The Detroit Pistons are paying attention to the NBA free agency market as Klay Thompson, a 13-year sharpshooter, is set to become a free agent after agreeing to a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, August 21. Thompson will surely be a top free agent for contending teams.
What happened to Klay Thompson?
The Dallas Mavericks announced that they are moving on from Klay Thompson, with the team writing on social media, “One of the greatest to ever do it. Champion, leader and a true pro. Thanks for everything, Cap 💙 #MFFL.” Klay Thompson will now get a chance to entertain some of his top suitors, which could include the Miami Heat and his former team, the Golden State Warriors.
Should the Pistons consider Klay Thompson?
Detroit had a tough offseason in terms of missing out on some of their top targets, with the priority being to add notable sharpshooters to help with their three-point struggles from the 2026 playoff run, where they lost their last game 94-125 to the Cleveland Cavaliers on 2026-05-18. During his two-season run, Thompson remained a valuable shooter, mostly in a bench role, averaging 12.9 points per game while shooting 38.7% from beyond the arc. Before that, Thompson had a star-caliber run with the Golden State Warriors, averaging 19.6 points while shooting 41.3% from deep over 11 seasons.
What comes next for Klay Thompson?
The Pistons couldn’t get Thompson’s attention when he became a free agent a couple of years back because they didn’t seem ready to contend, but they are certainly in that class within the Eastern Conference now, so they look better to prominent free agents. However, Thompson might already have his mind made up, with ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting that Thompson is eyeing the Heat, unless the Pistons have a strong Hail Mary effort, the 36-year-old probably won’t even look their way. The Pistons' recent form, with a record of 2W-0D-3L in their last 5 games, losing the last 2, may not be enough to attract Thompson's attention. As the NBA free agency market continues to unfold, the Detroit Pistons will be looking to make a splash, and signing Klay Thompson would be a significant move, but it remains to be seen if they can convince him to join their team.
