To warm up, you have to start moving. But Klay Thompson’s wrist, one of the best shooters (and scorers) from three-point range ever, is frozen solid.
Like the Dallas Mavericks before them, the Heat signed Klay Thompson to open up the floor and knock down threes, and so far those arrive in dribs and drabs: 3 of 20 from beyond the arc (15%) in his four preseason games. The full picture doesn’t warm things up either: 17 points in total, 26.9% from the field and no trips to the free-throw line.
Last season he also took his time getting the engine going, but his numbers – his usual ones – eventually arrived, though not with the splendour of his Splash Brother days. Still, there was 38.3% from the arc; the worst mark of his career and, even so, encouraging.
The guard, despite the normal decline of a player who turns 36 in February, remains above 40% after thirteen NBA seasons. And it is because of the belief that he is still a safe bet in catch-and-shoot situations that the Heat signed him this summer.
“The shots will fall. I’m not worried. I’ve been playing long enough to know there are good days and bad days. I just have to keep working and be consistent, and I’ll end up at my usual percentages”, Thompson says in comments collected by the Miami Herald.
His coach, Erik Spoelstra – who has just been named the league’s best head coach by the general managers – also projects calm. “In recent games we’ve managed to create some very good looks for him. All shooters go through this. He’s still getting into rhythm. He’ll be fine”.
KLAY THOMPSON STILL GOT IT 🔥 🧱 0 PTS 🧱 0-7 FG 🧱 0-6 3P HE’S GONNA BE A PROBLEM FOR THE HEAT 😤 https://t.co/TqeN1cEJ15
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) October 17, 2026
October, a diesel month for the guard
Starting cold also has precedent in his record. October tends to be his worst month as a three-point shooter: 34.5% over his career, compared with 39.8% in November and marks of 40% or higher in every month from December to April.
Living up to his reputation is essential if he is to keep his minutes in the rotation, as his main job will not be to stand out as one of the world’s best two-way players – those days are not coming back – but he will fulfil his role by keeping defences honest from 7.25 metres and opening up space for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo while not looking out of place in his defensive matchups.
On Wednesday, against Minnesota, the warm-up ends and the show begins. And Klay arrives determined to wipe the slate clean: “Luckily, I’m starting from scratch. I wasn’t so worried about how I was shooting, but about my fitness, my conditioning and defending well”.
(Cover photo by Mike Watters-Imagn Images)