What can the Mavericks get in a Klay Thompson trade?

The Dallas Mavericks have undergone significant change since Masai Ujiri was hired as the team’s president and alternate governor in early May.

Since then, the Mavericks have a new front office and coaching staff while the roster has been altered around the margins. The team will look differently on opening night, but how will new coach Dusty May turn the new pieces into a competitive roster?

In this week’s Mavs Mailbag, we answered questions about Cooper Flagg’s looming sophomore campaign, Klay Thompson’s future and more:

What’s up with the supposed Klay Thompson buyout? – @edwro

Klay Thompson’s future in Dallas has been uncertain since April, when the veteran sharpshooter was asked if he anticipates being back with the Mavericks. He said he wasn’t sure, which has placed a magnifying glass on his standing with the team.

Several reports suggest that the Miami Heat are interested in adding Thompson through a trade or by signing him if Dallas buys him out. However, the Mavericks have not been looking to find a buyout agreement with Thompson, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

It makes sense why Ujiri and Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz wouldn’t want to orchestrate a buyout with Thompson since he has just one year on his three-year contract worth $17.5 million left. He provides consistent 3-point shooting and would likely be more valuable as a trade asset, especially at next year’s deadline.

Do you think there is a reasonable chance the Mavs could get a draft pick for Klay Thompson rather than just releasing him? – @slickrick1117

I think it’s possible that a trade involving Klay Thompson could generate a draft pick, but the value of that pick is what matters most. If a deal with the Heat materialized, it would be difficult to obtain any of their tradeable picks because their blockbuster trade to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo heavily depleted their draft assets. 

Miami has three future first-round picks (2028, 2029 and 2032) and their own 2027 second-round pick. I’d be surprised if the Heat parted ways with any of their picks in a trade for Thompson, especially since he’s on an expiring contract and could choose to leave as a free agent next summer. 

Never say never, but the right deal could net the Mavericks a pick, which would be much-needed since they have a depleted cabinet of future draft assets.

How do you see the power forward/center rotation, meaning starters and backups? As is, assuming no one else is moved. – @commentandwatch

It’s going to be difficult to project the power forward and center rotation without knowing if Dereck Lively II is healthy enough to begin the season. Whenever he’s cleared to play, I would expect him to be the team’s starting center with Daniel Gafford as his main backup. They offer similar skill sets and have been interchangeable since Gafford was acquired midseason during the 2023-24 campaign. Moussa Cisse, who was signed to a two-year contract, will likely take Dwight Powell’s place as the fourth and emergency center option.

P.J. Washington will likely remain the team’s starting power forward, while No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. projects to be the first four-man off the bench. Don’t forget about Santi Aldama, who was acquired in a six-team trade last month. His ability to stretch the floor with his reliable 3-point shooting offers May the ability to play him at power forward and center. 

Of course, this is all under the assumption that the roster remains intact, which isn’t likely since the Mavericks have 16 standard contracts and need to trade or waive a player before opening night.

What’s the biggest area Cooper Flagg still needs to improve before the season? – @CooperFMuse

I briefly mentioned it earlier, but Flagg’s 3-point efficiency remains his biggest area for improvement. He shot 29.5% from beyond the arc on 3.5 attempts per game last season. The Mavericks didn’t have the most ideal lineups for 3-point spacing last season, but there’s reason to believe Flagg will be the beneficiary of cleaner looks from distance thanks to Irving’s return.

It’s entirely possible for someone with Flagg’s skill set to make a significant leap from the 3-point line in his sophomore season. LeBron James shot 29% from 3 as a rookie and improved to 35.1% in his second season. A similar surge would pay dividends for Flagg and the rest of the Mavericks.

What’s your read on how the players perceive the coaching change made this summer? – @TallDuckMFFL

After parting ways with Jason Kidd, it took the Mavericks just over a month to hire Dusty May as the franchise’s new head coach. Coaching changes are common in the NBA, but appointing a first-time coach from the NCAA ranks is more unconventional.

We haven’t had the opportunity to speak to most of the players during the offseason to gather their reactions on the departure of Kidd and installation of May, but Irving, Flagg and Lively are on board with the hiring. 

Flagg attended May’s introductory press conference. Irving used his Twitch stream to publicly welcome May to the organization and urged his fans to “flood his DMs” with congratulatory messages. During a June appearance at a Mavericks Hoops Camp, Lively had this to say about May: “Love Dusty. He seems like a great person and a great coach, too.”

Approval from those three prominent figures bodes well for buy-in from the rest of the roster.