Klay Thompson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bam Adebayo with two blacked out Heat players
Klay Thompson, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bam Adebayo with two blacked out Heat players
When Klay Thompson was bought out of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks and became a free agent, it seemed inevitable that he would be heading to South Beach to join the Miami Heat. Throughout the offseason, Pat Riley and the Heat have been waiting for the moment when they could pounce on the four-time NBA champion and bring him in as their featured sharpshooter.
At 36 years old and nearing the end of the line in what has been a rollercoaster ride of a career, Klay wanted to depart Dallas to join a legitimate title-contending organization. Riley and the Heat have been dreaming of returning to the NBA Finals to add to their championship trophy collection, and they certainly took major steps toward that goal this offseason.
Aside from officially signing Thompson on Sunday, the Heat's biggest addition came via trade with the Milwaukee Bucks. It took Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft assets, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is finally in Miami and ready to make a title push alongside Bam Adebayo.
Now that Thompson is in the mix alongside other key secondary contributors who have won titles before, like Andrew Wiggins and Bobby Portis, the Heat have constructed a very similar roster to the “Big 3” era when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh led the team to back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
Maybe there aren't three key superstars on Miami's roster entering the 2026-27 NBA season, but the depth on this roster and the fit of these secondary players around Giannis and Bam, specifically Thompson, couldn't be better.
For his career, Thompson has shot 40.9 percent from 3-point range, and he shot 38.3 percent from 3-point range in 69 games with the Mavs last season. With the amount of attention Antetokounmpo and Adebayo draw on the drive offensively, Thompson will be able to do what he does best — float around on the perimeter as an elite catch-and-shoot 3-point shooting threat.
This was a role Ray Allen held with the Heat during their 2013 championship run, and it seemed to work out pretty well for everyone.
Thompson should once again be able to rank as one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, playing off the two superstars at the top of the Heat's roster, and his unselfishness in taking a discount on his new contract with Miami has opened the door for even more depth to be added before training camp.
Breaking down Klay Thompson's new Heat contract
Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) warms up before the game against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center with the 76ers logo in the background
Rob Gray-Imagn Images
When the Mavericks took it upon themselves to announce Thompson's buyout agreement before it could leak, it came as a shock to many.
For months, Dallas had been attempting to move Thompson in a trade. Not only was he in the final year of his contract, but the Mavs had hoped that a suitor would emerge due to his elite 3-point shooting abilities.
While he isn't the same player he was once before his Achilles and ACL injuries with the Golden State Warriors, Thompson proved that he still had a little bit left in the tank during his time with the Mavs, which made him a valuable target for teams with championship-contending aspirations.
Once the Heat missed out on LeBron in free agency, they rapidly made Thompson their No. 1 priority, patiently waiting for the five-time All-Star to approach Dallas' front office about a buyout. That is why the Heat only signed Tim Hardaway Jr. using part of their mid-level exception in free agency, keeping roughly $9 million left to pursue Thompson.
Veteran stars like Bradley Beal and DeMar DeRozan were being linked as potential targets for the Heat to round out the roster around Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, but Thompson was the priority, and his buyout in Dallas allowed Miami to quickly get a deal done.
If he had remained with the Mavs, Thompson would've made $17.46 million during the 2026-27 NBA season. To become a free agent and sign a new deal with the Heat, Klay gave up about $9.8 million in his buyout, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Although it seemed like giving up this amount would equate to the Heat compensating Thompson with their remaining MLE, there was a financial caveat that played into discussions about Klay's new contract. Before this buyout and signing Thompson, the Heat had roughly $10.6 million left before their first apron hard cap.
As a result, giving Thompson the rest of their mid-level exception would've resulted in the Heat having no room to add a 14th or 15th player to the roster. That is why Thompson went one step further to help his new team by agreeing to a two-year, $11.5 million contract, which is less than the initially reported $13 million mark by ESPN at the time of Klay's decision for a buyout and sign with Miami.
There is also a 15% trade kicker and a player option for the 2027-28 season in Thompson's contract. It is structured for him to make $5.6 million in Year 1 and about $5.9 million in Year 2.
