Klay Thompson sets high expectations for himself and the Heat ahead of the 2026-27 season
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Klay Thompson sets high expectations for himself and the Heat ahead of the 2026-27 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Klay Thompson is a four-time champion from his stint with the Golden State Warriors. With that kind of success, it is normal to want more, and Thompson believes that it will come with the Miami Heat. He just joined the team, and he is already setting high expectations for himself and his teammates.
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Considering the Heat are always a team to watch in terms of title contention, this could be the year they fully come back to that status. For a few years now, they have been toiling away in mediocrity. Now, they have Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thompson joining the roster ahead of the big 2026-27 season.
Klay Thompson expects a lot from himself and his Heat teammates
For a long time, people have gotten used to the Heat being a successful team. Of course, Dwyane Wade is a big reason for that, as he was part of all three Heat championships. Since they last won in 2013, the Heat have been competing, but they have never taken the top spot on the podium.
They have been the runner-up three times since that last title, in 2014, 2020, and 2023. It has been a tough few years for the Heat, especially since they had to go through the Play-In Tournament multiple times. They managed to do so successfully in 2023 by reaching the NBA Finals, but they still lost.
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Now, they are looking to finally break that trend and succeed at the top level. The Heat are now seen as potential contenders because they have star-level talent led by Giannis and Klay. In fact, the latter is expecting a lot from himself and his teammates, which is a high bar to clear, but he is ready to prove himself.
"They should expect a hungry veteran leader who is going to put his best foot forward. Shoot the heck out of the ball, play hard-nosed defense. I’m going to be in the lineup as much as I possibly can. I hate missing games, so I just want to be a consistent presence in the lineup," Thompson said to Giselle Espinales on NBC 6 South Florida about the expectations for the Heat moving forward.
It will be tough to beat out some of the Eastern Conference's best teams. However, Thompson is well aware of the pressure he has to play under, and they are ready to beat out all the other top teams in the East, which includes the defending champions, the New York Knicks, and a Philadelphia 76ers team led by a familiar rival, LeBron James.
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