The Los Angeles Lakers are set to miss out on the Klay Thompson sweepstakes.
Thompson is “expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks,” according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
The financial terms of Thompson’s buyout with Dallas have not been disclosed.
The Lakers previously were linked to acquiring Thompson as a way to add another shooter to play alongside Luka Doncic.
Klay Thomspon as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Jason Szenes / New York Post
As a team, the Lakers shot 35.9% from 3-point range, and only had three players eclipse 100 made 3-pointers: Doncic, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.
The Lakers are now without Hachimura, who signed with the Clippers over the offseason.
Last year, Thompson made 202 3-pointers with a three-point percentage of 41.4.
Thompson is very familiar with the Lakers organization after he grew up around it. His father, Mychal, was a member of the team in the 1980s and won back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988.
Thompson is also a Los Angeles resident.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic suited up for the Lakers against the Brooklyn Nets. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Two weeks ago, Klay Thompson shared a reel on his Instagram story of him suited up in a Lakers uniform from the video game “NBA 2K” where he was joined by the “Showtime Lakers.”
On his story, he wrote, “This is what my dreams look like on a consistent basis.”
Thompson’s stint with the Mavericks ends before the final year of a three-year, $50 million contract he signed with the team in 2024.
Notably, he signed with them to join Doncic when they were just removed from an NBA Finals loss to the Boston Celtics.
Their time as teammates was short-lived. Doncic infamously was traded to the Lakers during the middle of that first season.
Read the full article here