Heat Have ‘Strong Interest’ In Mavericks’ Klay Thompson
The Heat have “strong interest” in Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson, Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald report.
According to Jackson and Chiang, Miami is interesting in adding Thompson to its roster irrespective of whether or not LeBron James decides to return for a second stint with the Heat.
As Jackson and Chiang detail, the Heat are looking to add another wing shooter and scorer with size after trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Listed at 6’5″ and 220 pounds, Thompson is one of the most prolific — and accurate — three-point shooters in NBA history, ranking fourth on the all-time made threes list.
The 36-year-old appeared in 69 games last season for Dallas, averaging career lows of 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 21.7 minutes per contest. While the four-time champion’s three-point percentage (38.3%) was well above the league average (36.0%), it represented a career low for Thompson, who also posted career-worst marks on twos (41.8%) and from the field (39.3%).
Thompson ending up in Miami is far from a fait accompli, per Jackson and Chiang. The former lottery pick (11th overall in 2011) is owed about $17.5MM next season on an expiring deal, and unless he’s willing to give up some of that money in buyout with the Mavs, the Heat may not be able to acquire him.
Marc Stein reported about a month ago that Dallas was open to trading Thompson and reiterated last week that the team would rather deal him than negotiate a buyout, according to The Miami Herald.
“To this point as much has been relayed to me is the Mavs’ preference would be a trade,” Stein said. “I think it’s still early enough in the summer that if you’re the Mavs you would exhaust those options first.”
While sending Nikola Jovic to Dallas for Thompson would satisfy salary-matching requirements, the Mavs probably aren’t eager to take on the $62.4MM the Serbian forward is owed over the next four years, Jackson and Chiang note, especially since he’s coming off a down season.
Here are a few more Heat-related rumors from Jackson and Chiang:
- Although the Heat had a “preliminary discussion” with Bradley Beal‘s agent, they haven’t been actively trying to sign the veteran guard, according to Jackson and Chiang. Beal, who was limited to just six games played in 2025/26 due to a hip injury, remains an unrestricted free agent after declining his $5.6MM player option at the end of June.
- Jackson and Chiang suggest multiple teams pursuing James view DeMar DeRozan as a potential plan B, and write that if the 41-year-old joins another team, there’s a “real possibility” the Heat could sign DeRozan, a six-time All-Star who was recently waived by Sacramento.
- Following up on a report from Stefan Bondy of The New York Post indicating Russell Westbrook is a candidate to sign with the Heat if they miss out on LeBron, Jackson and Chiang say that can’t be ruled out but add that Miami hasn’t been “aggressively pursuing” the nine-time All-Star point guard.
Heat Have Been In Contact With Bradley Beal
As the Heat look to continue adding shooting to complement their star frontcourt of Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo, they have been in touch with the representatives for veteran guard Bradley Beal, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald.
The Heat, who will have 12 players under contract once the Antetokounmpo deal is official, still project to have up to approximately $6.5MM to offer a free agent using their mid-level exception. That would give the team enough room below the first-apron hard cap to add a 14th man on a veteran’s minimum deal.
However, Chiang and Jackson write that the Heat are being cautious with their remaining money, hoping that one of their targets could be squeezed as free agency unfolds. They could also be waiting to see what LeBron James decides — a reunion with Miami could be an option for the four-time MVP due to his history and comfort level with the organization.
Either way, it’s unclear how much the Heat would be willing to offer Beal in a deal. He recently turned down a $5.6MM player option with the Clippers, which could indicate that he’s looking for more than that on the open market, but the opportunity to play in Miami for a potential contender could be appealing enough to warrant a pat cut.
Miami has had chances to trade for the sharpshooting guard in the past but has chosen other routes, though the no-trade clause Beal held during his time with the Wizards was a factor in some of those cases.
