The Miami Heat have backed Klay Thompson as a championship-caliber piece of the Giannis Antetokounmpo puzzle. As a four-time NBA champion, there's certainly reason to believe Miami is right about him. The question, however, is what role Thompson should play within the rotation.
There's a strong case for Thompson starting alongside Andrew Wiggins to round out the perimeter, but Pelle Larsson should have Miami thinking twice about that commitment.
Thompson and Wiggins shared the perimeter when the Golden State Warriors won the 2023 NBA championship. Thompson is also an all-time great shooter joining a team in need of optimal spacing. Those factors certainly favor him in the debate for who should start at shooting guard.
The harsh realities facing the Heat, however, are that Thompson is 36, on the other end of multiple career-altering injuries, and can become a free agent as soon as next summer.
Larsson, meanwhile, is a 25-year-old up-and-comer who made remarkable progress between his rookie and sophomore seasons. He's an inefficient shooter at this stage of his career, which could be enough of a factor for Miami to prioritize Thompson, but he's also a tremendous defender whose development should be a priority.
Perhaps one season as a reserve won't disrupt Larsson's growth, but after starting 54 of his 70 appearances in 2026-27, a path back to the starting lineup must be created.
Is Klay Thompson a better starter than Pelle Larsson for Heat?
Larsson played 14.2 minutes per game as a rookie in 2024-25, averaging 4.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on .438/.337/.672 shooting. He made significant jumps in year two, averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 26.4 minutes on .496/.323/.797 shooting.
Larsson's three-point shot is still a glaring weakness that could give Thompson the edge, but if he improves his quality in 2026-27, then there won't be much reason to favor the veteran.
Larsson has quietly developed into one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA. Per Basketball Index, he ranked in the 94th percentile in perimeter isolation defense in 2025-26. He did so while ranking in the 92nd percentile in matchup difficulty.
Thompson is still a fundamentally sound defender himself, but age and injuries have imposed limitations that Larsson simply doesn't have at this stage.
Klay Thompson's spacing vs. Pelle Larsson's defense, creation
Furthermore, Larsson has displayed intriguing shot creation proficiency. In 2025-26, he ranked in the 90th percentile in one on one shot making efficiency, per Basketball Index. He also shot 53.5 percent on 6.5 drives per game. With more volume, he could increase his scoring output while maintaining impressive efficiency.
Thompson, meanwhile, is more of a catch-and-shoot specialist at this stage of his career. That's an invaluable skill, but it's worth noting that Miami needs shot creators along the wings.
Perhaps this still adds up to Thompson being the ideal starting wing on a team that already has four tremendous defenders in Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Davion Mitchell, and Wiggins. He could be hidden to a degree on defense and offer invaluable spacing on offense.
One simply can't help but wonder how ideal it is for Larsson to come off the bench when he's grown so much in such a short period of time. He's clearly benefited from learning by fire and has proven in the past to be a starting-caliber wing in Miami's system.
If nothing else, it's thus fair to question how long Thompson will have the starting job for if Larsson becomes even somewhat efficient as a shooter.
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