The Heat’s preseason opener didn’t settle the shooting guard debate so much as stir it up. Klay Thompson got the start and went scoreless in 13 minutes, which was all it took for some fans to decide he doesn’t belong in the role. That kind of verdict is a little rich after one preseason run, especially when the bigger question is still the same: who actually fits best next to this group?
The answer, at least based on how Miami has handled the position in recent years, points straight to Thompson. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, the Heat have leaned on a familiar type at shooting guard on opening day - Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, Norman Powell, with Max Strus not far behind in the mix. That track record matters here because it shows the template Miami has preferred at the spot.
On paper, Tim Hardaway Jr. has the kind of reputation that should keep him in the conversation. He’s known as a three-point shooter, and that’s the currency that counts in this discussion.
But the issue is consistency, and that’s where the fit starts to wobble. Powell has shot 38% or better from three since the 2018-19 season.
Herro has “only” finished below 37.5% from deep once in his career. Robinson, as a starter, hit 40.8% from three across 208 starts between 2020 and 2022.
Hardaway Jr.’s numbers have been far more uneven. He has only one season in his career above 40% from three, and that came last year, mostly while coming off the bench.
Over his last five seasons, he’s had three years below 38% from beyond the arc. Thompson, by contrast, has never had a season that low.
That also helps explain why Hardaway Jr. looks like the better fit as a reserve. He was one of the NBA’s best bench scorers last season, and there’s a strong case for keeping him in that lane.
Pelle Larsson is another name in the mix, especially after his new extension, but that doesn’t make him the automatic answer for right now. The deal is about the future more than the present. Larsson is already a good player and could become the starting shooting guard of the near future, but the Heat need the experience Thompson brings today.
Larsson will start some games this season when injuries or rest force the issue, but he’s not there yet. And with Erik Spoelstra always putting a premium on spacing, it’s hard to imagine him leaning heavily on a player who shot 32.3% from three last season.
Thompson’s assignment would be straightforward: take a lot of threes and knock them down. Even at 36, with 37 coming this season, he can still do exactly that.
In Other News...
Tim Hardaway Jr Could Be The Heat's Real Swing Piece
Miamis offseason overhaul has been about more than just landing star power. Alongside the arrivals of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, the Heat added Tim Hardaway Jr. to help address a long-standing need on the perimeter, a move that fits neatly with the later signing of Klay Thompson and the decision to keep Simone Fontecchio in the mix. Hardaway brings both spacing and a track record that suggests he can fit into a rotation built to punish teams for helping off the arc.
What makes him especially interesting is the way his profile could matter in bigger moments. Hardaway shot a career-high 40.7 percent from three last season with Denver and has been through the playoff grind before from his time with Dallas, giving Miami another proven shooter with some postseason scars. In a group already reshaped by major additions, the question is whether Hardaway ends up being just part of the shooting depth or the player who quietly decides how far this new-look Heat team can go. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Suddenly Have A New Guard Worth Watching In Camp
Tre Donaldson put himself on the radar in a hurry during the Heats annual Red, White and Pink scrimmage, pacing the team with 25 points while also showing the kind of scoring and playmaking that can separate a camp invite from the pack. With Miami sorting through its backcourt options, every clean possession and every steady decision matters more than usual, and Donaldson clearly gave the coaching staff something to file away.
The timing only adds to the intrigue. Dru Smith is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a calf injury, leaving Erik Spoelstra to keep evaluating the guard room and other possible ball-handling answers. Spoelstra also singled out Ryan Conwell as another camp player making an impression, which suggests this part of camp is less about filling out reps and more about finding who can be trusted when the Heat need help in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Giannis Just Gave Heat Fans A Reason To Believe In This Core
The early stretch has not told the full story for Miami, at least not in Giannis Antetokounmpos view. The Bucks star recently pointed to the Heats potential to settle in as the season wears on, stressing that a teams fate is shaped less by how it starts and more by how it keeps improving once the schedule gets rolling. For a group trying to establish itself through the grind, that kind of outside belief carries some weight.
Antetokounmpo also framed Miamis outlook in broader organizational terms, noting the shared winning mindset that runs from the locker room to the coaching staff to the front office. That matters for a Heat team looking to prove its core can turn promise into something sturdier by the end of the year. The challenge now is obvious enough: carry that confidence past the rough patches and make sure the finish matches the intent. [Read more 🡒]