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Dec 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) controls the ball as Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) defends during the first half at American Airlines Center. © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Miami Heat entered the offseason with a plan to add at least one, and ideally two, superstars.
They certainly nailed the first part of the plan, shipping Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis, and future draft picks, including the 13th overall pick of this summer’s draft, former Tennessee forward Nate Ament, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
The Heat then tried to lure LeBron James back to South Beach, but he opted to join Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown in Philadelphia.
The Heat, however, may have something else up its sleeve.
‘Some Possibility’ Dallas Mavericks Could Trade Klay Thompson to Miami Heat
Although the Heat were over the moon to land Antetokounmpo, they know the Greek Freak alone isn’t going to win them a fourth ring.
The Heat did manage to re-sign forward Andrew Wiggins and agreed to a deal with veteran guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the son of Heat legend Tim Hardaway Sr.
There is still plenty of work to do.
In addition to those dealt to Milwaukee, the Heat also lost Norman Powell in free agency. Powell, who averaged 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season, signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Chicago Bulls.
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That’s why they chased James and have been tied to a few other superstars this offseason.
Now, the Heat have been linked to another aging veteran, former Golden State Warriors guard and current Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson.
Jake Fischer of the Stein Line speculates that the Mavericks could trade Thompson to the Heat if Nikola Jovic is included.
“I do think there could be some possibility that there can be a trade of Klay Thompson to Miami,” Fischer said. “There’s a rough salary match with Nikola Jovic there where Miami has certainly been willing to discuss Jovic trades all summer…”
The Mavericks moving on from Thompson would make a lot of sense. He originally joined a team coming off a Finals appearance, but both Luka Dončić and the man he was traded for, Anthony Davis, are gone.
Although the Mavericks say Kyrie Irving is ‘fully recovered’ from his torn ACL, and he is ‘central’ to the plans in Dallas, with the Mavericks building around Cooper Flagg, a youth movement could be in the works with the 36-year-old Thompson, and the 34-year-old Irving would be an asset they could potentially move.
Matching salaries would be tough, as Fischer mentioned. Thompson signed a three-year, $50 million deal and will make $17,460,317 this season, the final year of his deal. With Thompson on an expiring deal, it mitigates the risk, as the Heat would be out of his contract after next season or could potentially use him in a different trade.
Jovic is in the first year of a four-year deal worth $62,400,000. He is slated to make $16,200,000 this season.
How much of an asset Thompson is is the question. His time in Dallas has been a disaster due to injuries and an all-around strong decline in play.
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Thompson played in 69 games last year, but averaged just 11.7 points while shooting only 39.3% from the field and 38.3% from three, well below his career averages of 44.8% and 40.9%.
Still, we know what kind of shooter Thompson has proven to be in the past, and plenty of teams are likely willing to take a chance on him returning closer to his career shooting numbers this season.
Whether or not that is the Heat remains to be seen.
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