The Miami Heat are still trying to stack a wild offseason on top of the Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster, and now Klay Thompson has entered the picture.
Miami’s push for LeBron James remains alive, too. Heat president Pat Riley said the team has already had conversations about bringing James back to South Beach, but the process is still in limbo.
“To be transparent about it, we've had discussions over a week ago, maybe a week before that about it. But right now, I think we're like everybody else. Just waiting to see what he does,” Riley told the media.
While the James situation plays out, the Heat are reportedly exploring another way to add firepower on the perimeter. NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote that Miami has interest in Thompson, and that a buyout could become a possibility if Dallas can’t work out a trade.
“If the Mavericks don’t find a trade for Klay Thompson, his representation will likely request a buyout. There appears to be mutual interest between the Heat and Thompson, who could maximize his shooting alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, plus potentially LeBron James,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery wrote.
Thompson, though, is still hoping the Mavericks can move him before it gets to that point. The challenge is his price tag: he is owed more than $17 million if he’s traded, and Blue Man Hoops’ Peter O’Keefe noted that number could limit the market.
“Thompson should be angling for a trade to a desirable destination rather than a buyout, albeit he holds less control in the former scenario. The complicated aspect is the 4x NBA champion is still set to make $17.5 million next season, and there might not be too many teams eager on him at that price point,” Blue Man Hoops’ Peter O’Keefe wrote.
Even with that contract attached, Miami may be willing to make the move if it helps build out a roster ready to chase a title. Thompson’s shooting would give the Heat another dangerous weapon, especially if James ends up joining Antetokounmpo in South Beach.
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Heat Offseason Gamble Could End With A Stunning Pivot
The Heats offseason already took a dramatic turn with the trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Miami is not stopping there. The front office has also moved into the LeBron James sweepstakes, and Pat Riley has acknowledged that discussions have taken place as the franchise waits to see how James handles free agency. For a team that has spent years chasing star power, the idea of pairing Antetokounmpo with another all-time great would instantly change the shape of the Eastern Conference.
Antetokounmpo has made clear he would welcome the chance to share the floor with James, adding another layer to a pursuit that already feels bigger than a normal summer move. Still, the Heat are leaving themselves room to pivot if the market breaks a different way, with a more practical roster path available depending on how the rest of free agency unfolds. For Miami, the next decision could determine whether this becomes a star-studded reset or a more measured reshaping of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have One Roster Problem Pat Riley Must Solve
The Heats roster has already been reshaped in a big way since the Giannis Antetokounmpo acquisition, with Tyler Herro traded away and Norman Powell gone in free agency. Miami has added Tim Hardaway Jr. and brought back Simone Fontecchio, but the front office still looks like it has another move to make if it wants the group to feel balanced around its new centerpiece.
What makes the next step tricky is that the Heat are no longer shopping for star power so much as the right fit pieces to round out the rotation. The conversation now turns to whether Pat Riley can find a deal that adds the kind of guard, wing or frontcourt help Miami still needs without giving up too much of the flexibility it has left. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Fans May Be Watching Another Undrafted Gem Emerge
Tre Donaldson did enough in Las Vegas to keep the Heats development staff interested, and that matters for a franchise that has made a habit of finding value where other teams overlook it. The undrafted rookies Summer League run showed a guard who could handle the ball, create for others and make life easier for teammates, all while flashing the kind of energy that can earn a longer look in Miami.
Donaldson has already been rewarded with a two-way contract, and the most likely next stop is with the Sioux Falls Skyforce as he tries to turn that strong July into something more lasting. The Heat still have room to keep evaluating the backcourt, and with championship expectations in the building, a young guard who can add playmaking depth will stay on the radar for as long as he keeps forcing the issue. [Read more 🡒]