t automatically put Miami in the league’s top tier, but there is a clear route there if the 2x MVP gets healthy after playing just 36 games in his final season in Milwaukee.
For Thompson, the appeal is obvious. Miami could give him another chance at a deep playoff run, and he might actually have a meaningful role there. The Heat lost All-Star guard Norman Powell to the Chicago Bulls in free agency, and Thompson, along with the recently acquired Tim Hardaway Jr., could help fill that void while getting clean looks from the outside next to Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.
From Golden State’s perspective, the reaction would be split. People who still care about Thompson inside the organization, and plenty of fans beyond it, would be glad to see him back with a contender where his game still matters in big moments. But watching him suit up for Miami would also sting a bit, especially with the Warriors already missing out on Antetokounmpo and possibly James too if he chooses South Beach instead of the Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State.
Thompson isn’t the player he once was, and he’s now a bona fide reserve. Even so, the shot still plays. Last season, he hit 38.3% of his threes on 7.6 attempts per game, and that kind of spacing still carries real value.
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