Ex-Warriors 4-time champion Klay Thompson details why he picked the Miami Heat over Lakers

Ex-Warriors 4-time champion Klay Thompson details why he picked the Miami Heat over Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Heat had their eyes set on Klay Thompson for quite a while, even when it was unclear what the Dallas Mavericks were going to do with him. However, a resolution between the Mavericks and Thompson was eventually reached, allowing both sides to move on.

Advertisement

The four-time NBA champion was finally a free agent after agreeing to a buyout with Dallas. Thompson quickly signed a contract with the Heat.

“The Heat on Sunday could celebrate not only the addition of five-time All-Star guard Klay Thompson, but also the fact that the organization emerged from the transaction with more flexibility than some might have expected. Because Thompson agreed to a first year salary of $5.6 million, that left the Heat with the ability to fill both the 14th and 15th roster spots,” Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson wrote.

The Heat won the battle over the Los Angeles Lakers, as Thompson was highly interested in joining either team.

“My understanding is that Thompson would welcome a return to Los Angeles, where he spent part of his childhood and still owns a home. The Miami Heat are another team frequently mentioned in NBA circles as a potential landing spot for the future Hall of Famer,” The Athletic’s Christian Clark wrote.

Advertisement

Thompson has made several appearances since being introduced by Miami earlier in the week. He recently appeared on the Jonathan Zaslow Show, where he went into greater detail about why he picked the Heat over the Lakers.

“I’ve had nothing but respect for the Heat. Heat Culture isn’t just a phrase, they live it. There’s a reason their guys overachieved a lot of times or embraced the pressure that comes with championship expectations. That’s what attracted me here. All my friends who played here talk how demanding it is and your fitness will be the best it’s ever been,”…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ex-warriors-4-time-champion-161643773.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-08-28 16:16:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.