The NBA offseason delivered two major moves Friday, with Klay Thompson preparing for another chapter of his legendary career and DeMar DeRozan finding a new home alongside Nikola Jokic.
The Dallas Mavericks have reached a buyout agreement with Thompson, ending his two-season run in Dallas. The four-time NBA champion is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after clearing waivers. Meanwhile, six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets.
Both moves could have significant implications for the NBA championship race heading into the 2026-27 season.
Klay Thompson and Dallas Mavericks Agree to Buyout
Thompson's experiment in Dallas is officially coming to an end.
The Mavericks and Thompson agreed to a buyout of his expiring contract after the veteran sharpshooter made it clear that he wanted an opportunity to play for a contender.
Thompson originally joined Dallas in 2024 after spending the first 13 seasons of his career with the Golden State Warriors. The move initially looked like an opportunity for Thompson to chase a fifth championship while playing alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Things changed dramatically.
Dallas eventually traded Doncic, injuries affected the roster, and the Mavericks shifted toward a new direction built around their younger talent.
Thompson, now 36, no longer fit the team's long-term timeline.
Despite being past the dominant two-way version of himself that helped create the Warriors dynasty, Thompson remains one of the greatest three-point shooters in NBA history and could still provide valuable floor spacing for a contender.
Klay Thompson Expected to Join Miami Heat
Miami now appears to be Thompson's next destination.
Thompson is expected to sign with the Heat once he clears waivers, giving Miami another experienced championship player and one of the most accomplished shooters of his generation.
The fit could be particularly interesting because Thompson wouldn't need to carry an offense.
His primary job could be much simpler: create space, knock down open three-pointers and punish defenses when they collapse toward the paint.
At this stage of his career, reducing Thompson's workload while surrounding him with defensive help could maximize what he still does best.
Miami also offers something Thompson was reportedly looking for — another opportunity to compete for a championship.
DeMar DeRozan Signs With Denver Nuggets
While Thompson heads toward Miami, the Denver Nuggets are adding another proven veteran.
According to reports citing ESPN's Shams Charania, DeMar DeRozan has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million contract with Denver.
It's an intriguing move for a Nuggets team that already has one of basketball's greatest offensive engines in Nikola Jokic.
DeRozan isn't the typical modern NBA floor-spacing forward. His game has historically relied heavily on midrange scoring, footwork, isolation offense and getting to the free-throw line.
But that could actually give Denver another dimension.
When possessions break down late in games, DeRozan can create his own shot without requiring Jokic to manufacture everything.
How Does DeRozan Fit With Nikola Jokic?
This may be one of the most fascinating parts of the signing.
Jokic is one of the NBA's best passers and has repeatedly made life easier for players around him. DeRozan, meanwhile, has spent much of his career creating offense with the ball in his hands.
Denver will have to determine exactly how those styles fit together.
The Nuggets could use DeRozan as a secondary creator, allowing Jokic to initiate offense while giving Denver another player capable of attacking mismatches.
DeRozan could become especially valuable when Jokic rests or when opposing defenses force Denver into difficult half-court possessions.
And on a one-year deal reportedly worth just $3.9 million, the financial risk for Denver is relatively small.
Two Veterans, Two Different Championship Paths
The Thompson and DeRozan moves share an interesting theme.
Both players are accomplished veterans entering the later stages of their careers, and both are joining situations where they shouldn't be expected to function as the primary star.
That could make them more dangerous.
Miami doesn't need the Golden State version of Klay Thompson. If Thompson can provide reliable three-point shooting, championship experience and productive minutes, the Heat could benefit tremendously.
Denver doesn't need DeRozan to dominate the basketball every night either. The Nuggets need another dependable scorer who can create offense when their normal actions aren't producing good shots.
Both teams are essentially betting that putting veteran talent into more specialized roles can help them win in the postseason.
What Happened to Klay Thompson in Dallas?
Thompson's Dallas tenure will likely be remembered as an experiment that never had enough time or stability to reach its original potential.
He signed with a Mavericks franchise that had just reached the NBA Finals and appeared positioned to contend for years.
The roster situation changed dramatically afterward.
Thompson was also no longer the same player who once formed the legendary "Splash Brothers" combination with Stephen Curry in Golden State.
Still, leaving Dallas could give him an opportunity to redefine the final stage of his career.
Instead of being judged against his prime years, Thompson can now focus on becoming an elite veteran role player for a team trying to win immediately.
Could Klay Thompson Help Miami Win a Championship?
That's the biggest question surrounding the move.
Thompson's championship experience is unquestioned. He won four NBA championships with Golden State and played a major role in one of the greatest dynasties in basketball history.
But Miami will be betting on what Thompson can contribute now, not what he accomplished five or ten years ago.
His shooting remains the key.
Even an aging Thompson demands attention behind the three-point line because defenders know what can happen when he gets hot.
That gravity alone can create additional driving lanes and offensive opportunities for teammates.
Denver Adds Another Weapon Around Jokic
Denver's acquisition of DeRozan could be equally important.
The Nuggets already know they can build championship-level basketball around Jokic. The challenge is continuing to surround him with enough scoring, depth and versatility to survive a long postseason.
DeRozan provides another player who isn't afraid of late-game possessions.
He has spent years operating as a primary scorer and has extensive experience taking difficult shots with defenses focused on stopping him.
If Denver can integrate that ability without disrupting the ball movement that makes its offense so dangerous, the signing could become one of the better value moves of the offseason.
NBA Offseason Continues to Reshape Championship Race
Klay Thompson moving from Dallas to Miami and DeMar DeRozan joining Denver demonstrate how aggressively contenders are continuing to search for veteran talent.
Neither player is being asked to become a franchise cornerstone.
Instead, both could become important pieces around teams with championship ambitions.
For Thompson, Miami represents another chance to pursue a fifth championship after his Dallas experiment failed to produce the contender he envisioned.
For DeRozan, Denver provides an opportunity to play alongside Nikola Jokic and potentially make a deep postseason run without carrying the entire offensive burden.
The names are familiar.
The roles are changing.
And if either veteran has one more major playoff run left, these two moves could become much more important than they appear in August.
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