{"id":180114,"date":"2026-03-06T13:22:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T18:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=180114"},"modified":"2026-03-06T13:22:30","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T18:22:30","slug":"klay-thompsons-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/03\/06\/klay-thompsons-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Klay Thompson’s Future In Dallas Is Fading Away"},"content":{"rendered":"

Klay Thompson<\/a> entered free agency in 2024 in need of a fresh start for his future. After missing two seasons with back-to-back ACL and Achilles injuries, he struggled to return to his \u201cSplash Brother\u201d prime. His scoring average dropped from 22.5 points per game to 17.9, while his three-point percentage fell from 44% to 38.7%. As a result, the team moved him to the bench, and Brandin Podziemski<\/a> took over much of his production and minutes. Then came the Dallas Mavericks.<\/p>\n

Fresh off their first NBA Finals appearance in 13 years, the Mavericks built around perennial All-Stars Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/span><\/span><\/a> and Kyrie Irving<\/span><\/span><\/a>. Dallas needed consistent three-point shooting after the issue plagued them during the Finals. Thompson appeared to offer an immediate solution. With the team seemingly one piece away from a title, the Mavericks sold Thompson on a revitalized future<\/a> alongside two of the league\u2019s best facilitators. However, less than two years later, Thompson once again finds his future uncertain. The team he was promised is now a fond memory. Klay Thompson’s future in Dallas is bleak. What comes next for the four-time NBA Champion?<\/p>\n

Klay Thompson’s Future In Dallas Is Fading Away<\/h2>\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n

Thompson’s Season So Far<\/h3>\n

This season, Thompson averages 11.5 points per game while shooting just 38.7% from the field and 37.8% from three-point range<\/a>. Because of those struggles, the Mavericks\u2019 front office has begun difficult conversations about the future of the roster. At the same time, Dallas has embraced a youth movement centered around Cooper Flagg<\/span><\/span><\/a>. Meanwhile, Khris Middleton<\/span><\/span><\/a> appears likely to remain in Dallas next season. Consequently, Thompson now finds himself on the outside looking in, left alongside visions of what might have been.<\/p>\n

So, as the Mavericks turn their attention to Thompson’s future, what options do they have to move on from an underperforming shooting guard with a championship pedigree? Let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/p>\n

The Money<\/h3>\n

In 2024,\u00a0Thompson<\/span><\/span> signed a three-year deal worth a guaranteed $50 million with the Dallas Mavericks<\/span><\/span>. Now, with one year remaining, Thompson holds a player option worth $17.46 million for next season. However, his declining production no longer aligns with Dallas\u2019 long-term plan.<\/p>\n

At the trade deadline, the Mavericks signaled a clear priority: create flexibility and open space for the future. If Dallas chooses to buy out Thompson\u2019s contract, the move could free cap room for younger talent this offseason. Still, a buyout isn\u2019t the only path forward. According to reports, Dallas quietly fielded trade offers for Thompson near the deadline, and league sources expect those conversations to resume this summer.<\/p>\n

In other words, the Mavericks appear ready to move on \u2014 the question is how.<\/p>\n

\"Dallas
Nov 22, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) yells at Memphis Grizzlies guard Vince Williams Jr. (not pictured) during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Potential Suitor: Los Angeles Lakers<\/h3>\n

Thompson didn\u2019t come to Dallas to ride out a rebuild. At 36, the four-time champion still wants one more shot at a title.<\/p>\n

That pursuit could point him toward Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

A reunion with championship expectations alongside\u00a0Don\u010di\u0107<\/span><\/span> might be gone in Dallas, but the\u00a0Lakers<\/span><\/span> could offer a new path to contention. Speaking on ESPN LA\u2019s Mason and Ireland Show<\/em>, broadcaster John Ireland<\/span><\/span> suggested the interest would be immediate.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIf Klay got bought out, I have it on good authority that the first call his agent would make would be the Lakers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s a catch, though.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles currently sits above the league\u2019s first-apron luxury tax threshold, which prevents the team from signing a buyout player who previously earned more than the $12.8 million mid-level exception. That restriction complicates the scenario and makes a trade \u2014 not a buyout \u2014 the more realistic path.<\/p>\n

If discussions between Dallas and Los Angeles gain traction, expect the Mavericks to push for young assets. One name that would almost certainly enter the conversation: Dalton Knecht<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Reality<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s easy to feel for Thompson here. However, the NBA moves quickly.<\/p>\n

Thompson’s future may still have one final push toward the NBA Finals left. The next chapter of that chase, however, almost certainly won\u2019t happen in Dallas.<\/p>\n

Featured Image: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Klay Thompson entered free agency in 2024 in need of a fresh start for his future. After missing two seasons with back-to-back ACL and Achilles injuries, he struggled to return to his \u201cSplash Brother\u201d prime. His scoring average dropped from 22.5 points per game to 17.9, while his three-point percentage fell from 44% to 38.7%. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5795,"featured_media":180179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,30,62],"tags":[49212,70,1133],"class_list":["post-180114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-mavericks","category-nba","tag-dalton-knecht","tag-klay-thompson","tag-luka-doncic"],"modified_by":"Benjamin Yu","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5795"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180114"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180185,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180114\/revisions\/180185"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}