The Miami Heat are adding another major piece to their championship push, with veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson set to join the team on a two-year, nearly $13 million contract after clearing waivers. The deal includes a player option for the second season, giving Thompson additional flexibility as he begins the next chapter of his NBA career.
The move comes shortly after Thompson and the Dallas Mavericks agreed to a contract buyout. Thompson was scheduled to make $17.5 million in the final season of his Dallas contract, but he informed the Mavericks that he wanted the opportunity to play for a contender.
Miami quickly emerged as Thompson’s preferred destination. The Heat made Thompson their top target after completing the blockbuster acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, adding one of the greatest shooters in NBA history to a roster built around Antetokounmpo and All-Star big man Bam Adebayo.
At 36, Thompson is no longer the same explosive player who helped lead the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships, but his shooting remains a valuable weapon. He spent his first 13 NBA seasons with Golden State, becoming a five-time All-Star and one of the most feared perimeter shooters in league history.
Thompson joined the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade during the summer of 2024 and spent two seasons in Dallas. He averaged 12.9 points per game while shooting 38.7% from three-point range.
His arrival in Miami directly addresses one of the Heat’s biggest needs: perimeter shooting. Thompson currently has 2,899 career three-pointers, good for fourth on the NBA’s all-time list. He passed Damian Lillard last season and is now just 75 three-pointers behind Hall of Famer Ray Allen for third place.
The climb becomes significantly steeper after Allen. James Harden is second with 3,390 career three-pointers, while Thompson’s former Warriors teammate Stephen Curry sits comfortably atop the list with 4,248.
Thompson’s career has also been defined by perseverance. His Golden State tenure was interrupted by devastating knee and Achilles injuries that forced him to miss consecutive seasons. He nevertheless returned to the court and continued to establish himself as one of basketball’s premier shooting threats.
Now, Thompson will attempt to provide that same floor-spacing ability for Miami. The Heat are undergoing a dramatic transformation following the addition of Antetokounmpo, and bringing in Thompson gives the team another veteran who can punish defenses when opponents collapse on their superstar.
For Thompson, the move represents an opportunity to compete for another championship late in his career. For Miami, it is a relatively low-cost addition with potentially significant upside.
The Heat are betting that Thompson’s championship experience, three-point shooting and ability to play without dominating the ball can help turn a star-powered roster into a legitimate contender.
After winning four championships and spending more than a decade alongside Curry in Golden State, Thompson is now headed to Miami with another opportunity to chase a fifth ring—and potentially add another chapter to one of the NBA’s greatest shooting careers.
