MIAMI — Klay Thompson wasn’t going to allow numbers to get in the way, not when the opportunity was there to join Giannis Antetokounmpo as part of this latest Miami Heat rebuild.

So salary was sacrificed.

And, at 36, he said Tuesday he arrived to Kaseya Center rejuvenated.

In the wake of a whirlwind that saw the four-time champion give back nearly $10 million in salary in order to gain a buyout last week from the Dallas Mavericks and then take millions less than the Heat could have offered on his new $11.5 million, two-year deal, Thompson embraced his latest NBA place.

“Coming into this building,” he said at his introductory media session, “it just gave me a jolt of energy to be myself again.”

Having moved on from his championship era with the Golden State Warriors to what he expected to be another winning situation with the Mavericks, Thompson instead was caught in the vortex of Dallas’ decline that came in the wake of the Mavericks’ trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

So he essentially bought his way into a more promising closing act, while also affording the Heat to continue the makeover that also has seen the team this summer add Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr.

“I would say just the opportunity to play high-level basketball throughout the season and the chance to make a deep postseason run, those things were so attractive to me,” Thompson said. “And obviously you want to maximize your earning potential. I’ve tasted winning before and there’s really nothing like it. Even getting there and failing is better than not even having a shot at it.

“I’m not saying that’s going to happen. I’m just saying the opportunity to win again at a very high level was so attractive to me. Looking at the roster, it looked like a great fit as far as me being able to space the floor.

“Especially at this stage of my career, I get to play a specific role.”

In the wake of landing Antetokounmpo, the question was whether the Heat could feature enough outside shooting to space the floor for Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who was at Tuesday’s introduction, said adding the NBA’s No. 4 all-time 3-point leader goes a long way to answer that question.

“We have a world-class shooter in Klay who’s done it as well as anybody in the history of the game, and just naturally, you don’t have to wonder about it,” Spoelstra said. “That’s going to fit. He’s going to be able to complement not only Giannis, but Bam and everybody else on the roster.”

As for those who doubt where the remade roster stands in the wake of considerable strides taken around the Eastern Conference, Spoelstra embraced what next will follow.

“There’s going to be a lot of eyeballs on our team, this year,” Spoelstra said. “This is what we wanted, really.

“The judgment on our roster before we even put together the team, you know, it’s really unfair, but it was certainly something that we wanted to address, with the addition of Giannis. And we think that we’ve addressed that.”

Again healthy after Achilles and knee injuries during the latter stages of his Warriors career, Thompson said he embraces the renewed pressure ... and the expectations that come with the Heat’s culture.

“We were talking about the conditioning test last night,” Thompson said with a smile. “So I’m happy I’ve got five weeks to really prepare. I’ve got to get my treadmill back operating. But I’m really excited just to be pushed on a fitness level that I know will be so beneficial for me for this next season.

“A lot of players warn me about how tough it is, but I like hard stuff like that. I’ve been through harder things. Coming back from those injuries was harder than any conditioning drill or game I had to play. In a weird way, those injuries prepared me for uncomfortable feelings and tough times. Now I take it head on and embrace them.”

Tuesday, Thompson could be found at a podium in the interview room at Kaseya Center. Soon enough he will take up permanent residence at the 3-point line in the building’s main bowl.

“They’re going to create so many good looks for me,” he said of his new teammates. “I still think I can do it at a high level.

“For myself and this upcoming season, it’s kind of a redemption season for me to show I can still make an impact on winning and do it consistently. I just can’t really wait to get to work.”

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