Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald says Klay Thompson is the obvious choice to lock down the shooting guard slot, thanks to his floor‑spacing prowess. With Giannis, Bam, Andrew and Davion already slated, could Thompson be the final piece?
Chiang notes that at 36, Thompson’s non‑shooting skills have faded and his ACL and Achilles history raises concerns. Yet the sharpshooter still posts at least a 38.3% three‑point rate each season and logged a career‑high 12.7 attempts per 36 minutes in Dallas last year.
For my money, Thompson remains the best floor spacer. If he cracks the starting five, Chiang expects wings like Pelle Larsson and Tim Hardaway Jr. to fill key reserve roles.
More Heat news follows:
- Larsson’s four‑year, $60 million extension pushes him beyond the NBA’s extend‑and‑trade limits, rendering him untouchable for six months. He’s the sole Miami player ineligible for the Feb. 11 trade deadline, and a physical must clear before the deal is final, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- While second‑round pick Ryan Conwell isn’t projected to start right away, Louisville alum’s college coach Pat Kelsey says the 22‑year‑old is ready to contribute. He praised Conwell as an “elite” shooter with high basketball IQ and lauded his intangibles: “The thing to me that really separates Ryan are the things you can’t measure with statistics. It’s the work ethic, character, coachability… You don’t coach a player of his caliber and character very often.”
- In a Sun Sentinel mailbag, Winderman weighs in on Gabe Vincent and Tre White. He doubts Vincent will take a non‑guaranteed camp deal, while White’s fate hinges on his lawsuit over a fifth year of college eligibility. Will Vincent sign a guaranteed deal before camp starts?