It's been far from the storybook ending to a legendary career that Klay Thompson imagined when he first agreed to join the Dallas Mavericks, coming over in a sign-and-trade in the 2024 offseason. He saw a team fresh off a run to the NBA Finals, led by two elite playmakers in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, that really needed some three-point shooting. He's one of the greatest to ever shoot, and it was a match made in heaven when all three shared the court. They never shared the court often, though. Luka Doncic dealt with multiple injuries before he was shockingly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Kyrie Irving tore his ACL soon after that, missing the final month of the 2024-25 season and all of the 2025-26 season. The Mavericks haven't been to the playoffs since that trip to the Finals, and ended up picking first overall in 2025 due to a sheer stroke of luck, giving them a new franchise cornerstone: Cooper Flagg. That has reset the Mavs' timeline to one that Klay Thompson no longer fits. He wants to compete for championships, and they likely won't be anytime soon. Thompson is entering the final year of the three-year deal he agreed to, which will pay him more than $17 million. What does his future look like in Dallas?Apr 7, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) looks on during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectNBA Insider Provides Update on Klay Thompson's FutureWith the NBA holding its annual Summer League in Las Vegas this week, this is one of the biggest weeks for rumors we'll have all year. On Monday, NBA insider Marc Stein provided an update on Klay Thompson's status in Dallas on Thursday's Bleacher Report stream. "To this point, as much has been relayed to me is, the Mavs' preference would be a trade. I think it’s still early enough in the summer that if you’re the Mavs, you would exhaust those options first, but there’s stuff we have to keep an eye on it,” Stein said. Marc Stein on a possible Klay Thompson buyout:“To this point as much has been relayed to me is the Mavs preference would be a trade. I think it’s still early enough in the summer that if you’re the Mavs you would exhaust those options first, but there’s stuff we have to keep an… https://t.co/vkyPCmtoz9 pic.twitter.com/2alNHrWD5J— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) July 9, 2026Klay Thompson is a possible buyout candidate since he's entering the last year of his deal, and with his salary and age, he likely doesn't have much value besides being an expiring contract. He's still a good shooter, as he averaged 11.7 PPG while shooting 38.3% from three last year, but his athleticism is just gone. An ACL and Achilles tear at the beginning of the decade will do that. Still, Thompson can contribute to a winning team. The Miami Heat would make sense if he were to change teams this offseason. Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on X for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow