Draymond Green is pushing back on the way people are talking about Klay Thompson, but the whole argument feels off. The idea that Thompson is being treated like some prime-era superstar again doesn’t match the reality of where he is now. He’s not the All-Star force he once was, yet he remains the kind of player who can still help a team.
That’s the lane Miami Heat fans seem to be operating in. Nobody in the organization is acting like they just landed an in-his-prime all-timer.
The more fitting comparison is to Ray Allen in his final run with the Heat, and that was part of the conversation at Thompson’s introductory press conference on Tuesday. That same comparison was also brought up on Fox 35 Orlando on Monday, so Green’s complaint about Thompson being built up only to be knocked down doesn’t really hold up.
Green also suggested Thompson might have chosen a different team if not for the ACL injury he suffered in the 2019 Finals. That came up while he was weighing Thompson against Allen, and Green said he would take Thompson. It was also noted that Thompson was never really asked to be the full-time first option, including during the stretch when Stephen Curry missed six games in the 2016 playoffs.
Another point Green made was that Thompson moves to the beat of his own drum, and that part could matter in Miami. That kind of personality can fit just fine if the player buys in, but the Heat have dealt with similar types before.
Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry both brought their own edge, and that sometimes created awkward moments. Butler can be difficult, but he can also be deeply insightful.
Lowry never fully bought into the Heat- shape talk and was granted leeway others might not get.
Ray Allen had his own issues with some of the ways Miami asked older players to operate, but he still embraced the role and hit the biggest shot in NBA Finals history to help the Heat win their third title. Other veterans understood the bigger picture too when Miami loaded up and asked people to sacrifice.
Jason Williams was one example in 2006, celebrating by repeating that he was not a cancer. Shaquille O'Neal also knew when to step aside because Dwyane was inevitable.
Thompson has lived that kind of role before. He’s a four-time champion, and he learned plenty about sacrifice from his father, Mychal Thompson, the former No. 1 pick in 1978 who later served as the backup big man on back-to-back title teams with the Los Angeles Lakers. At 36, on a roster that can cover some of his weaknesses, the fit should be simple: get in where he fits in.
In Other News...
Heat Just Made Their Keshad Johnson Decision Clear
After spending part of last season on a standard deal in Miami, Keshad Johnson appears headed back to a more familiar role with the organization. The Heat plan to sign the forward to a two-way contract, a move that keeps him in the system after he turned in strong work with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League.
Johnsons path back has been straightforward enough: no qualifying offer left him as an unrestricted free agent, and he reportedly worked out with the team before this return came together. For Miami, its another sign the front office sees value in keeping a developmental piece close to the roster, even if the next step in his role is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Make Another Frontcourt Move With One Big Roster Question
The Heat kept reshaping the frontcourt by agreeing to a one-year deal with center Nick Richards and bringing back Keshad Johnson on a two-way contract. Richards arrives as a reserve big man, giving Miami another body in the middle as it continues to sort through the rest of its roster, while Johnson stays in the developmental pipeline after showing enough promise to earn another look.
Those moves come on the heels of Miami adding Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr., a sign the team is still building out the edges of its rotation before the season arrives. The bigger question now is how the Heat ultimately balance the frontcourt pieces they have collected with the rest of the roster, and whether there is still another move waiting once the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompsons Post-Warriors Chase Just Sent A Clear Message
Klay Thompsons move to Miami arrived with a pretty clear basketball message attached to it. After agreeing to a contract buyout with Dallas, Thompson chose the Heat in a decision shaped by the opportunity to play alongside the right mix of players and coaches, with his father, Mychal Thompson, pointing to Miami as the better playoff fit compared with the Lakers.
For the Heat, it is the sort of addition that brings both hope and expectation. Thompson is trying to rediscover the form that made him one of the leagues most dangerous shooters after a difficult season, and Miami is betting that a change of scenery and a stronger postseason path can help get him there. [Read more 🡒]