Klay Thompson's future with the Mavericks is hanging in the balance, as Dallas has tried to find a trade for the 36-year-old, but one hasn't come to fruition. Miami is strongly pursuing the guard, with Marc Stein of The Stein Line noting in his latest that the Heat hope the Mavs will buy out his contract (subscription required), which would make his path to Florida more feasible. The Golden State Warriors would prefer that, though the Mavericks certainly wouldn't be acting on their behalf.
They're not one of the teams pursuing Thompson, but that doesn't mean they don't have a preferred outcome that doesn't involve him going to the Lakers. It will never feel right to see him in anything other than a Warriors jersey, but seeing him represent the Heat would be exponentially better than seeing him in Los Angeles.
Warriors should root for Mavs to buy Klay out
On Aug. 3, Christian Clark of The Athletic reported that, based on "his understanding, Thompson would welcome a return to Los Angeles." That's no surprise, as Clark noted that the guard spent part of his childhood there (subscription required) and that Klay still owns a home there. Those things would make a move less challenging.
Los Angeles can make that possible by facilitating a trade that reroutes Jarred Vanderbilt (who will make $12.4 million next season) elsewhere, making it easier to absorb Thompson's $17.4 million salary. The Lakers may not be able to do that, though, especially since Vanderbilt has a $13.3 million player option for 2027-28 that he will probably exercise.
You still can't rule out LA from swooping in and finding a way to get Thompson, though, as there are already links between him and the organization. The Lakers aren't actively trying to get him like the Heat are, which is worth noting, since their priorities lie elsewhere (like Jonathan Kuminga), which could play even more in the Heat's favor.
And, of course, even if Dallas can't execute a trade and buys out his contract, that doesn't automatically mean he will go to Miami, as Los Angeles could be in play. The Heat would need to make a strong case, which shouldn't be so hard, considering they now have a player on their roster named Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As Stein noted, Thompson recently said on a Twitch stream that he wants to play for a contender. Perhaps that means he could view the path to winning another championship as more feasible in the East with Miami than if he went to LA.
Speaking of Giannis, the Heat are in a better position than they've been in years past to win another championship. Thompson's shooting off the bench could boost their chances, and the same goes for the Lakers, but it'd be a whole lot easier for Warriors fans to watch that scenario play out across the country, not across the state.
A buyout seems more likely than a trade, but maybe the Mavericks will get their wish of something in return rather than cutting their losses. Or Dallas will have to accept the fact that a Thompson trade won't materialize, which, in turn, could lead him straight to Miami.
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