The Miami Heat's addition of Klay Thompson late during the offseason has the potential to go down as one of the most underrated moves of the summer. It will certainly end up that way if Klay can carve out the right role - and play it at an effective rate - next to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Even after just his first practice with the Heat, Klay already knows what he wants his role to be, and it might be the perfect one for him next to Giannis and Bam.
“I wanna be a high volume, efficient 3PT shooter. — I want to be a plus defender. I want to guard 2-5 effectively. Obviously marking the best player all night isn’t my forte anymore but I can do it in spurts. — I’m just so happy to be here and I can’t wait to put my footprint on Miami culture”
Earlier in the interview, he also spoke about Giannis and Bam being one of the primary reasons why he's in Miami. There was a clear intent from both sides with this move. And now that training camp has officially begun, it's all about execution.
Klay Thompson might be the real key to the Heat's success
While all the pressure and attention will certainly revolve around Giannis and Bam, Klay could quietly be one of the team's most important players. He, along with a few other supporting players, could be the key to the Heat truly raising their ceiling this season.
There's an expectation for Giannis and Bam. But if Klay has the type of season that he's capable of having, the Heat can go from just a good team to a great one.
If Klay can be an elite floor spacer, and if he is even average on the defensive end of the floor (and he's clearly aiming much higher than that), the way the Heat are viewed across the league is going to change in a significant way.
Klay doesn't have to be great; he just has to be good enough. It's a level that many already don't believe he can reach anymore. Both he and the Heat know that. It's part of the reason why both the Heat and Klay are entering this season with a huge chip on their shoulder.
It's also part of the reason why the Heat and Klay were both perfect for each other. The Heat needed a legit 3-point shooter; the added edge is a plus. Klay needed a fresh opportunity to help him write one more amazing chapter for the end of his career.
In many ways, the Heat are giving Klay exactly what he needs at this point in his basketball story. And at the same time, Klay is the perfect role player for Miami's championship aspirations.
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