Klay Thompson answers Heat shooting need, but many other questions/options remain

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Aug 25, 2026

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MIAMI — With the signing of Klay Thompson, the Miami Heat added a player who sets up as a final component of Erik Spoelstra’s 2026-27 rotation.

But that doesn’t mean the work is necessarily done — with plenty to consider before the Sept. 29 start of training camp, the Oct. 3 start of the Heat’s preseason or the Oct. 21 start of their regular season.

In Thompson, the Heat add both a needed 3-point spacer with a championship pedigree as well as a player who made clear his desire to play in Miami based on the salary returned to the Dallas Mavericks and the nominal $5.6 million taken from the Heat for next season.

It was clear that the Thompson-Heat pairing was the desired end game for both sides.

So now the ball moves into the Heat’s court, or, more specifically, Spoelstra’s court, with several factors at play regarding the veteran who turns 37 in February.

Starting shooting guard: While the Heat often make clear that a starting spot could be available, rarely are such intentions guaranteed.

While Thompson made 61 of his 69 appearances off the bench last season in Dallas, he previously had made only 14 bench appearances over his previous 11 seasons, dating to 2013.

Among other options for as possible Heat starting shooting guards are Pelle Larsson, who started 54 of his 70 appearances last season with the Heat, or Tim Hardaway Jr., who started only six of his 80 appearances last season with the Denver Nuggets, after starting all 77 of his appearances with the Detroit Pistons the previous season.

Perimeter rotation: Locked in for Thompson is a rotation role of significant heft. That, in turn, could leave other options squeezed.

Assuming, for now, a starting lineup of Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell and Thompson, other wings seemingly assured of minutes are Larsson, Hardaway and likely Dru Smith, if only because he currently stands as the only point guard beyond Mitchell currently on the standard roster.

That, in turn, could mean situational minutes, if even that, for Simone Fontecchio, Myron Gardner and second-round pick Ryan Conwell.

What next?: With Thompson, the Heat move to 13 players under standard contract, one short of the NBA regular-season requirement and two below the league’s 15-player regular-season limit.

While 3-point shooting and spacing clearly have been addressed, there remains the question of playmaking and shot creation.

But there also is an apparent need for another contributor in the power rotation beyond Adebayo, Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis.

While that could mean free-agent center Nick Richards, who has been working out in Miami, it also could have the Heat turning back to Nikola Jovic, who is coming off an uneven 2025-26 season but again looks revitalized in his play with Serbia, which moves into World Cup qualifying later this week.

Camp roster: Once one more player is added to a standard contract (even if that contract is not guaranteed), it will allow the Heat to follow up by adding Exhibit 10 players for tryouts either for a two-way contract or assignment to the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Among those expected to receive such invitations are at least four players who were with the Heat last month for summer league: Louisville forward J’Vonne Hadley, undrafted Kansas guard Tre White, undrafted Southern Cal forward Ezra Ausar and undrafted Clemson forward Ian Schieffelin.

Who’s out?: While teams are allowed to carry up to 21 players prior to the start of the regular season, that limit soon could be met.

In addition to the 13 players with standard deals, including Thompson, and two-way-contract players Tre Donaldson and Vlad Goldin, a player signed to the 14th standard roster spot plus the aforementioned four Exhibit 10 candidates would bring the roster total to 20.

In the end, that could leave the Heat with a choice among Keshad Johnson, Trevor Keels or Jahmir Young, each of whom finished last season with the team.

Johnson remains eligible for the Heat’s third and final two-way contract, with those contracts able to be swapped out at any time.

Optionality: With the Heat getting Thompson at a significant discount, the Heat could opt to limit any further camp offers to those shy of full guarantees, as a means of both carrying a full 15-player standard roster to start the season, but also being able to immediately pivot to the buyout market at any time.

The Heat already have such a partial guarantee in place with Gardner, who is guaranteed $500,000 of his $2.2 million salary for the coming season.

Non-guaranteed contracts do not become fully guaranteed until Jan. 10.

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