The end of Klay Thompson’s time with the Dallas Mavericks has arrived in an unexpectedly quiet way.

A player whose career was built on championships, All-Star appearances and elite three-point shooting is leaving Dallas without the kind of trade return many would normally expect for a veteran of his stature.

The Mavericks have bought out the final year of Thompson’s three-year, $50 million contract, clearing the way for him to move on. Reports indicate that the veteran guard is expected to join the Miami Heat.

For Dallas, however, the bigger story is not simply Thompson’s departure. It is how the NBA’s increasingly complicated salary-cap rules left the Mavericks with very few realistic options.

Why Couldn’t Dallas Trade Klay Thompson?

On paper, Thompson still had something to offer.

The four-time NBA champion remains one of the most accomplished shooters of his generation. The NBA profile lists him as a five-time All-Star and four-time champion, while his career has been defined by remarkable three-point production.

But the situation surrounding his contract made a trade extremely difficult.

Thompson’s final season with Dallas carried a salary of approximately $17.5 million. Any team interested in acquiring him would have needed enough financial flexibility to absorb that contract while also believing the veteran could still provide meaningful value.

That combination became particularly difficult this late in the offseason.

Teams competing for the postseason are generally already close to the salary-cap restrictions imposed by the league. Finding one that had both the interest in Thompson and the financial room to take on his contract was therefore a major challenge.

The Mavericks Also Had a Roster Problem

There was another issue working against Dallas.

The Mavericks reportedly had 16 players with guaranteed contracts, while an NBA roster cannot simply carry all 16 into the regular season.

That meant Dallas needed to make a move.

A straightforward trade involving Thompson for another player would not necessarily have solved the problem. And finding multiple teams willing to participate in a complicated transaction would have made an already difficult deal even harder.

In other words, the Mavericks were not simply searching for the best possible trade package. They were trying to find a deal that actually worked within the league’s financial and roster rules.

Why Even a Second-Round Pick Was Difficult

For many fans, the obvious question is: why couldn’t Dallas at least get a future second-round pick?

The answer again comes down to salary-cap mechanics.

A team receiving Thompson would still have needed the financial flexibility to absorb his $17.5 million contract. A simple player-for-draft-pick transaction would not magically remove that requirement.

The teams most likely to value an experienced player such as Thompson are also typically teams trying to contend. Those clubs tend to have already committed much of their available salary space to their existing rosters.

Adding another team to manufacture a multi-team trade could theoretically create possibilities, but it would also require every participating franchise to have a reason to cooperate and enough financial flexibility to make the numbers work.

By late August, that is an extremely difficult puzzle to solve.

What Does the Buyout Mean Financially for Dallas?

The Mavericks were reportedly around $2.2 million below the luxury-tax line before completing the buyout.

The move could reduce Dallas’ projected salary commitments for the 2026-27 season by roughly $3.9 million to $6.5 million, depending on the final structure of Thompson’s next contract and the applicable financial calculations.

That is meaningful from a financial standpoint, but it is hardly the kind of return normally associated with moving a player of Thompson’s reputation.

Dallas would remain above the NBA’s soft salary cap while staying below the luxury-tax threshold and both apron levels.

So, rather than receiving a young player or a draft asset, the Mavericks largely gain financial breathing room.

Thompson’s Dallas Chapter Ends Differently Than Expected

When Klay Thompson arrived in Dallas, the move carried significant expectations.

The veteran had spent the bulk of his career with the Golden State Warriors, where he established himself as one of the league’s premier perimeter shooters and helped build a championship dynasty alongside Stephen Curry.

The Mavericks hoped that his experience and shooting would complement their roster.

Instead, Dallas eventually moved in a different direction.

The NBA’s official player profile records Thompson’s four championships, five All-Star selections, two All-NBA selections and an All-Defensive Team honor.

Those achievements remain part of his legacy, even though his Dallas stint did not produce the impact the franchise initially envisioned.

Miami Offers Thompson a Fresh Start

With the buyout completed, Thompson now has an opportunity to begin another chapter with the Miami Heat.

The move gives the veteran shooter a chance to contribute in a different environment while Dallas continues reshaping its roster.

For the Mavericks, meanwhile, Thompson’s departure highlights a larger roster-management problem: once expensive contracts, limited cap space and roster limits collide, even a player with an extraordinary résumé can become surprisingly difficult to move.

The result is striking — Dallas did not turn Thompson into another player or a draft pick. Instead, the franchise gained a relatively modest amount of salary relief and moved on.

For a four-time champion and one of basketball’s most recognizable shooters, that is a remarkably understated ending to his Mavericks chapter.

The return of **Rafael Devers** to Fenway Park was always going to be emotional. After nine seasons with the **Boston Red Sox**, the former fan favourite walked back into his old home wearing a different uniform — and the reception was anything but simple.

Devers made an immediate impact for the **San Francisco Giants**, hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning. But despite his big moment, the Red Sox rallied behind a huge third inning and secured a 6-4 victory on Friday night.

Rafael Devers gets a mixed Fenway reception

The atmosphere was understandably unusual when Devers’ name was announced before the game.

Some fans applauded the player who had spent nearly a decade in Boston, while others made their feelings known with loud boos. The same combination returned when he stepped into the batter’s box for the first time.

By the end of his first at-bat, however, the reaction became much clearer. Devers struck out, and the Fenway crowd responded with a loud cheer.

The complicated relationship between Devers and Boston made his homecoming unlike the typical return of a former star.

Still, the 29-year-old did what he has done countless times throughout his career — he made his bat do the talking.

