Miami Heat's Klay Thompson Already Thrilled About New Playing Environment

The Miami Heat have to be impressed with what they are seeing and hearing from newly-acquired forward Klay Thompson. 

He was working out at Kaseya Center two days after arriving in South Florida and meeting with the media. He's also appeared to embrace the Heat's culture of being one of the hardest-working organizations in the NBA. 

In short, Thompson seems all in to helping the Heat win another championship. Here's what he said in an interview with Jonathan Zaslow. 

“I want to be in an environment that’s super competitive, and guys might get uncomfortable at times, I love that,” Thompson said. “I get a whole new jolt of energy when I walk in this building, seeing the photos on the wall of all their championship runs, of the great Hall of Famers who played here, and it just gives me motivation to add a new chapter to my legacy. And I’m just honored to see No. 11 Thompson in a Heat uniform. It’s really surreal, to be honest.”

This has to be music to the ears of Heat team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra. They are desperately trying to bring the franchise back to the top of the Eastern Conference. They are coming off a season of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. 

The Heat are in the process of rebuilding. It started with trading Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kel'el to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for future Hall of Famer Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. They also added Tim Hardaway Jr., which has some calling them a serious title contender. 

With a starting lineup that includes, Thompson, Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell, the Heat have what it takes to at least compete. Now, it's just a matter of seeing if they can put it all together once the season begins. 

MORE MIAMI HEAT NEWS 

How will Miami Heat fill the final roster spot? 

Was the Jimmy Butler era in Miami a failure? 

Is Draymond Green throwing shade at Heat signing Klay Thompson? 

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]