The Dallas Mavericks have quietly opened the door for a Klay Thompson trade, and the rumor mill is already spinning. While the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers are circling, hoping the veteran sharpshooter gets bought out, the Mavericks are playing hardball. They know there's enough interest to demand something in return, even if Thompson is no longer the All-Star he once was.

At 36, Thompson carries a $17.46 million expiring contract—a valuable asset for teams eyeing cap flexibility. His numbers this past season in Dallas: 11.7 points per game with a 38.3% clip from beyond the arc. Those are respectable figures, especially given the Mavericks' lackluster playmaking. The fact that he maintained that efficiency despite the team's offensive struggles says something about his enduring skill.

The Heat have been the most frequently mentioned suitor, but the Lakers have re-emerged as a potential landing spot. Reports suggest Thompson would be open to a return to the West Coast, where he spent his entire career with the Golden State Warriors before joining Dallas. But if his father gets his way, the purple and gold will be his next stop.

Mychal Thompson, a former NBA big man who spent his final four and a half seasons with the Lakers and now works on the team's radio broadcasts, has been vocal about his desire to see Klay in Los Angeles. On Thursday, a fan tagged Mychal on X (formerly Twitter) with the message "Get back on it!" Mychal fired back, "I'm TRYING..." followed by an angry face emoji. When another user urged him to "Try harder," he replied, "I AM."

This public exchange is the latest chapter in a family saga that dates back to 2024. That summer, Klay famously chose the Mavericks over the Lakers, ignoring his father's wishes. The reason? He wanted to play alongside Luka Doncic and believed Dallas had a clearer path to a championship. Just months after Klay signed, the Mavericks stunned the basketball world by trading Doncic to the Lakers. The deal sent the franchise into a tailspin, and Dallas quickly fell out of title contention.

Now, with the Mavericks holding 16 players on standard contracts—one over the regular-season limit—something has to give. A buyout for Thompson is a real possibility, especially since the team is unlikely to get significant trade value in return. He is a rotation-level player at this stage, not a star. But teams like the Heat and Lakers see him as a floor-spacing piece who could thrive in a reduced role.

At Intuit Dome on April 7, 2026, Thompson was seen gesturing during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The image captured a player who still has fire, but the clock is ticking. The Mavericks have until the start of the regular season to trim their roster. Whether Thompson is dealt or released, the Thompson family's push for a Lakers reunion is gaining momentum. Mychal's social media outburst may be just the beginning of a louder campaign.