The Miami Heat had a disappointing end to last season after reaching the Play-In Tournament and then losing to the Charlotte Hornets. However, things look very different heading into the new season.
Miami has added major talent to its roster, and there is now growing talk that the team could make a much deeper postseason run. Now, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul has made an interesting claim about the Heat’s newest addition, Klay Thompson.
Rich Paul’s Recent Claim Regarding Klay Thompson
During the latest episode of “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,” Paul discussed what Thompson’s move to Miami could mean for his performance. According to Paul, Thompson could simply play better because life in Miami could put him in a better place mentally and personally.
“Yeah, if Klay gets hot, you can say what you want; he shot the ball just as good as his counterpart at times, for sure… And one thing we’re not taking into consideration: the quality of life. He loves the water… You [expletive] right, it makes you play better. When you go up in that arena and see all that white coming out of that Grey Goose lounge,” Paul said during the podcast.
At one point, Max Kellerman also asked Paul whether Thompson would be someone the Heat could rely on during important end-of-game moments.
Paul did not give a straight yes or no, explaining that it would depend on the game and the situation. Still, he made it clear that he expects Thompson to play better in Miami.
“Depends on the matchup, depends on the score, time and score, depends. He’ll play better; he will play better in Miami,” Paul added.
Thompson walked away from close to $9.8 million as part of his buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports. He then turned around and signed a two-year deal worth $11.5 million with the Heat on August 23.
Last season wasn’t kind to Thompson statistically. He put up just 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists a game, shooting 38.3% from three. Those stats were well below what fans came to expect from him during his prime years.
But context matters, and the situation around him is about to change in a big way. Pairing up with Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo gives Thompson a completely different supporting cast than what he had in Dallas, and that alone could open things up for him offensively.
Just a day ago, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned that Thompson had been wanting to land in Miami specifically, which lines up with how eager the Heat seemed to get this deal done.
“We are not trying to negotiate. Klay Thompson wanted to be in Miami. He liked the idea of playing on that team and the role that they had. To do it, he was willing to take a haircut,” Windhorst said during the ‘Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective’ show.
Now, if we put it all together, the signs seem to be pointing toward Thompson finding his footing again.
