WASHINGTON — Klay Thompson had his NBA contract bought out by the Dallas Mavericks, the team announced on Friday (Saturday in Manila), and will sign with the Miami Heat according to multiple reports.
The 36-year-old American guard, a four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, joined Dallas in July 2024 as part of a six-team trade.
Thompson, a three-point sharpshooter with a 40.9% career average from beyond the arc, has averaged 18.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists over a 13-year NBA career.
In two seasons with Dallas Thompson averaged 12.9 points a game and averaged 38.7% from three-point range over 141 contests.
“Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a statement.
“We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
The Mavericks went 26-56 last season and Thompson reportedly told management he wanted to depart for a contending club, which he would have in Miami.
The Heat obtained Greek star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo in a trade with Milwaukee last month.
In January, Thompson passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point baskets list and sits on 2,899 three-pointers made.
Meanwhile, retired baseball star Alex Rodriguez said he is upping his investment in Minnesota’s Timberwolves and Lynx basketball teams as part of an ownership change reportedly valuing the franchises at $4.5 billion.
The reshuffle at the NBA and WNBA teams also sees tech investor Marc Stad go from minority investor to controlling owner, replacing co-chairman Marc Lore, who will remain in a more limited role.
The $4.5 billion valuation puts the Timberwolves fourth on the list of largest franchise sales in NBA history, according to ESPN, which broke the news.