Khris Middleton and Anfernee Simons have also been publicly linked to the Heat, Chiang and Jackson note, but it remains to be seen how much interest Miami has in either player. Middleton has been a subject of speculation due to his longstanding relationship with Antetokounmpo, but the 34-year-old has struggled to stay healthy, making him potentially a risky use of a valuable roster spot.
The Heat haven’t ruled out Middleton, but they also weren’t in contact with him early in free agency, per the Miami Herald’s duo. Chiang and Jackson add that Miami hasn’t made Simons an offer, speculating that he might be looking for more than the club could give him.
Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Kawhi, Raptors, Brown, Westbrook, More
The Raptors and Clippers continue to have serious discussions about a Kawhi Leonard trade and there’s “momentum” on a deal that would send the two-time Finals MVP back to Toronto, league sources tell Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).
Fischer first reported the Raptors’ interest in a reunion with Leonard, with multiple subsequent reports confirming the negotiations between the two teams.
Regardless of whether a deal comes to fruition, the Clippers haven’t pursued Celtics wing Jaylen Brown this offseason and don’t intend to make a run at the 2024 Finals MVP, Stein and Fischer report.
Here’s lots more from The Stein Line:
- The Wizards have a “level of interest” in free agent guard Russell Westbrook, according to Stein and Fischer. The former league MVP spent the 2020/21 season in Washington prior to being traded to the Lakers. Westbrook, 37, played for the Kings last season.
- Speaking of the Kings, they’re aiming to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and promote Daeqwon Plowden to a standard contract, per The Stein Line. Sacramento made Plowden, who finished last season on a two-way deal, a restricted free agent on Monday. Forward/center Achiuwa, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent.
- The Lakers are “strongly believed” to be one of three teams set to meet with Jazz restricted free agent center Walker Kessler on Tuesday, according to Stein and Fischer. The Lakers are also expected to meet with Pistons RFA Jalen Duren. Yet another restricted free agent, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, continues to be linked to the Clippers, Stein and Fischer add.
- The Spurs are looking to add a power forward with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, according to The Stein Line, with Sandro Mamukelashvili, Tobias Harris, Dean Wade, Rui Hachimura and John Collins said to be targets. The Lakers are another team with their eyes on Raptors forward/center Mamukelashvili, according to both Stein and Fischer and Dan Woike of The Athletic. Sources tell Stein and Fischer the Georgian big man is expected to receive multiple offers exceeding $10MM per year after declining his minimum-salary option to become a free agent.
- In other Raptors news, the team is expected to work out a new standard deal with 2025 second-rounder Alijah Martin, per Stein and Fischer. Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca reported the two sides were working on a multiyear standard contract after Martin was given a two-way qualifying offer, making him a restricted free agent.
- After previously reporting that the Magic were bracing to lose Moritz Wagner in free agency, Stein and Fischer hear the Nets are a “real contender” to sign the German big man. The Magic, meanwhile, are expected to re-sign Jonathan Isaac after waiving him earlier this week, sources tell the Stein Line.
- If the Bulls end up signing Norman Powell, his new contract is expected to be a lucrative short-term deal, Stein and Fischer report. Chicago is also thinking about retaining Anfernee Simons, who’s expected to receive interest from the Warriors and Celtics, and is also interested in Jonathan Kuminga. The Cavaliers are another potential Kuminga suitor, though they don’t have much money to offer at the moment, Stein and Fischer add.
- The Cavaliers agreed to re-sign Thomas Bryant in part because they believed the Pacers were going to pursue him in free agency, according to Stein and Fischer, who hear Josh Okogie, Gary Trent Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. are potential free agent targets for Indiana.
- Bradley Beal, Gabe Vincent and Khris Middleton are among the veterans the Heat are considering pursuing in free agency, Stein and Fischer report.
