Miami's next prized shooter may still be on a roster

The NBA offseason is in full swing, and the Heat are trying to fill out the last pieces of their roster after revamping their team with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The price for a player that good is heavy and Miami has been left to fill the pieces without much salary to work with.

Now Miami resigned Simone Fontecchio and brought in Tim Hardaway Jr., both of which are respectable three point shooters. These two will not be enough and the Heat should be looking to add another perimeter threat. The Heat has several options that could be in play, but one potential option is flying under the radar.

Who the Heat should potentially target.

Of all the talk about potential buyout candidates, such as DeMar DeRozan or Zach Lavine, one guy is barely being mentioned, and he is a future Hall of Fame player with multiple championships to his name. That player is none other than a top 5 shooter of all NBA history, Klay Thompson.

Thompson has been mentioned as a buyout candidate by several outlets even dating back to the middle of last season. Since Luka Doncic was traded, it seemed like the logical thing to do. The noise around Thompson started to die down but has recently been picking up. He was even mentioned by longtime Heat journalist Ira Winderman as a potential buyout addition. Though the noise is starting to pick up, I do not believe the fans realize how perfect this would be.

Buyout market in play amid Heat's LeBron wait? Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine? https://t.co/syVuwKAYHd Patience could provide a payoff.

- Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 2, 2026

Why he would fit in Miami.

Thompson is a premier shooter in the league with a career average of 40.9% over his 13 years in the league. That is simply an absurd number that few can even think of hitting let alone doing it over the course of 13 years.

People might be wondering if that career number is carried by his early seasons, and while it is true that he has not been quite as good in recent years he is still exceptional. In the past two years with the Dallas Mavericks, he is still shooting 38.7% from behind the arc, so yes, he is still elite.

The Heat's biggest need is reliable shooting, and the numbers prove that even as he continues to age, his shooting has not left him. Thompson is a master at finding open space and playing off others gravity. This skill would be lethal when sharing a court with someone like Antetokounmpo.

The defense would be forced to decide on if they will let Thompson get an open three or if Antetokounmpo can play his man one on one. That is a no win scenario for the defense. That pairing could torch the league and add a layer to the Heat's offense that defensives would be forced to account for.

He can be counted on also

Another strength of Thompson is how many games he plays. Although he missed 2 complete seasons due to injury, Thompson should still be known as a guy that is readily available. If removing those two season there is only one other season that Thompson played less than 66 games. That season, in which he played 32, was the year in which he returned from the devastating injuries that kept him sidelined for so long.

If Thompson does end up getting bought out by the Mavericks, then he is a no brainer for the Heat. They would have the opportunity to add a shooter that few people in history could rival.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/heat/onsi as Miami's next prized shooter may still be on a roster.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 3:57 AM.