The expectation for Klay Thompson is to be an impactful piece for the Miami Heat this year, but it also comes with the question of, “Has father time truly caught up with the former Splash Brother?”
With the possibility of Thompson not performing as well as he did with the Golden State Warriors during the first 11 years of his career, his former teammate, Draymond Green, sounded off on any perceived expectations.
“I don’t like how everybody is trying to act like ‘It’s Klay Thompson,” Green said on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “… The reason I don’t like it is because I feel like everybody is trying to set Klay up for failure.”
“I’m going to say it here right now. Let’s stop acting like it’s 2017 Klay going to Miami.”
Green went on to say he wishes that Thompson’s move to Miami was viewed like Ray Allen’s, when he joined the Heat in 2012.
“That’s the role I’d expect of Klay,” Green said. “Don’t try to set my brother up. Like you’re about to get the 2017 Klay, so the moment you don’t, y’all can bash him.”
Since 2019, Thompson has been riddled with injuries, as he tore his ACL during the 2019 NBA Finals, then ruptured his Achilles in November 2020 during a workout.
Thompson returned to the basketball court in January 2022, but has never looked like his old self, as he’s struggled to be the dominant scorer he once was.
In 2024, his inability to shoot behind the three-point line resulted in him being benched by the Warriors, which would later result in his departure from the team when the season concluded.
Last year, Thompson appeared in 69 games for the Mavericks, but only started in eight games, and shot a career low of 38.3% from the three-point line.
“He’s going into year 16 of his career; we obviously know the injuries he’s faced,” Green said. “Yes he is going to provide shooting, because he shoots the lights out of the ball, and when he’s 60, he’ll be able to shoot the lights out of the ball.”
But the four-time NBA champion wanted to ensure realistic expectations are being set for his former teammate.
