According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, the Dallas Mavericks have been hesitant to buy out Klay Thompson due to the strong interest from the Lakers and Heat.

The Mavericks want to make things difficult for the Heat or Lakers while leveraging the situation to their advantage. The team knows that releasing him through a buyout would allow him to immediately join and strengthen a direct rival, whereas a potential trade could yield assets that help its own roster.

Does a trade benefit the Mavericks?

Thompson’s departure does not mean Dallas would completely solve its roster logjam, as specific positions remain overcrowded where those minutes could be utilized elsewhere. According to The Stein Line’s Marc Stein, Thompson could be the odd man out amid the team’s congestion, which suggests the best course of action might be letting him become a free agent in the NBA.

“Even if Thompson ultimately moves on this offseason, either via trade or buyout, that’s quite a logjam for first-year coach Dusty May, who also has five big men to find minutes for: (Daniel) Gafford, Derek Lively II, Moussa Cisse, recently acquired Santi Aldama, and first-round pick Morez Johnson Jr.”

It remains to be seen what the franchise plans over the coming weeks, as the front office could look to bolster other areas of need or depth. However, Thompson remains the key piece driving its decision-making and the potential return it can extract from him.

Lakers as the most intriguing destination

Thompson, who nearly joined Los Angeles before signing with Dallas in 2024, would be receptive to returning to the city, according to The Athletic’s Christian Clark. The 36-year-old spent part of his childhood in the Los Angeles area and maintains a home nearby.

Yet, Thompson’s departure would not solve everything for the Mavericks. The Stein Line’s Marc Stein noted that with the trade for Zaccharie Risacher and the three-year, $52.2 million contract extension for Naji Marshall, Thompson could be the odd man out amid the team’s congestion.

“(Cooper) Flagg. Risacher. Marshall. (PJ) Washington. Max Christie (who also became extension-eligible this summer). Thompson. Tarik Biberovic. Caleb Martin. Those are the eight swingmen currently on Dallas’ roster,” wrote Stein on his Substack.

“Even if Thompson ultimately moves on this offseason, either via trade or buyout, that’s quite a logjam for first-year coach Dusty May, who also has five big men to find minutes for: (Daniel) Gafford, Derek Lively II, Moussa Cisse, recently acquired Santi Aldama, and first-round pick Morez Johnson Jr.”

Klay still a key piece

Thompson, who is also being linked to the Miami Heat, is clearly not the same player following major injuries, but he remains a serviceable guard off the bench who can catch fire at any given moment.

However, with the Mavericks last season, the four-time champion and five-time All-Star averaged career-lows of 11.7 points, 39.3% shooting, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 21.7 minutes. It is possible, however, that he could get more opportunities under May than he did under Jason Kidd, who coached Thompson for two seasons.

The Lakers’ interest

Thompson’s numbers shift when analyzing the games he played alongside Luka Doncic in Dallas. In the 21 NBA games he actually played alongside Doncic before the trade, Thompson averaged 14.9 points on 40.6 percent shooting from three—a sample size that has fueled belief the fit could still work in Los Angeles.

That could be one of the main reasons the Lakers remain so interested, as the franchise knows the space Doncic can create for an elite shooter like Thompson to capitalize on.

“That’s exactly why, if you’re me, you would be open to that is because of the man. I have all the respect in the world for him, and I know what he did for the Mavericks and what he’s done for basketball,” Jones said to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.

“You want to associate with the highest quality of [a person] who loves the game and then also at the same time wants to do something about it. Mark leads the way in that.”

Will Jones sell the Cowboys anytime soon? That remains uncertain. The only clear thing is that Mark Cuban, with his extensive experience in the sports world, could be the perfect candidate to take over.

Mark Cuban’s era with the Mavericks

Mark Cuban’s transformative era as owner of the Dallas Mavericks began in January 2000, when he purchased the majority stake in the struggling franchise for $285 million. Under his passionate leadership and player-first investment, the Mavericks emerged as a perennial contender, highlighted by winning two Western Conference titles (2006 and 2011) and the franchise’s sole NBA Championship in 2011.

In late December 2023, Cuban sold his controlling majority stake to the Adelson and Dumont families at a valuation of approximately $3.5 billion. Today, he serves as a minority owner (retaining around 27% equity) while maintaining oversight of the team’s basketball operations.

