Klay Thompson joins the Heat “to win again”
After reaching a buyout agreement with Dallas, Klay Thompson gave up around $10 million to sign with Miami: the chance to compete for another championship was simply too tempting
Klay Thompson’s adventure with the Miami Heat has officially begun. And to understand why the four-time NBA champion chose Florida, you don’t have to look too far: he wants to win again.
After reaching a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks and clearing waivers, Thompson signed a two-year contract with Miami, featuring a player option for the second season. It was also a significant financial decision, as Klay reportedly gave up around $10 million to join the Heat.
I’ve already experienced what it means to win, and there’s really nothing comparable. The opportunity to compete at the highest level again was simply too exciting for me
Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is all-in on the new Miami Heat
It’s easy to understand what convinced Thompson when you look at Miami’s new roster. He’ll join Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins, his former teammate with the Golden State Warriors.
The Heat were among the most aggressive teams this offseason. The biggest move was obviously the acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, who arrived from Milwaukee in exchange for Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis.
Miami also added Tim Hardaway Jr., another shooter who should help space the floor around Giannis and Adebayo.
The expectations, inevitably, are already sky-high.
There will be a lot of eyes on our team this year. That’s what we wanted
Erik Spoelstra
Spoelstra: “Klay is one of the best ever”
At 36, Thompson isn’t coming to Miami to be the player the team is built around. But his shooting, experience and, above all, his familiarity with playing in high-pressure games could prove crucial for a group openly targeting the NBA title.
Spoelstra made no secret of his excitement:
He’s one of the best to ever do this. We’ve always had tremendous respect for him. He’s a decorated champion, he knows how to win and he knows how to help others. He has incredible basketball IQ and, defensively, he takes pride in being a true two-way player
Erik Spoelstra
The résumé speaks for itself. Thompson is a five-time All-Star and four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, forming the unforgettable Splash Brothers duo alongside Stephen Curry.
He is also still chasing history on an individual level. Klay currently ranks fourth all-time in NBA career three-pointers and will begin the season just 74 threes behind Ray Allen, the former Heat player who sits in third place.
He also owns the NBA record for three-pointers made in a single game, with 14, while he has recorded nine games in his career with at least 10 three-pointers.
“For me, this will be a redemption season”
There’s another factor behind Thompson’s decision. After a stint in Dallas that didn’t go as hoped, the 36-year-old sees this new chapter as an opportunity to prove he can still be an important contributor on a championship-caliber team.
For me, it will be a sort of redemption season. I want to prove that I can still have an impact on winning and do it consistently. I can’t wait to get to work
Klay Thompson
His first taste of the city, meanwhile, was decidedly more traditional: his introductory press conference started late because of Miami traffic.
No big deal. Thompson knows exactly what kind of environment he has chosen.
I know there are high expectations here. And that’s exactly what attracted me
Klay Thompson
Now the question is how far a team built around Giannis, Adebayo, Wiggins and Thompson can go. Klay, at least on paper, doesn’t seem to have many doubts: in his view, the potential of the new Heat is “limitless”.