Heat officially beat out Lakers for $298M future Hall of Famer, ex-Warriors 4x NBA champion

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Heat officially beat out Lakers for $298M future Hall of Famer, ex-Warriors 4x NBA champion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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For a while, it had been known that the Dallas Mavericks and Klay Thompson were trying to determine what was best for his future. The five-time All-Star joined Dallas to compete alongside Luka Doncic, but he only had that opportunity for half a season.

With Thompson eventually landing on the trade and buyout market, he had two destinations that appeared to be at the top of his list: the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.

“My understanding is that Thompson would welcome a return to Los Angeles, where he spent part of his childhood and still owns a home. The Miami Heat are another team frequently mentioned in NBA circles as a potential landing spot for the future Hall of Famer," The Athletic's Christian Clark wrote.

Finally, over the weekend, Thompson and the Mavericks agreed to a buyout, making him a free agent.

“Thompson, 36, was due to make $17.5 million in the final season of his contract with the Mavericks, who announced his buyout Friday afternoon. He played two seasons for the Mavericks, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 38.7% from 3-point range. Thompson passed Damian Lillard last season to rank fourth in career 3-pointers made,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon wrote.

On Sunday night, Thompson officially signed with the Heat, choosing Miami over the Lakers.

“The Heat on Sunday could celebrate not only the addition of five-time All-Star guard Klay Thompson, but also the fact that the organization emerged from the transaction with more flexibility than some might have expected. Because Thompson agreed to a first year salary of $5.6 million, that left the Heat with the ability to fill both the 14th and 15th roster spots,” Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson wrote.

This is a huge win for the Heat, as they are adding an elite shooter who can help space the floor around their stars. It also leaves Miami with additional flexibility to add another significant piece that could help the team as the season progresses.

Thompson has made $298 million throughout his career. Miami is now in a strong position to make the playoffs and potentially contend for an NBA championship. The addition of Thompson is significant in several ways, and perhaps the biggest storyline is that the Heat were able to land the future Hall of Famer over an iconic franchise like the Lakers.

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