The Dallas Cowboys’ valuation

According to Forbes, the Dallas Cowboys are valued at a record-setting $13 billion, solidifying their position as the most valuable sports franchise in the world for the 19th consecutive year. This valuation represents a 29% increase from their previous $10.1 billion mark, making them the first team in sports history to cross the $13 billion threshold.

Driven by an estimated $1.234 billion in annual revenue and an operating income of $629 million, Jerry Jones’ franchise continues to lead global sports business by a wide margin.

According to Jake Weinbach, the Cavaliers are interested following reports that Washington is available on the market. “Cavaliers would be a team worth monitoring for PJ Washington with the Mavericks forward reportedly available on the trade market. Cleveland’s interest level may depend on how the rest of free agency plays out, but Washington’s two-way skill set would be a desirable fit,” Weinbach stated.

Washington could serve as a strong target for the Cavaliers after missing out on LeBron James. However, potential roster shifts could unfold across the league, with rumors also pointing to a possible departure for Klay Thompson amid interest from the Miami Heat.

Washington could be out of Dallas’ future plans

The Dallas Mavericks intend to go all-in on the Cooper Flagg era and seem to want to move on from a couple of veteran contracts from the previous group to focus on a new, renewed roster.

The team has also loaded up with players who accomplish similar things, adding Morez Johnson Jr., Zaccharie Risacher, and Santi Aldama while recently extending Naji Marshall.

The franchise wanting to get off that money and open up minutes could help the Cavaliers get a player that checks their boxes at a good price. Last season, Washington put up 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists on 45.0/32.5/68.7 shooting splits.

He was a little bit better from three than the season before at 38.1% on a similar output. Now seven years into his NBA career, he has remained fairly consistent. He can rebound, is active on defense, and spaces the floor a little bit at forward.

According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks have joined a growing list of teams exploring a potential sign-and-trade for Mathurin. “While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported. “With that said, there’s work to be done by each team if they’re going to add Mathurin.”

Mathurin’s restricted free agency has become one of the more closely watched situations of the offseason as the Clippers remain unable to finalize additional major roster moves while the league reviews the circumstances surrounding Leonard’s expected trade to the Toronto Raptors. The investigation, which was recently reported could extend into 2027, has left Los Angeles in a holding pattern.

The Wizards as interested suitors

Scotto noted that New Orleans remains a viable contender after attempting to acquire Mathurin via trade before last season’s deadline, when he was still playing for the Indiana Pacers. The Pelicans possess the $15.04 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, allowing them to avoid the luxury tax while sitting $8.22 million below that threshold.

Scotto reported that the organization has explored trading Jordan Hawkins, including discussions with the Memphis Grizzlies involving AJ Johnson, in order to generate greater flexibility. Chicago also remains in the mix after pursuing Mathurin before last season’s trade deadline. Scotto reported the Bulls’ new front office and coaching staff remain high on the former lottery pick, although a sign-and-trade appears to be the club’s only realistic path given its available cap mechanisms.

Stiff competition for the Clippers

The Bucks have also been in contact with Mathurin as they continue restructuring their roster. Milwaukee possesses the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception and still holds a $25.46 million trade exception generated in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal. However, the Bucks also face roster spot constraints and must trim the squad from 17 players down to the 15-player regular-season limit.

Dallas presents another intriguing possibility. Scotto reported that any serious pursuit would likely require the Mavericks to move or buy out Klay Thompson, who is entering the final season of his $17.46 million contract. Without Thompson, Max Christie would become Dallas’ only traditional shooting guard currently under contract.

Despite the growing list of interested teams, the Clippers continue to prioritize bringing Mathurin back. The 24-year-old is coming off a career-best NBA season in which he averaged 17.6 points per game and remains viewed as an important piece of Los Angeles’ long-term plans.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Thompson has emerged as the franchise’s top priority. “The Miami Heat’s number one priority right now is to acquire shooting. And they found their No. 1 target for that…Klay Thompson. The problem is Klay Thompson has one year left on his Mavs contract so they’re exploring whether they can trade for him, whether this could end up in a buyout, we’ll see over the next several weeks,” Charania reported.

Thompson is entering the final season of his three-year, $50 million contract with the Mavericks. While Miami would prefer to acquire Thompson following a potential buyout, interest from other championship contenders could force the Heat to pursue a trade if Dallas makes the veteran guard available.

Klay Thompson as a key piece

Miami’s interest extends well beyond Thompson’s general profile. The Heat is searching for perimeter shooting upgrades after missing out on signing LeBron James, and Thompson’s long-range capability directly aligns with that objective.

