Overview
- Thompson agreed to a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks and signed a reported two‑year, roughly $11.5 million deal with Miami and has already been photographed working out at the Heat practice facility.
- Reports say Thompson gave up a large portion of his Mavericks pay so his roughly $5.6 million first‑year salary with Miami would keep the team below the first luxury‑tax apron and leave roster flexibility.
- The Heat rebuilt this offseason around Giannis Antetokounmpo and added veteran shooters and frontcourt depth including Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Nick Richards to improve spacing and experience.
- Ongoing trade chatter linking Miami to Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant remains speculative and beat writers say such blockbusters are unlikely because of salary‑matching rules, hard‑cap/apron limits and limited draft assets.
- With one roster spot still open, Miami is expected to weigh low‑cost veteran guards or wings — names frequently mentioned include Gabe Vincent, John Konchar and Victor Oladipo — so the team keeps flexibility for the season.