Devers hits a home run in his return

Devers played a role in the Giants’ early offensive push when he drew a walk in the third inning. San Francisco eventually took a 1-0 lead through an RBI single from rookie **Bryce Eldridge**.

Boston, however, had an emphatic response.

The Red Sox sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the third and scored five runs, completely changing the complexion of the game.

Devers then produced his biggest moment of the night in the fourth.

With the Giants trailing, Devers launched a solo home run to cut the deficit to 5-4. It was his 96th career homer at Fenway Park and his first at the stadium as a visiting player.

Interestingly, Devers had also homered in his previous game at Fenway Park — the game that preceded his trade.

**Chad Tracy**, Boston’s interim manager, acknowledged the quality of the shot despite the difficult conditions.

“Raffy does what Raffy does.”

Willson Contreras delivers Boston’s biggest blow

Before Devers could make his mark, **Willson Contreras** had already delivered the most spectacular hit of the night.

After Nick Sogard walked and Wilyer Abreu singled, Contreras crushed an 85.2 mph changeup from **Logan Webb**.

The ball travelled an estimated 450 feet, cleared the Green Monster and landed beyond Lansdowne Street. It left the bat at 116 mph.

That blast gave Boston a 3-1 lead and provided the spark for the five-run third inning.

Webb struggled to regain control afterward. He left the game after only 2⅔ innings, having surrendered five runs on six hits, three walks and two hit batters.

Sonny Gray survives a difficult night

Boston starter **Sonny Gray** did not have his cleanest outing either.

The Giants scored three runs in the fourth inning, with Devers’ home run following a two-run blast from Drew Gilbert. Suddenly, Boston’s five-run cushion had been reduced to 5-4.

But Gray settled down.

He retired the final seven batters he faced and completed six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

The performance was enough to earn Gray the win and move his record to 16-3.

Red Sox bullpen closes the door

The Red Sox added an insurance run in the sixth when **Wilyer Abreu** reached on a misplayed ball in right field, allowing Boston to extend its lead to 6-4.

From there, the bullpen took control.

Erik Miller worked a scoreless seventh against his former team, while Alec Gamboa followed with a perfect eighth.

Then came **Aroldis Chapman**.

The veteran closer handled the ninth inning and struck out Jonah Cox to finish the game, earning his 28th save of the season.

Devers was waiting on deck when the final out was recorded.

Boston has the final word

The victory moved the Boston Red Sox to 69-59, putting the team 10 games above .500.

For Devers, the night was a strange mixture of familiarity and separation. He received cheers, heard plenty of boos and then sent a baseball over the wall in the very place where he had built much of his career.

But ultimately, it was Boston that walked away celebrating.

Devers may have returned to Fenway with a memorable home run, but the Red Sox made sure the final memory belonged to them.

The Los Angeles Dodgers found another dramatic way to keep their winning run going on Friday night.

After returning home from a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies, the Dodgers edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium, with Tommy Edman delivering the decisive hit.

The victory extended Los Angeles’ winning streak to four games and kept the Dodgers perfect in extra-inning games this season. They are now 5-0 in extra innings, according to MLB.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto once again gives Dodgers a chance

Before Edman provided the dramatic finish, Yoshinobu Yamamoto once again showed why he has become such an important part of the Dodgers’ rotation.

The Japanese right-hander worked 6⅓ innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out nine batters and walking one. It was his second consecutive start with nine strikeouts.

Yamamoto threw 107 pitches, just two shy of his season high. His latest performance also lowered his season ERA to 2.61, while he has posted a 1.98 ERA with 39 strikeouts over his previous six starts.

His effort was good enough to leave the Dodgers in front, but the Pirates refused to go quietly.

Oneil Cruz brings Pittsburgh back

Los Angeles held a two-run advantage before Oneil Cruz changed the game in the eighth inning.

Facing Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt, Cruz launched a two-run homer to centre field, tying the game at 4-4. The blast travelled 424 feet and came off his bat at 112.8 mph.

That home run erased the Dodgers’ advantage and forced both teams into another tense finish.

The Pirates then had a chance to take the lead in the top of the 10th, but Evan Phillips escaped a bases-loaded situation with a double play.

That proved crucial.

Tommy Edman delivers when it matters

With the game still tied in the bottom of the 10th, the Dodgers needed just one big swing.

With two outs and runners on the corners, Edman stepped into the box against Pittsburgh left-hander Gregory Soto.

The count was 0-2.

Edman then lined a pitch into left field, scoring automatic runner Kiké Hernández and sending Dodger Stadium into celebration.

The walk-off single gave Los Angeles its 5-4 victory and handed Soto the loss.

A special Players’ Weekend moment for Edman

There was an extra layer to Edman’s heroics.

The Dodgers infielder was using an ice-cream-inspired bat during Players’ Weekend in honour of his son, Eli. The design was inspired by the family’s favourite flavour — mint chocolate chip.

Edman admitted that coming through with the winning hit while using the special bat made the moment even more enjoyable.

“It’s cool that I came through with the walk-off hit today,” Edman said.

Dodgers keep finding ways to win

The victory was not straightforward.

The Dodgers scored four runs during the opening three innings but were unable to add another run through the ninth. Pittsburgh eventually levelled the contest, forcing Los Angeles to rely on its bullpen and late-game execution.

Manager Dave Roberts praised the team’s mentality after the comeback victory.

The Dodgers were also dealing with pitching workload concerns, making the extra-inning win particularly valuable.

For Yamamoto, it was another high-quality start that kept his team in control. For Edman, it was a perfect Players’ Weekend memory.

And for the Dodgers, it was another reminder that this team can find a winning moment even after giving an opponent a way back into the game.