A four-time NBA champion, Thompson has established himself as one of the premier perimeter shooters in league history. He holds a career 40.9% mark from three-point territory while averaging 7.6 attempts per game. Last season with Dallas, he connected on 38.3% of his three-point attempts while maintaining that same high volume.

Thompson’s elite shooting would complement Antetokounmpo’s ability to collapse defenses in the paint alongside Bam Adebayo’s playmaking out of the frontcourt. Both stars regularly generate open perimeter opportunities—an area where Thompson has excelled throughout his career.

At this stage of his career, Thompson is no longer expected to carry the heavy load he managed during Golden State’s championship runs. Instead, Miami views him as a veteran floor-spacer capable of maximizing the open looks generated by Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.

Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Irving, after missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season following a torn ACL sustained on March 3, 2025, is now fully healthy and set to be fully part of the team’s plans for next season. “He’s fully recovered, 100% from that ACL tear. He’s been fully entrenched with the Mavericks plans this offseason,” Charania said on The Stephen A. Smith Show.

Irving and the Mavericks were cautious with his recovery throughout last season, and understandably so. The Mavs were in the first year of a post-Luka Doncic rebuild, and rushing Irving back made little sense given how far the squad was from contending for a playoff spot.

Irving as a key piece for the Mavericks

At 34 years old, history has not been kind to smaller guards suffering severe knee injuries. However, modern medicine has advanced tremendously compared to just five years ago, fueling hope that the Mavericks star can make a full recovery, especially after taking his time in rehabilitation.

Irving will serve as the most veteran player on a young Mavs squad that is betting everything on Cooper Flagg as its foundational pillar. He will bring the point guard presence that Dallas severely lacked last season when forced to rotate several players at the position.

It will be compelling to see how Irving fits into the Mavericks‘ plans. He has two years remaining on his contract, featuring a player option for the 2027-28 season, and at 34 years old, he does not entirely fit the team’s long-term timeline or aspirations.

Notably, Irving was reportedly one of the stars LeBron James wanted to team up with, though the Cleveland Cavaliers apparently failed to pull off an adequate trade. During the 2024-25 NBA season, Irving averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field, 40% from three-point range, and 92% from the free-throw line.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Lively could reach a new agreement before the start of the 2026-27 season. “Told today that Dallas has held some early-stage talks with Dereck Lively II on a possible contract extension,” Stein reported. “Lively, 22, is eligible for a new deal until Opening Night Eve but played in just seven games in 2025-26 before foot surgery.”

Over the past three years, the big man has averaged 8.4 points on 72.5% shooting, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 98 regular-season games. Lively could serve as an ideal complement to Flagg, especially with Anthony Davis no longer on the roster and the expected return of Kyrie Irving.

Latest on Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson

Amid trade rumors surrounding Thompson’s potential exit from Dallas, veteran Kyrie Irving has also been mentioned as a player who could move before the 2026-27 season. However, the Mavericks have shown no interest in moving Irving, nor have they shown interest in Anthony Davis.

“The Mavericks have continued to rebuff trade feelers for the 34-year-old who has nine career All-Star nods,” Stein wrote on his Substack. “The working expectation since our report last month is that Irving should begin next season in Dallas alongside Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg to at last launch his long-awaited comeback from knee surgery in late March 2025.”

Regarding Thompson, his future with the team remains unclear, though little has shifted over the past week. “Little has changed—yet—from what we reported about Klay Thompson in mid-July,” Stein added. “Miami and other teams are certainly hoping Thompson becomes a free agent by securing a buyout from Dallas, but the Mavericks—to this point—have indicated that they prefer to trade the four-time champion sharpshooter if possible.”

What lies ahead for the Mavericks

After acquiring 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher in a three-team trade with the Atlanta Hawks and Oklahoma City Thunder, it will be compelling to see how the team proceeds between now and the start of the regular season. Through it all, Cooper Flagg remains the squad’s only untouchable cornerstone heading into his second year in the NBA.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Thompson has not approached the Mavericks to discuss a potential buyout as of yet. Dallas has no reason to want to buy him out and would prefer to find a trade for him, especially since Thompson would need to give up significant money in a buyout.

That is where the Heat enter the picture as candidates to land Thompson. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, Miami “covets” Thompson, as it remains “questionable” whether the team would use money from its exception on players like DeMar DeRozan or Bradley Beal.

