Everything Klay Thompson Said About Giannis and Bam, Signing Heat Contract After Mavs Buyout

Klay Thompson is ready to return to the postseason.

"The opportunity to play high-level basketball throughout the season and make a deep postseason run," the sharp-shooter told reporters Tuesday when discussing why he joined the Miami Heat this offseason. "Those things are so attractive to me."

He figures to get a chance to reach the playoffs in Miami considering the Eastern Conference contender also added Giannis Antetokounmpo to a lineup that features Bam Adebayo.

"Giannis is one of the best players of all time," Thompson said. "He is a special talent. Great respect for him and what he's able to accomplish. I think we both can just help each other. … I'm going to get so many great looks playing off him and Bam."

He continued and said, "It's almost limitless what we can do. … Coming into this building gives me a whole new jolt of energy."

Thompson took a pay cut to join the Heat, as Sam Amick and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic reported he agreed to a two-year, $11.5 million deal with a player option for the second year and a 15 percent trade kicker.

Miami was able to sign him after he agreed to a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks. He was due to make $17.5 million for the 2026-27 season.

There was a time in Thompson's career where that type of deal would have been a steal for the Heat.

After all, his resume includes four championships, two All-NBA selections, an All-Defensive nod and five All-Star Game selections. He is widely considered one of the best shooters of all-time and was a clutch playoff performer during his tenure with the Golden State Warriors.

Yet Thompson is also 36 years old and coming off an inconsistent season with Dallas that saw him moved into a bench role and average a career-low 11.7 points per game. The Heat likely aren't getting the version of him who put the Warriors on his back at times during championship runs.

But Miami doesn't need that version with Antetokounmpo and Adebayo drawing so much defensive attention.

Instead, it needs him to knock down open looks from beyond the arc that will come with those double teams elsewhere. Considering he still connected on 38.3 percent of his triples last season, he should be in an ideal position to do so.

And that will help him reach the playoffs once again.