Mavericks’ Zaccharie Risacher trade just put another deal on the clock

The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a shrewd move to acquire 2024 first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, only sending out a 2027 second-round pick and point guard Ryan Nembhard in the process. Yet, while the trade was a savvy one, Dallas is now even more overloaded on the wing, underscoring a move that feels all but inevitable: parting ways with Klay Thompson.

Thompson has reportedly already been a trade candidate, which seems entirely plausible, considering he's the Mavericks' oldest player at 36 years old and was initially brought in to flank Luka Doncic on the wing as a premier marksman.

Over a year since Luka Doncic was traded, and a 26-win season in between, Thompson no longer serves the purpose he was originally brought in for on Dallas' burgeoning, revamped roster. That became even more evident when the Mavericks took a swing on the 21-year-old Risacher.

Mavericks' roster crunch makes a Klay Thompson trade feel inevitable

Thus, it now feels inevitable that Thompson will be dealt before the start of the 2026-27 season.

But it's not just that Dallas is overloaded on the wing. The Mavericks' entire roster is overloaded. After matching the New York Knicks' two-year offer sheet for Moussa Cisse, Dallas now has 16 players under standard contracts, one more than the NBA allows. Something has to give.

It's easy to point to Thompson as the odd man out, and with trade rumors already swirling, he's Dallas' de facto No. 1 trade candidate. Perhaps even more so than center Daniel Gafford, who has also been mentioned in trade rumors after the offseason additions of Morez Johnson Jr. and Santi Aldama only fueled speculation.

But what makes Thompson such a viable trade candidate, besides his otherworldly shooting, of course, is his contract. The 36-year-old is owed $17.5 million next season… and that's it. His expiring deal makes him a low-risk addition for any contender because he'll come off the books after the season.

Klay Thompson's expiring contract makes him a trade target

And while not many teams can easily absorb nearly $20 million in salary, especially without sending a player back, several own trade exceptions larger than Thompson's $17.5 million salary, including the Boston Celtics and, now, the Oklahoma City Thunder. That means both teams could acquire Thompson with little to no salary cap gymnastics.

Of course, Oklahoma City was involved in the trade that sent Risacher to Dallas, likely taking them out of the Thompson sweepstakes. However, other contending teams like the Detroit Pistons or Los Angeles Lakers could acquire Thompson without having to send excess salary back.

There are certainly plenty of avenues for Dallas to trade Thompson, and finding him a new home shouldn't be difficult. Ultimately, though, the question isn't how the Mavericks move on from Thompson — it's when. And by acquiring Risacher, Dallas only accelerated that timeline.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow