Klay Thompson didn’t wait long to make his new chapter in Miami feel real.
After clearing waivers and landing with the Heat, the five-time All-Star is already framing this season as a personal reset. Miami needed shooting, needed help, and needed a move that could give the roster some breathing room. Thompson gave them all of that, agreeing to a first-year salary of $5.6 million and helping the team keep enough flexibility to fill both the 14th and 15th roster spots.
That financial piece mattered, but Thompson’s mindset may matter just as much. At his introductory press conference on Tuesday, he said he sees this year as a chance to answer some questions about what he still has left.
“As athletes we always have a chip on our shoulder and remember what motivates us and I feel like I still have a lot to prove even in year 14… this upcoming season is kinda a redemption season for me to show I can still make a impact on winning,” Thompson said.
Then came the sharper edge.
Speaking afterward with sports radio host Brendan Tobin, Thompson pointed directly to why Miami appealed to him and took a clear swipe at the Mavericks in the process.
“Miami was always on my mind, my agent and I approached Dallas with buyout…I wanted a chance to make a really deep postseason run…Miami was way better positioned for that…I always knew I had a chance to end up here and I’m happy it all worked out. I can’t wait to put on the Heat gear and get to work,” Thompson stated.
It wasn’t a full-blown attack, but the message landed. Thompson basically said the Heat gave him a better path to a deep playoff run than Dallas did, and that’s not the kind of line a former team shrugs off easily.
That’s especially true because the Mavericks aren’t some afterthought. They reached the NBA Finals with Luka Doncic, and they did it without being the favorites. So when Thompson says Miami was “way better positioned,” he’s making a pretty pointed comparison.
Dallas may still be a playoff team, but Thompson’s choice - and the reasoning he attached to it - adds a little extra edge to the storyline heading into the season.
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