What Klay Thompson signing with Heat means for Lakers

Klay Thompson, who had been tied to the Lakers this summer, reached a buyout agreement with the Nuggets on Friday and plans to sign a two-year, $13 million deal with the Heat. 

What does that mean for the Purple-and-Gold? 

Thompson was far from the perfect fit for the Lakers, even though the team very much needs to bolster its perimeter shooting and Thompson ranks fourth on the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers made list.

The Lakers need a young and athletic wing, such as Jonathan Kuminga, to pair with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. The Western Conference is young, fast and deep — with the Thunder and Spurs seemingly having an endless army of fresh legs at their disposal. 

The 36-year-old Thompson no longer fits that bill, even though he helped the Warriors win four championships in eight years with his legendary sharpshooting. Last season, Thompson averaged 11.7 points on 39.3% shooting from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc for the Mavericks, who failed to make the playoffs in Thompson’s two seasons with the team amid health issues.

The Lakers pursued Thompson in free agency in 2024 before he ultimately decided to join the Mavericks. Thompson and Luka Doncic played 21 games together in Dallas before the Mavericks stunningly traded the superstar to the Lakers in February 2025, a deal that was a great blow for Thompson’s title-winning hopes.  

Thompson has deep ties to Los Angeles. His father, Mychal, won two championships with the Showtime Lakers in 1987 and 1988 and currently serves as the team’s radio color analyst. And Thompson attended Rancho Margarita High and was a huge Kobe Bryant fan as a child. 

But Thompson will now compete for his fifth ring in Miami alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. 

As for the Lakers, they’ll continue their search for an athletic wing who could help them win their first title since 2020.