Three Potential Trade Destinations For Klay Thompson This Summer

James PierceyJune 10, 2026 4:37 PM

DHJ Quick Take: Three Klay Thompson Trade Fits for the Mavericks

With Cooper Flagg entering his second season, the Dallas Mavericks face a roster caught between competing now and building for the long term, and Klay Thompson stands out as a veteran they could move for future assets.

Why would the Mavericks trade Klay Thompson? Dallas is balancing two timelines and could turn a declining veteran into draft capital for the long-term core.
Who are the best fits? The Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors all line up as logical landing spots.
Why does it matter? It shapes how Dallas builds around Flagg while it lacks control of most of its first-round picks through 2030.
What’s next? Monitoring the offseason trade market, where Thompson’s contract and shooting could draw interest.

The Dallas Mavericks are operating on two timelines. They cannot afford to disregard the present entirely. Dallas owes its 2027 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets, a selection protected only for the top two; the Oklahoma City Thunder hold swap rights on the 2028 first-rounders; and the Mavericks owe their 2029 first-round pick to the Houston Rockets.

Even with the NBA’s flattened lottery odds, Dallas is unlikely to land in the lottery in the coming years, giving the team little incentive to lose.

At the same time, the Mavericks are not built to go all in on the present. Cooper Flagg will be a sophomore in 2026-27, and the roster around him remains a work in progress. Trading veterans for future assets to strengthen the long-term core is an avenue Dallas should weigh. Klay Thompson is one candidate, and three teams stand out as logical fits.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets sit in a different position. Houston lacks a clear-cut franchise player on Flagg’s level, but it has a surplus of young talent and a mandate to win now. It also has a clear need for shooting, which is where Thompson fits.

He is no longer among the league’s elite shooters, but his 38.3% mark from 3-point range last season would make him one of Houston’s more reliable floor spacers. Thompson would not return a first-round pick, though he could bring back a handful of second-rounders.

Houston has draft capital to spare, making the two sides a sensible match.

Los Angeles Lakers

Thompson’s reason for joining the Mavericks is worth recalling. He signed in 2024 to play alongside Luka Dončić. Dallas then traded Dončić in February 2025, leaving Thompson on a rebuilding roster.

A move to the Los Angeles Lakers would reunite the two. Los Angeles has a less pressing need than Houston, but it could use additional spacing around Dončić, and the on-court fit that made the pairing logical before still holds. The Lakers carry less draft capital than the Rockets, though they could include Dalton Knecht to sweeten an offer.

Los Angeles has also been linked to Daniel Gafford, raising the possibility of a deal between the two teams.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State fit is the sentimental one. Bringing Thompson back to the franchise where he won four titles would carry obvious appeal, even if the basketball case is thinner.

The Golden State Warriors are nearing the end of their current core’s window, but a full rebuild is not on the table while Stephen Curry and Draymond Green remain.

Reuniting with Thompson would energize the fan base and could make Golden State marginally more competitive in 2026-27. The longer-term reset can wait until that core moves on.