Siegel’s Latest: Beal, Jovic, Murray, Holiday, Randle, Wade
The Heat and veteran guard Bradley Beal have mutual interest after the two-time All-Star opted out of his $5.62MM player option to become an unrestricted free agent, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
However, Siegel suggests Miami’s interest in Beal may be contingent on the 33-year-old’s willingness to accept a minimum-salary contract. As Siegel explains, the Heat are pursuing several other targets in free agency and have a limited amount of financial flexibility to fill out their roster.
On a related note, Siegel’s sources say the Heat have been exploring trades involving Nikola Jovic to free up more money in free agency. The 23-year-old is entering the first season of a four-year, $62.4MM contract that likely has negative trade value after the Serbian forward struggled for much of 2025/26.
Here’s more from Siegel’s most recent story:
- While the Nuggets have been linked to Jaylen Brown, the Celtics haven’t pursued a trade involving Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson, per Siegel. Multiple sources who spoke to ClutchPoints have downplayed the possibility of Murray being dealt this offseason.
- Jrue Holiday is expected to draw trade interest after the Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant from Memphis, according to Siegel, who’s heard talk of the veteran guard being available even before the surprising move. The six-time All-Defensive member, who turned 36 earlier this month, is owed $72MM over the next two years, including a $37.2MM player option for ’27/28.
- The Nets don’t have any “immediate plans” to flip Julius Randle to another team after agreeing to acquire him from Minnesota, sources tell Siegel. No. 6 overall pick Mikel Brown Jr. said he’s talked to Randle about improving the team’s standing around the league, tweets Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. “I was talking to Julius Randle about it the other day and he told me, ‘We’re gonna shock the world.’ That’s what we plan on doing,” Brown said of the Nets.
- There appears to be a robust market for Cavaliers forward Dean Wade, who may receive the full mid-level exception (projected to be worth $64.7MM over four years) in free agency, Siegel reports. According to Siegel, the Pistons, Spurs, Lakers, Nets and Sixers are among the teams with interest in the former undrafted free agent. Siegel points to Philadelphia as perhaps the most prominent suitor for Wade.
Clippers’ Bradley Beal Opts For Free Agency
Clippers guard Bradley Beal is turning down his $5.62MM player option for the 2026/27 season in favor of becoming an unrestricted free agent, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
It’s a somewhat surprising decision, given that Beal appeared in just six games in 2025/26 before being sidelined due to a hip injury that required season-ending surgery. Presumably, his recovery from that procedure has gone well enough that he expects to generate interest at or above that $5.62MM option salary this offseason.
Beal, who turned 33 on Sunday, signed a two-year, $10.98MM contract with the Clippers with the expectation that he’d play a significant role in the rotation and help make up for the backcourt scoring the club lost when it traded Norman Powell to Miami.
Even before the injury, Beal was playing a modest role despite starting all six of the games he played, averaging 8.2 points on .375/.368/.750 shooting in 20.2 minutes per contest. While those six games will be by far the fewest the veteran guard has ever played in a single season, injuries have been a recurring problem for him in recent years — he hasn’t made more than 60 regular season appearances since 2018/19.
The Clippers will have interest in re-signing Beal, according to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), though I expect a few other teams will be in that mix as well. Miami could be an interesting fit if Beal is interested in taking another shot at replacing Powell’s production.
According to NBA reporter Mark Medina (Twitter link), Beal reciprocates the Clippers’ interest in continuing their relationship, but wants to make the best decision for his career. He has been doing on-court work on a daily basis recently, Medina adds.
Suns Notes: Offseason, Free Agents, Rookies, Ishbia
Within his Suns offseason preview at the Third Apron (Substack link), Yossi Gozlan writes that Phoenix should “seriously consider” reconstructing its roster by trading its top players — including Devin Booker — to acquire draft picks.
As Gozlan explains, the Suns far exceeded external expectations by winning 45 games in 2025/26, ultimately advancing to the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. However, he thinks the current roster is “likely at its ceiling,” which is why he advocates for a tear-down.
