Heat Eye $319 Million Jrue Holiday After Klay Thompson Signs for $5.6 Million

Q: Which rival teams are scrambling to adjust after missing out on Thompson's cost-effective perimeter shooting?

The teams most clearly left adjusting after missing out on Klay Thompson appear to be the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. That is the strongest takeaway from the additional reporting, which specifically says Thompson’s signing with Miami removed him from the pool of possible buyout or free-agent targets for other clubs “including the Lakers and Timberwolves.” Both teams had reason to value a low-cost veteran shooter with playoff experience, and Thompson’s roughly $5.6 million first-year salary made him an especially attractive option. The Lakers had already been linked to Thompson in the past and were viewed as a logical landing spot because of their continuing need for perimeter shooting around star creators. Missing on Thompson likely forces them to keep searching the market for other shooting help rather than solving that need with a proven championship wing on a discount contract. Minnesota also fits the profile of a team that could have used Thompson’s spacing and postseason résumé. Losing out on him means the Timberwolves must look elsewhere if they still want another experienced floor spacer to complement their existing core. Beyond those two, the broader implication is that any contender loosely monitoring the veteran-buyout market now has one fewer proven shooter available. But based on the reporting provided, the Lakers and Timberwolves are the rival teams most directly identified as having missed out.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Aug 24

Miami emerged from Klay Thompson’s signing with enough cap flexibility to pursue another veteran, fueling fresh links to Jrue Holiday as a possible buyout target.
Thompson, 36, signed with the Heat on Sunday after agreeing Friday to a buyout from Dallas, and his $5.6 million first-year salary left Miami able to fill its final two roster spots.
Jeff Teague flagged Holiday as a potential fit if a buyout materializes, arguing Miami could become even stronger after already landing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thompson.
Holiday, a two-time NBA champion who has earned $319 million in his career, would give the Heat another experienced two-way guard either as a starter or bench option.