Klay Thompson’s arrival has not changed the way the NBA seems to talk about the Heat, and that tells you plenty about the noise around Miami heading into this season.
The Heat made a move that should register as a real upgrade, especially with perimeter shooting sitting near the top of their needs. Thompson is not just another add-on.
He is a splash signing, and the kind of player who should make the roster look better on paper right away. Miami also brought in Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Ryan Conwell, but Thompson is the one who stands out as an objectively strong addition.
Even so, the reaction around the league has been muted, and that’s the strange part. The Heat still aren’t getting much credit for the work they’ve done around Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that skepticism has carried into how people are viewing their place in the Eastern Conference. Some serious NBA prognosticators even have the Indiana Pacers finishing ahead of Miami, which is a tough projection to buy.
That hesitation says less about the Pacers and more about how little respect the Heat seem to receive, no matter what they do. The idea here is simple: the Heat are good, and they’re probably going to be very good this season.
If they stay healthy, they could be scary good with Giannis. And if the supporting cast meets expectations, there’s even a path to championship-good.
But the larger point is that the league and the national media don’t seem eager to go there. Whether it’s Pat Riley, the franchise’s history, Giannis, or the fan base, the Heat keep getting treated like a team people want to wait on before believing in. The article’s view is blunt on that front: they’re not going to get the benefit of the doubt until they force the issue.
That’s not a new position for Miami, either. The Heat have lived in the underdog lane before, and they’ve done fine there.
This season, the lack of respect won’t shake them. It just doesn’t make the pushback look any more reasonable.
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 🡒]