RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesHeat reportedly told to sign $305M Future Hall of Famer, not 4-time NBA champion Klay Thompson originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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The NBA offseason is still in full swing, even after LeBron James announced his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers . Since that announcement, the Miami Heat have been working aggressively to round out their roster.
Miami has set its sights on Klay Thompson, who has emerged as one of the organization's most intriguing targets. In fact, Thompson is reportedly the Heat's top priority.
“They hope not. The Miami Heat's number one priority right now is to acquire shooting. And they found their No. 1 target for that...Klay Thompson. The problem is Klay Thompson has one year left on his Mavs contract so they're exploring whether they can trade for him, whether this could end up in a buyout, we'll see over the next several weeks,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said.
The Heat are reportedly waiting for Thompson to secure a buyout from the Dallas Mavericks rather than pursuing a trade. Miami is also believed to be preserving cap flexibility for the four-time NBA champion.
“The Heat are waiting on Klay Thompson to secure a buyout from the Mavericks instead of trading for him, per Miami Herald. Miami will not use their $7 million remaining on the mid-level exception to keep it available for Klay," NBA Evan Sidery wrote.
While Thompson has gained significant momentum as a target, DeMar DeRozan has also emerged as an intriguing option for Miami. In fact, one NBA scout believes the Heat would be better off signing DeRozan instead of Thompson.
“[DeMar] has more left than Klay. But stylistically is the problem. He's got to come off the bench — if he could accept the role as a six-man type, he would bolster their bench and maybe finish games,” a scout told Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman . “He's not going to defend, he did start to pass the ball a little. But that's not why you have him. As a sixth man, considering the other options, he's a cut above Thompson.”
Neither player is known primarily for his defense, but DeRozan offers more offensive versatility. Thompson is more of a catch-and-shoot specialist, while DeRozan can consistently create his own shot and get to his preferred spots on the floor.
DeRozan has earned $305 million throughout his NBA career. The Heat would benefit from adding either veteran, but there appears to be growing belief that DeRozan has more left in the tank at this stage of his career.
More NBA news:
Lakers predicted to trade for $62M elite shooter, pass on ex-Warriors champion Jonathan Kuminga
Nuggets, Cavaliers, Hawks, Bucks, reportedly in bidding war for $11M freaky athletic NBA champion
Cavaliers reportedly interested in Nuggets' athletic $11M NBA champion to pair with James Harden
Warriors reportedly sign $33M fan favorite, NBA champion, 11-year veteran, son of NBA legend
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