The Dallas Mavericks would rather trade Klay Thompson than buy him out, and they are trying to move now while the market still has room. Marc Stein reported that Dallas prefers a trade for the veteran guard and views a buyout only as a fallback, wanting to resolve his situation early in the summer rather than let it drag toward training camp.
The logic is straightforward. Thompson is entering the final year of his deal at $17.5 million and turns 37 next season, and the Mavericks are rebuilding their timeline around reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg after a 26-56 finish. A 37-year-old wing on an expiring contract does not fit a team getting younger, but that same expiring number is what makes him tradable: one season of salary and no long-term risk for a contender that wants shooting.
There is a market. Hoops Rumors reported the Miami Heat hold “strong interest” in Thompson as they look for another sizable wing shooter after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Golden State Warriors have been floated as a reunion spot for a final chapter, and the Denver Nuggets have surfaced as a possible salary-shedding partner. None of that guarantees a deal, but it gives Dallas leverage a buyout never would. In a buyout, the Mavericks pay to watch him leave and get nothing back.
For a front office that spent last year answering for the timeline it chose, this is the cleaner path. Turning an expiring veteran into a young player, a pick, or even a cheaper role player is the kind of return that matters for a team rebuilding its supporting cast around Flagg. The buyout is always available in September if nothing materializes; the trade is the outcome worth waiting for.
In fantasy terms, Thompson’s value hinges entirely on his next address. Stuck in Dallas behind a youth movement, he is a low-end streamer at best. Dealt to Miami or Golden State in a defined catch-and-shoot role, his three-point volume makes him a usable redraft option again, though at 37 the minutes and durability risk cap his ceiling. Dynasty managers should treat him as a short-term asset regardless of destination.