Despite being something of a feel-good story this season, the Suns still have a relatively bleak long-term outlook, according to Gozlan, because they have so few valuable assets and an unenviable cap situation. In no small part because of the dead money owed to Bradley Beal, Phoenix will have to dump salary to avoid the luxury tax just to try and re-sign some of its own free agents, a group that includes Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams.
Gozlan acknowledges the team appears unlikely to trade Booker and other veterans like Dillon Brooks, but says there’s a good chance that both of those players’ values could be at high points right now, and moving off Booker’s salary in particular would create far more financial flexibility going forward.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- In a story breaking down each player’s role and contract situation ahead of 2026/27, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscription required) reports that the Suns and Gillespie are already discussing a new contract, and hears the 26-year-old point guard could sign a deal worth $40MM over four years. As for starting center Williams, who will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a $9.6MM qualifying offer, Rankin suggests he’s not a lock to return next season. For what it’s worth, Gozlan viewed Williams as a sign-and-trade candidate, pointing to the Bulls as a team that could make sense as a suitor.
- It will be an important offseason for Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea, who just finished their rookie campaigns, Rankin states in another article (subscriber link). Maluach could become Phoenix’s starting center next season if the team decides not to retain Williams, while Fleming has a chance to become the starting power forward if he can improve some of his weaknesses, Rankin writes. As for Brea, who spent this season on a two-way deal, he’ll have to take significant strides forward if he wants to crack the rotation in ’26/27.
- In an exclusive interview with Rankin (subscription required), owner Mat Ishbia acknowledges other teams will have interest in the aforementioned free agent trio, but says the team would like to retain them and the feeling is mutual. He also stands behind the decision to trade Kevin Durant to Houston last year. “We knew we had to do it, to make the trade. We knew we were going to make the trade. What we had to do is make sure we got the right things that were aligned with our identity,” Ishbia told Rankin. “We look at it, we got four guys. We got Dillon, Jalen (Green), Khaman and Rasheer because we used those picks to get the 31st pick (in the second round). Those players, could they all start next year, could they start the year after? Those are all four great players. So we feel great about what we did. … I think we did a very good job with it. You look at it now, it turned out to be a great trade for us. Not everyone said that the day we did it, but it turned out to be a fantastic trade for us and a huge part of our resetting our identity with those guys and building for the future as well.”
Clippers Granted Disabled Player Exception
November 26: The NBA has approved the Clippers’ request for a disabled player exception for Beal, Fischer reports (Twitter link).
November 21: The Clippers have applied for a disabled player exception in response to Bradley Beal‘s season-ending hip injury, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line and Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
An NBA team becomes eligible for a disabled player exception when one of its players sustains an injury that is considered more likely than not to sideline him through June 15 of that league year. That’s expected to be the case for Beal, who was diagnosed last week with a fracture in his hip.
A disabled player exception doesn’t grant the team an extra roster spot, but it generates some additional cap flexibility. The exception can be used to acquire a player on an expiring contract via trade or waiver claim, or to sign a free agent to a one-year deal.
The value of the disabled player exception is equivalent to either the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or half of the injured player’s salary, whichever is lesser. Since Beal’s cap hit is $5,354,000, well below the mid-level, the DPE would be worth $2,677,000.
The Clippers have used their full mid-level exception and don’t have their bi-annual exception available this season since they used it in 2024/25. That means a disabled player exception actually could come in handy for L.A., perhaps accommodating a free agent signing above the veteran’s minimum or a trade for a player on a near-minimum contract.
The problem for the Clippers is that they’re currently operating just $1.28MM away from their first-apron hard cap. A team can’t exceed its hard cap for any reason, so if the NBA awards them a DPE for Beal, the Clippers wouldn’t be able to use more than $1.28MM of it unless they shed salary elsewhere on the roster.
March 10 is the deadline to use a disabled player exception.
Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Davis, Magic, Clippers, LeBron
With the Mavericks off to a 3-9 start, there’s a feeling around the league that trading Anthony Davis — and possibly Kyrie Irving as well — might be their best strategy, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Dallas fired general manager Nico Harrison this week amid continued fan uproar over February’s Luka Doncic trade, and now personnel moves may be necessary to carve out a brighter future.
Trade speculation has already focused on Davis, who is currently sidelined with a left calf strain and has appeared in just five games this season. He’s under contract for $58.5MM in 2026/27 and has a $62.8MM player option for the following season. He’ll become eligible for an extension next summer and could earn up to $218.5MM by picking up the option and extending for three more years.
Considering Davis’ contract situation and his long injury history, Windhorst states that the Mavs may have trouble getting the return they would want in a potential trade.
“I just looked it up so I could say this to my owner if he asks me about it, AD is turning 33 in March and he’s going to be in position next summer where he’ll probably want a contract extension that would cost $70MM per year when he’d be 37,” a rival general manager said. “He’s a great player, full stop. But when you consider a player at his age with his injury history, you’d also be trading for the stress of that extension. That plays into it.”
Executives around the league tell Bontemps that while the Mavericks could still be formidable with a fully healthy roster, moving the two stars and replenishing their draft assets while building around Cooper Flagg is probably their best strategy. After the 2026 draft, Dallas doesn’t control any of its first-round picks for the rest of the decade.
Parting with Davis and Irving would also help the Mavs escape the luxury tax, Bontemps adds. The team is projected to have a tax bill around $32MM this season, and the current roster is about $16MM over the tax threshold.
Bontemps and Windhorst share more inside information from around the NBA:
- The Magic have won five of their last seven games, but their offense is still just 18th in the league and the offseason trade for Desmond Bane hasn’t provided the spark that was hoped for. According to Windhorst, head coach Jamahl Mosley has turned over most of the play calling to assistant Joe Prunty, who was hired during the offseason. However, some observers are skeptical that the current roster is capable of producing an efficient offense. “It’s got to get a little better, but the pieces aren’t changing,” a West executive said. “Bane will settle in eventually. But you still have a ball-dominant, iso star in Paolo (Banchero) that doesn’t scream ball movement, player movement and getting open shots. It hasn’t been pretty at all.”
- With an old roster and growing injury concerns, the Clippers may be “cooked” after a 3-8 start. Bradley Beal has been lost for the season with a hip fracture, and Kawhi Leonard has been diagnosed with a sprained foot as well as a sprained ankle. It appears the decision to invest heavily in veteran talent is backfiring, as Windhorst notes that Brook Lopez, Nicolas Batum and Bogdan Bogdanovic haven’t been productive early in the season, while Chris Paul is completely out of the rotation. “They move so slowly, they can’t recover when they turn the ball over or give up a quick transition,” one advance scout said.
- The Spurs and Lakers are both off to impressive starts, but there are mixed opinions on whether they can finish in the top four in the West. A West scout doesn’t believe Victor Wembanyama can hold up for 82 games, while an East executive isn’t convinced that L.A. will get better when LeBron James returns from his injury. “Don’t ask me about the Lakers until I can see LeBron play and see him move and how he looks,” the executive said. “He isn’t just dealing with the sciatica, he hurt his knee at the end of last season, and it surely affected his training routine. He’s never started a season coming off injuries like this before.”
Clippers Notes: Beal, Leonard, Collins, Harden
Bradley Beal‘s season-ending hip fracture isn’t related to any other injury he has experienced, Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank told reporters on Wednesday (Twitter link from Mark Medina).
Beal underwent a right knee scope in May and saw limited action during training camp. He had been on a minutes restriction all season before suffering the hip injury in Saturday’s game against Phoenix. Frank said the injury occurred on this play with 9:12 remaining in the second quarter.
“He did everything he (was) asked. He’s a high character guy. I feel horrible that he’s dealing with this,” Frank said. He added that doctors are “extremely optimistic he’ll make a full recovery” and said the time off will help him get over lingering “knee inflammation.”
