Klay Thompson’s first preseason run in a Heat uniform didn’t light up the box score, and that was exactly the point.
In Saturday night’s opener against the Toronto Raptors, Thompson logged 12 minutes and finished with 0 points on 0-for-2 shooting. For anyone glued to the stat line, that was an easy chance to start the jokes. For everyone else, it was a preview of how much space he can create without even touching the ball.
Toronto treated Thompson like a threat from the opening tip, sticking a defender to him on the perimeter while sending extra bodies toward Giannis Antetokounmpo. That choice said plenty.
The Raptors were willing to help off almost everyone else, but not Thompson. That kind of attention changes the geometry of an offense fast.
And Miami had plenty of players benefiting from the pressure Antetokounmpo drew. Davion Mitchell got one.
Tim Hardaway Jr. got one. Andrew Wiggins got multiple.
Bam Adebayo got multiple. The result was a steady stream of catch-and-shoot looks that came from defenders collapsing inside and scrambling to recover.
Thompson, though, was in a different category. Toronto’s coverage showed that even in a preseason game, he still bends a defense just by standing on the floor.
“I’m not worried about my field goal attempts or shooting efficiency as much in the preseason,” Thompson said on the way he was defended. “I've been in this league a long time. I'm gonna be able to have great looks, hopefully shoot efficiently.”
He also made it clear where his attention is right now.
“I might be the worst defender out there, and I have a All Defensive Team under my belt,” Thompson said about this Heat defense. “That's just a testament to this roster.”
Antetokounmpo noticed the same thing from the other side of the floor. He said it was unusual to share the court with Thompson because the usual wall of help around him wasn’t there.
“It was weird,” Antetokounmpo stated. “Usually I always have guys on me to build a wall. But they weren't leaving Klay.”
“His guy was glued to him,” Antetokounmpo continued. “If you know that you have a guy that's if not the best, the second greatest shooter of all time on the court with you, it makes the game a lot easier for you. When he's open, you just gotta deliver the ball.”
That’s the part that won’t show up in a neat little stat line. Even on a night when Thompson didn’t score, he still pulled a defender with him everywhere he went, and that kind of perimeter gravity is exactly why Miami can open up so many clean looks for everyone else.
Erik Spoelstra has already hinted at finding different ways to free up his shooters as the season goes on, but that’s still ahead. For now, the early message was simple: the Heat have a shooter defenses can’t ignore, and that alone changes what this offense can become.
Real ball knowers saw it on Saturday night. Thompson is going to matter a lot for this team.
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 🡒]
Klay Thompson Looks Like Miamis Best Bet In A Crucial Battle
The Heats preseason search for a starting shooting guard has become one of the more interesting early lineup decisions, and Klay Thompson is making a strong case simply by being the kind of reliable perimeter threat Miami has long valued at the position. Even with a scoreless preseason outing, Thompson still looks like the cleanest fit for a role that has often been defined by spacing, experience and the ability to punish defenses from the arc, which keeps him in the center of the conversation alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson.
Hardaway brings his own proven shooting profile, but Thompsons track record and feel for the role give him an edge in a competition that feels less about upside than immediate trust. Larssons recent contract extension points to a longer-term future in the mix, but the Heat are still sorting out the present, and the starting job appears to be a battle between established options before the younger piece is ready to take the next step. [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 🡒]