Klay Thompson's father says the Miami Heat are in championship or bust mode
The Miami Heat are once again contenders in the Eastern Conference after a solid offseason.
They added Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Klay Thompson during free agency. That has some thinking the Heat will return to the top after missing the playoffs last season for the first time since 2019.
In fact, the father of one of their new acquisitions thinks the Heat should only be thinking championship. That's what former No. 1 pick Mychal Thompson said he recently. He thinks the season would be considered a disappointment if they don't add another Larry O'Brien trophy to the mantle.
Especially with a core of Antetokounmpo, Thompson and Bam Adebayo.
Here's what he told the Locked On Heat podcast: “You don’t bring Giannis in with Bam to not be a deep playoff contender or championship team. Anything short of a Championship this year is a bust. I’m sure Pat Riley and Spoelstra are feeling that way too. That’s the way the Heat better be thinking! We better get to the ECF and Finals. Not only get to the finals but win the finals! The Heat with Giannis, Bam, Klay, all these veterans, anything less than a championship is a failure!”
Do you agree with the elder Thompson?
It's a tough stance to take because the Heat are still a new unit. It doesn't help that the Eastern Conference is loaded, too. The defending champion New York Knicks are back for another run after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals. There's also the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers, who return most of their core players.
And the Philadelphia 76ers may have had the best offseason of any team in the NBA. They added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to pair with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
So getting out of the East won't be an easy task for any team.
MORE MIAMI HEAT NEWS
Is new Heat player Klay Thompson seeking redemption this season?
Should Miami Heat go after this comeback player?
Klay Thompson is extremely excited about getting to play next to Giannis
Join the Community
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news! It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP and stay even more connected!
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]
