After the splash that was trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo this summer, president Pat Riley was clearly not finished adding leadership and championship experience to the Miami Heat. Four-time NBA champion sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who signed a two-year $11 million deal last week, adds a different layer to coach Erik Spoelstra’s roster and opens up a world of possibilities for his lineup combinations.
When asked why Miami during his introductory press conference, Thompson noted that it’s “just the opportunity to play high-level basketball, and make a deep postseason run.” It’s more than that, though. He wanted to play for Miami so intently that he took a pay cut to give the Heat the option to sign veteran players for the minimum salary, showing his willingness to buy into a winning system.
On the court, Thompson will be inserted as the starting shooting guard, a spot in which he can provide floor spacing to a lineup in desperate need of shooting. As Spoelstra said during Thompson’s press conference, “We know about his world-class shooting. He’s one of the best to ever do it.” It’s hard to argue with Spoelstra’s assessment. Thompson ranks fourth all-time in three-pointers made and is a 40.9% three-point shooter over his 13-year career. Not only is he an exceptional shooter. Spoelstra also added that “he has a pride in being a legitimate two-way basketball player.”
This is also true. His defensive accolades back this up, including an 11th-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2018. He was also part of the NBA’s second-team All-Defense in 2019.
As for his fit on the new-look Heat, Spoelstra explained that “naturally, you don’t have to wonder how he fits in. He is going to complement not only Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and Bam [Adebayo], but everyone else on the roster.” Thompson added to that sentiment, saying “it looked like a great fit as far as me attacking from the perimeter, and having great help defenders behind me.”
With his elite shooting ability, Thompson can stretch the floor and force defenders to play up on him. That should add spacing, which will create more room for Adebayo and Antetokounmpo to attack, making it easier for everyone on the floor to succeed. His role will also be to have effective off-ball movement, to knock down his open shots, and play plus-rating defense, most likely against the opponent’s second-best ball handler.
With Antetokounmpo being so dominant and drawing so much attention, teams may end up resorting to a double team on him. But with Thompson around the perimeter, teams will have to think twice about sending an extra man on Antetokounmpo and leaving a future Hall of Famer open on the Heat. As the starting No. 2 guard, Thompson is expected to play around 18-23 minutes per game, Spoelstra said, with his workload likely to fluctuate depending on how he is performing on any given night.
Thompson finished his interview by making a connection with his family. Thompson’s father, Mychal Thompson, a two-time NBA champion in his own right, played at Miami Jackson Senior High School. The son told reporters that “my dad texted me and told me to visit his old gym and I’m absolutely going to do it.”
From shooting and defense to leadership, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Thompson will add another layer of depth to this Miami Heat lineup. His championship experience and two-way mentality will make him a natural fit within the team’s famed “Heat Culture.”
