Klay Thompson's rough Heat start vindicates Mavericks' decision to move on

The Dallas Mavericks' decision to move on from Klay Thompson this offseason drew some mixed reactions at first. While it was frustrating that Dallas couldn't get any value back for him through the trade market, the decision to buy him out and let him sign with the Miami Heat at least made some sense.

Dallas was no longer the right place for Klay Thompson

Thompson wanted to play for a contender, and the Mavericks looked far different from the team that he signed up to play for in the summer of 2024.

They traded Luka Doncic, a player he was eager to play with, for Anthony Davis, someone who he notably preferred not to play with. He believed he would be the Mavs' missing piece to reach the NBA Finals again. Instead, Dallas missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since Luka's rookie year.

Thompson's time in Dallas did not go according to plan, but after seeing his performance for Miami across four preseason games, the Mavericks look like they were right to move on.

Klay is off to a slow start in Miami

Thompson averaged 4.3 points per game while shooting 27 percent from the field and 15 percent from downtown for the Heat during the preseason. This includes two scoreless outings and a 0-for-6 3-point shooting night against the Orlando Magic last night.

He has a history of starting slow during the preseason, but if his shot is starting to go, he doesn't have much else to give. Thompson's game is entirely dependent on whether he is knocking down shots from beyond the arc and the mid-range, as he can't create much for himself anymore outside of taking one-dribble pull-ups from a few steps inside the arc.

Thompson's decline started while he was on the Mavericks

Thompson enters his first season with Miami after a rough final chapter in Dallas. Klay averaged a career-low 11.7 points per game while shooting career lows from the field (39.3 percent) and beyond the arc (38.3 percent).

Thompson still had some good moments and provided floor spacing and leadership, but he has lost a step defensively, and the jump shot isn't as lethal as it once was. He has shot above 40 percent from three for a full season only once since the 2018-19 season, and he is in the final years of his career.

The Mavs could've used his shooting on this roster, as they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league last season, but he wouldn't have been the answer to their problem. Dallas shot 34.4 percent from three (ranked 26th in the NBA) during the 2025-26 season, and this included Klay playing 69 games.

He wasn't enough to fix their problems on his own.

Dallas shouldn't regret moving on from Thompson

Dallas wouldn't have been better off keeping Thompson, and their visions no longer lined up.

Thompson wanted to compete for championships and the Mavs are retooling around 19-year-old star Cooper Flagg. This summer was a logical time for both sides to part ways, and Dallas' decision to buy him out has aged well through two weeks of preseason action.

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