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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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The Miami Heat reportedly have their sights set on Klay Thompson, but a potential roadblock involving the Dallas Mavericks could force the team to consider another veteran sharpshooter.
According to recent reporting from the Miami Herald, the Heat have targeted Thompson as they continue to reshape their roster ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season. The four-time NBA champion remains an appealing option for Miami as an elite perimeter shooter with playoff experience and a proven ability to space the floor, which would slide him in perfectly next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
The problem is that actually acquiring Thompson may not be easy.
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Dallas reportedly prefers to trade the veteran guard rather than buy him out, which could make it difficult for the Heat to land him without giving up assets, of which they have few remaining after the Antetokounmpo trade.
The Heat traded Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2033 second-round pick in exchange for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.
Thompson is entering the final season of his three-year, $50 million deal with Dallas, and he'll be owed around $17.5 million next season. The Mavs therefore have little reason to simply let him walk for nothing, particularly if they can find a willing trade partner.
That could leave Miami turning its attention to Bradley Beal, who already spoke with the Heat's front office earlier this summer.
If the Heat ultimately decided that a Thompson buyout or trade is unrealistic, Beal could emerge as the next best option.
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Beal opted out of his $5.6 million player option with the Los Angeles Clippers and is now an unrestricted free agent.
His 2025-26 season was a disaster from a health standpoint, appearing in just six games before undergoing season-ending hip surgery. But he remains a former three-time All-Star who earned third-team All-NBA honors in 2021 after averaging 31.3 points per game, the third-highest mark in the league, while shooting 48.5% from the field and 35% from deep.
He's a career 37.6% shooter from beyond the arc, and that's exactly the type of player Miami could use right now.
Thompson might have more championship pedigree and greater value as a more efficient off-the-ball perimeter threat, but Beal is an intriguing Plan B if the Heat's pursuit of Thompson fizzles out.
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