Taking $1.5 million less doesn't seem like that big of a deal for Thompson, but it's significant for the organization since the Heat now have $5 million to work with below the first apron. This means the front office can add two more players to this roster on minimum contracts before the 2026-27 season and remain in good financial standing.
Will the Heat add more shooting depth after securing Thompson? What about some extra bodies behind Antetokounmpo and Adebayo in the frontcourt?
Who will Heat add to bolster bench?
Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (7) speaks to reporters during his introductory press conference at Kaseya Center.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Since Thompson was willing to take a smaller contract than many imagined when his buyout in Dallas was first announced, the Heat now have options on how to expand their roster depth. After initially expecting to have just enough financial wiggle room for one player, the Heat can round out their 15-man roster before training camp with two more signings this offseason.
Who will those players be?
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ClutchQuiz
Question 1 of 4
The triangle offense that powered Michael Jordan's Bulls and later Kobe and Shaq's Lakers is most closely associated with which master teacher and assistant coach?
Tex Winter
Doug Collins
Out of all those remaining unsigned this late into the summer, Nick Richards has the best chance to earn some type of contract with Miami, whether it's a standard deal, partially/non-guaranteed deal, or a training camp deal.
Richards, a second-round pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, has bounced around from Charlotte to Phoenix to Chicago over the last two seasons and proved to be a strong force on the glass no matter where he was.
Since the start of the 2024-25 season, Richards has averaged 7.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while shooting 56.2 percent from the floor. About a third of his total rebounds came on the offensive glass over the last two seasons, making Richards a unique fit for a Heat team that could use another rebounding threat behind Adebayo.
Although Portis will hold a big role, he could play alongside Richards at times for Miami's bench unit.
It is no secret to anyone around the league that Richards has been working out in Miami recently and seems to be eyeing a roster spot on the Heat before training camp. He certainly has a shot to join this roster.
Keshad Johnson is another name to keep track of for one of the Heat's final roster spots. In two seasons with the team, Johnson has held a very minimal role in 48 games off the bench. Even so, he's been a valued member of the team behind the scenes in the locker room and practices.
Bringing Johnson back wouldn't be all that surprising, especially since he is still eligible to sign a two-way contract. Tre Donaldson and Vlad Goldin are the only two players the Heat have signed to two-way deals for the upcoming year, leaving one two-way spot still open.
Looking at the free agency pool and who is still out there, Gabe Vincent is another name that sticks out for the Heat. Although Vincent dealt with some knee problems and didn't look his best with the Los Angeles Lakers after leaving the Heat in 2023, he was an integral part of Miami's 2023 Finals run.
Vincent has always been one of Erik Spoelstra's favorites, and this team could definitely use a veteran presence in its backcourt. After all, the only real point guard currently on the roster is Davion Mitchell. The Heat will almost certainly look to add another guard with one of their final two roster spots.
And then there are two other names that are definitely unlikely, but at least worth mentioning since they remain unsigned: Jonathan Kuminga and Bruce Brown Jr.
At this point, is there even a market for Kuminga?
The Cleveland Cavaliers brought in Peyton Watson over him, the Los Angeles Lakers could only acquire him via a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks, and the Hawks would need to cut or trade at least two players just to have a roster spot to bring Kuminga back.
The Minnesota Timberwolves certainly have interest in Kuminga, but they can only offer him $6 million at most, and the team would need to trade a player to have access to this full taxpayer MLE. Could we actually see Kuminga explore the possibility of joining a contending team on a minimum deal?
If so, that would force the Heat to at least consider such an opportunity, especially since Miami previously held a level of interest in Kuminga when he was with the Warriors. Still, the chances of him heading to South Beach are very slim.
Much of the same could be said for Brown, who is a utility-knife player in the sense that he does a little bit of everything. This is the role he held with the Denver Nuggets and ended up being a key contributor on their 2023 championship team.
Brown spent two years playing in Coral Gables at Miami before being drafted in 2018, and he is the type of do-it-all player who can thrive alongside superstars on a contending team by being the connector on offense and defense for his team. What makes him so impactful is all the little things he does, like making the extra pass or diving on the ground for loose balls.
This late in free agency, Brown will be getting a minimum contract or training camp deal with a team. He would be an excellent addition to the end of Miami's bench.