NBA trade rumor: Miami Heat eyes $50 million Mavericks shooter to pair up with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Miami Heat just landed Giannis Antetokounmpo in one of the offseason's biggest blockbusters, and now Pat Riley's front office is hunting for shooters to put around him. Klay Thompson, who’s entering the final year of his $50 million contract with the Mavericks, fits that need on paper, even if the version of him arriving in Miami would look nothing like the Splash Brother who once terrorized defenses in Golden State.Thompson is entering the last guaranteed year of his contract with Dallas, a team that has moved on from the Luka Doncic era and drafted Cooper Flagg as its new foundation. That leaves Thompson as an obvious trade chip, and Miami has been floated as a logical destination since the Antetokounmpo deal closed last month.

Reports say Miami Heat are eyeing Klay Thompson

Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang first reported the interest, writing that Thompson has emerged as a target for Miami independent of anything happening with LeBron James this summer.

Their sources described the Heat's pursuit as "interest in adding Thompson whether LeBron James joins the Heat or not," underlining that this is a shooting need Miami wants solved regardless of how the James decision plays out.

That framing matters because Miami's roster looks different than it did a month ago. The Heat shipped out Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis to acquire Antetokounmpo, then lost Norman Powell in free agency.

Outside of Andrew Wiggins and newly signed Tim Hardaway Jr., Miami is thin on proven perimeter shooting, which is exactly the gap Thompson, even in a diminished form, would help close.Who receives who (potential framework):

What are insiders saying about Klay Thompson's potential trade?

According to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Klay Thompson has become a major target for the Miami Heat, with multiple sources indicating the team's interest has grown in recent days. The report added that Miami wants to acquire the Dallas Mavericks guard regardless of whether LeBron James ultimately signs with the franchise.

The report also noted that the Heat are looking to strengthen their wing depth by adding another proven scorer with size. Such a move would complement the team's current group, which includes Andrew Wiggins, Tim Hardaway Jr., second-round pick Ryan Conwell, and third-year wing Pelle Larsson.Dallas, according to Marc Stein, is not rushing toward a buyout. "The Mavs' preference would be a trade," Stein said, adding the team wants to exhaust those options first this summer.

How would Klay Thompson's deal impact the Miami Heat?

Thompson would give Miami a proven floor-spacer next to Antetokounmpo's interior game, addressing a roster still adjusting after trading away Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. His 38.3 percent clip from three last season, even in a diminished role, still beats what Miami currently has on the wing behind Wiggins and Hardaway.

Klay Thompson's salary cap and contract details

The math is the real obstacle here. Miami is already tight against the cap after absorbing Antetokounmpo's contract, so taking on Thompson's full $17.46 million in a straight trade would require matching salary Miami doesn't easily have, likely funneling Nikola Jovic and other pieces the other way. A buyout is the cleaner path on paper, since it would let Thompson sign in Miami for whatever is left of the $7 million midlevel exception, though Dallas has shown no urgency to go that route while it still believes a trade partner will surface.Whether Thompson lands in Miami hinges on Dallas exhausting its trade market first, and on how much money Thompson is willing to leave behind if a buyout becomes the only path south.