In an interview with Medina for Essentially Sports, agent Mark Bartelstein also expressed optimism about Beal’s future and said his client had been making progress with the knee issues.
“It’s devastating for him. He’s put so much work into his body and recovered from the scope this past summer,” Bartelstein said. “He was actually going to have his minutes restriction lifted. So everything was trending in the right direction. He was going to be able to get back to play his normal minutes. Then to have this happen is devastating. There’s no way around it.
“But the good news is that he’ll have a full recovery. It’s going to take a while, just as it takes a while for these fractures to heal. But talking with all the doctors, he’s going to have a full recovery. He should do great with the surgery. We got to put all of our energy and focus toward the rehab, which is what we’re going to do.”
There’s more on the Clippers:
- Kawhi Leonard is dealing with a “significant” foot sprain as well as the right ankle sprain that was reported over the weekend, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Frank said Leonard is making progress and will join the team for its upcoming road trip, where doctors will monitor his condition to determine when he can resume playing. “We will have a better feel for it next week,” Frank said.
- With John Collins making his second straight start tonight, Lue talked about how he expects Collins to fit into that role (Twitter video link from Law Murray of The Athletic). “Just understand spacing the floor, especially when you’re on the floor with (Ivica Zubac) and James,” Lue said. “There’s not really a lot of room in that paint area, that 15-foot area.”
- James Harden blames a lack of consistency for the team’s 3-7 start, saying that lineup changes from game to game have made it difficult for the players to establish any rhythm together, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register (subscription required). “Some guys haven’t played ever, some guys are just being put in the rotation,” Harden said. “Some guys are new here, their first 10 games. That’s a lot that goes into it, so I don’t think we can pinpoint and put our fingerprint on one thing. I think it’s a variety of things that’s happening that hopefully we can come to a halt very soon.”
Bradley Beal To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery
Clippers guard Bradley Beal has been diagnosed with a fracture in his hip and will undergo season-ending surgery, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
“We met with numerous doctors and specialists around the country in collaboration with the entire Clippers medical staff over the last few days, and came to the decision unanimously that the surgery will allow Brad to have a full and complete recovery,” agent Mark Bartelstein said in a statement to ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link), who confirms Charania’s reporting, the projected recovery timetable for the procedure is six-to-nine months.
Beal had been hoping for a fresh start in Los Angeles this fall after two disappointing years in Phoenix. His time with the Suns came to an end over the summer when he and the team agreed to a buyout that left roughly $97MM in dead money on Phoenix’s cap.
The 32-year-old signed a two-year, $10.98MM deal with the Clippers with the expectation that he’d play a significant role in the rotation and help make up for the scoring the club lost when it traded Norman Powell to Miami in a three-team deal that sent John Collins to L.A.
However, Beal was able to suit up for just six games with his new team, averaging 8.2 points on .375/.368/.750 shooting in 20.2 minutes per contest. While those six games will be by far the fewest Beal has ever played in a single season, injuries have been a recurring problem for him in recent years — he hasn’t made more than 60 regular season appearances since 2018/19.
Beal’s season-ending surgery makes it more likely that he’ll opt into the second year of his contract with the Clippers. He holds a $5.62MM player option for 2026/27.
The Clippers will have the ability to apply for a disabled player exception in the wake of Beal’s injury, but it would only be worth about $2.68MM (half of Beal’s salary) and wouldn’t allow the team to surpass its hard cap. Currently, L.A. is carrying just 14 players on its standard roster and doesn’t have the ability to add a 15th man until January, at which point a prorated minimum salary will fit below the first tax apron.
With no reinforcements likely on the way in the short term, the Clippers will have to hope for more from veteran guards like Bogdan Bogdanovic and Chris Paul, who are off to slow starts this season. Additionally, Collins figures to be among the players who take on more offensive responsibilities to help James Harden and Kawhi Leonard (when healthy) shoulder the scoring load.