The Heat and their interest in Thompson

With Thompson being the “priority,” there is no telling what Dallas will do—whether it means buying out the $17.5 million he is owed in the final year of his contract or pursuing a trade, with the latter being the preferred option for the Mavericks.

“Miami’s continued interest in Thompson could be based on optimism that he will become available, but that’s unclear,” Jackson wrote. The Heat are looking to bring in key role players to complement and provide depth alongside Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo, noting that Tyler Herro was part of that trade.

Last NBA season for Dallas, Thompson averaged 11.7 points on 39.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.3 percent shooting from three-point range, starting only eight games after 72 starts the year prior with the Mavericks. Siegel reported that the 36-year-old “has not approached” Dallas regarding a buyout.

The Heat’s interest in DeMar DeRozan

Barry Jackson reported that the Heat have spoken with DeMar DeRozan’s camp since LeBron James made his decision, but no agreement is in place, and it remains uncertain whether one will come together at all. The explanation is not a lack of interest in the six-time All-Star, whose game the organization genuinely likes.

Instead, at least one Heat official prefers to “wait out the market” before committing any of the team’s three open roster spots. The financial logic centers on exception money.

Any competitive offer to DeRozan would eat into the roughly $8 million Miami has remaining, and the front office appears reluctant to spend it while a bigger target stays on the board. There is also a mechanical wrinkle attached to that spending, as using the exception would require the Heat to open the season with 14 players in order to stay beneath its $209 million hard cap, with a 15th addition possible later in the year.

Irving shared the update during a live stream on Twitch, where he spoke openly about the progress he has made over the past several months. “I am definitely close to being over at 100% in terms of my ACL recovery,” Irving said, giving Mavericks fans a reason to be optimistic about his return.

“It’s been a while now,” Irving continued. “I’m so grateful that I’ve had the time to heal & just experiment with my body more on the court and off the court in the weight room & just pushing myself to the limit.” His comments reflected both confidence in his recovery and appreciation for the work that has gone into getting back to full strength.

What could Irving’s return mean for Dallas?

A healthy Irving would be a major boost for the Mavericks. Even before the injury, he remained one of the team’s most productive players, providing scoring, playmaking, and veteran leadership. His ability to create offense in crucial moments has made him one of the most valuable pieces of the roster when available.

During his most recent NBA season with Dallas, Irving continued to show why he remains one of the league’s most dangerous guards. His scoring efficiency, ball-handling, and experience helped stabilize the offense, while his championship pedigree brought an important presence to the locker room and on the floor.

The next big decision for Irving could come off the court. He holds a player option for the 2026-27 season, the final year of his current contract. Whether he chooses to exercise that option or explore a different path, the Mavericks would undoubtedly benefit from having a fully healthy Irving leading the backcourt and helping guide a talented roster through another competitive season.

According to reports from The Smoking Cuban, current San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Sean Sweeney has emerged as a top target for the Mavericks‘ vacancy, with the front office heavily prioritizing him to take the reins for next season.

However, several other high-profile candidates are also gaining traction in Dallas, according to AS USA. Former Mavericks assistant Frank Vogel, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, and Minnesota Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori are all reportedly among the options being vetted for the position.

While the Mavericks remain focused on building their franchise around newly crowned Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, there is immense pressure on the front office to make the right hire. Meanwhile, rumors are already swirling about Kidd’s next potential landing spot as he looks to quickly transition back onto an NBA bench.

Kidd’s potential landing spots

Though Kidd walks away from Dallas with one year remaining on his contract—a lucrative buyout that should soften the blow—it appears he won’t be on the market for long, with multiple teams reportedly showing interest in his services.

According to Orlando Magic Daily, Kidd is being considered a strong candidate for the Orlando Magic’s head coaching vacancy. The Magic are searching for leadership after parting ways with Jamahl Mosley following a string of early postseason exits.

Additionally, a rumor linking Kidd to the Milwaukee Bucks has surfaced via FanSided, fueled primarily by his strong past relationship and connection with Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.

A look back at Kidd’s tenure in Dallas

Despite missing the postseason in three of his five years at the helm, Kidd’s tenure was highlighted by a spectacular 2023-24 campaign. Led by Luka Doncic, that squad captured the Western Conference championship and fell just short of securing an NBA title.

Here is a closer look at Kidd’s overall coaching record and numbers with the Mavericks: