Klay Thompson starts Heat preseason opener

Blocked shots have never been a huge part of Thompson’s game, so there’s no need to read into his performance against the Pelicans. However, it was good to see the veteran sharpshooter active on the defensive end of the floor. Thompson hasn’t shot well in Miami’s first two preseason games, but starting gives him a chance to return to fantasy relevance in 2026-27.

With a starting lineup that includes two limited perimeter shooters, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, the Heat clearly need players who can provide spacing. They signed Hardaway for that reason, and he had an excellent preseason debut on Saturday. The veteran guard didn’t miss a shot from the field, making all three of his three-point attempts. Klay Thompson (zero points, two rebounds in 13 minutes) was the fifth starter, but it’s unknown if that will hold once the regular season begins. Regardless of what Erik Spoelstra decides, Hardaway could have value for managers in deeper leagues seeking three-point production.

Thompson’s departure from the Mavericks comes with a price. However, the veteran sharpshooter will now move on to the next chapter of his career, which will reportedly be with the Miami Heat. In joining the Heat, Thompson would likely come off the bench and play an important floor-spacing role for a team that could use all the three-point shooting possible. Thompson averaged 11.7 points and shot 38.3 percent from deep last season with Dallas.

Shortly after NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Thompson had reached a buyout agreement with Dallas, Shams dropped the news that Thompson was headed to South Beach. Thompson’s final season in Dallas was forgettable, but he’s still an elite shooter, which is exactly what the Heat need to build this team around Giannis Antetokounmpo. There is a chance that Thompson starts alongside Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis and Bam Adebayo, though he should play a significant role regardless. Pelle Larsson may take on a smaller role than anticipated with Thompson in town.

Added via sign-and-trade ahead of the 2024-25 season, Thompson’s first two seasons in Dallas have not gone as planned. While his 38.7 percent mark from three is respectable, that is nearly four percentage points lower than his number with the Warriors. Also, the Mavericks have not been a contender in Thompson’s two seasons, especially after former lead executive Nico Harrison decided to trade Luka Dončić to the Lakers. With 16 players on standard contracts and a new lead executive, Masai Ujiri, calling the shots, it’s unsurprising that the Mavericks would reportedly explore the market for Thompson. In July, it was reported that Miami had interest in Thompson, potentially adding another shooter to play off of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Even with the signing of Tim Hardaway Jr., the Heat need more wing scoring to supplement a roster now headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo. As a result, Thompson is said to be a player of interest to the franchise, despite his struggles over two seasons in Dallas. He is still one of the best perimeter shooters in NBA history and can provide the spacing needed to create cleaner driving lanes for players like Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. It was also noted that the Heat’s interest is not contingent on them signing LeBron James in free agency. However, to make something happen, Thompson would need to be bought out of the final year of his current contract, which is worth $17.5 million.

Thompson played just over 10 minutes in Sunday’s season finale, and that was enough time for him to add another accomplishment to his career résumé. With his four three-pointers, the veteran sharpshooter finished with 202 on the season. Thompson has 11 seasons with at least 200 three-pointers; only Stephen Curry (13) has more. Klay is under contract for the 2026-27 season, but the days of him being a must-roster player in fantasy leagues are in the rear-view mirror.

Thompson wasn’t initially on the injury report, but he will now be unavailable off the bench for a second straight game. AJ Johnson took on extra minutes off the bench on Wednesday and should again in this one, though he didn’t provide much value in a larger role.

Thompson will return to action on Friday after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to the Suns. His return may result in fewer minutes for AJ Johnson, who played 17 minutes on Wednesday but struggled.

Thompson will get Wednesday night off after playing 26 minutes in Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers. Khris Middleton is available, and there may also be more minutes available to AJ Johnson off the bench.