The Boston Celtics will face stronger competition in the Eastern Conference. That includes the Miami Heat, who signaled their intentions once they won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes. With what they lost following their Greek Freak trade, it was somewhat odd that they didn't bring in Bradley Beal when they had the chance.
He was linked to them, but nothing materialized until Beal, Jayson Tatum's best friend, re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Why didn't the Heat bring in Beal, someone who, on paper, could have replaced what Tyler Herro and Norman Powell brought to the table?
We got our answer when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Heat planned to sign Klay Thompson once he clears waivers.
BREAKING: Klay Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/jV40iKTyEz
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 21, 2026
Thompson and Beal are not the same player, but the former gives them another proven floor-spacer. While not what he once was, he is coming off a season where he shot 38.3% from three. Beal's numbers pale pretty badly in comparison. Making it worse is that it ended very prematurely, which says a lot about how much value Tatum's friend has around the league.
Miami clearly went with the better bet, even if Thompson doesn't raise the ceiling as much as he once did.
Do the Heat match up better with the Celtics?
Trading for Antetokounmpo is something every team would have done if they were in Miami's shoes. However, between the Bucks' decline over the past few years combined with the questions about the Heat's roster, they will need more than him to put them back in the title conversation.
Bam Adebayo is obviously a good start, but the modern NBA has made it clear that forming a contender requires more than just stars. That's why it's hard to look at the rest of Miami's roster and think they have everything they need to compete with the best of the best.
Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are all solid player, but do they round out a championship starting five today? It's kind of hard to say. The Heat are better off with Thompson on the team than off it, but it doesn't quell the skepticism about them as a team.
They should still present quite a challenge to the Celtics because of Giannis and Bam, but it's tough to say that they are back when they were at the peak of the Jimmy Butler days. They may be a threat to Boston, but they are far from the biggest until they prove otherwise.
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