Why Heat’s Klay Thompson shrugged off preseason shooting woes

With the Miami Heat preparing for the start of the 2026-27 season on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, one of the team’s newcomers who’s looking to make a huge impact is Klay Thompson. Ahead of the Heat’s opener against the Timberwolves on Wednesday, Thompson has utilized the preseason to find his footing with his new team, though the results have been underwhelming to say the least.

As Thompson continues to get acclimated to a new environment and system, his three-point shooting was a necessity for Miami this offseason, as when he was bought out by the Dallas Mavericks and signed with the Heat, it was huge news. The 36-year-old is looking to help a Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo-led Miami roster to championship heights, but there’s no denying the results need to be better.

In four games in the preseason, Thompson has shot 26.9 percent from the field (seven of 26) to go along with 15 percent from three-point range (three of 20). Known as one of the most decorated three-point shooters in NBA history, Thompson isn’t concerned, expressing that “the shots will fall.”

“I’m not worried about that. I’ve played this game long enough to know you’re going to have great days, you’re going to have bad days. Just do the work and stay consistent, and I’ll shoot my career averages,” Thompson said, according to The Miami Herald.

Thompson’s career three-point percentage is 40.9 percent and has shot 39.1 percent and 38.3 percent in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, respectively.

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra says Klay Thompson will be “just fine”

There’s no denying the production Thompson has done through his career, winning four championships with the Golden State Warriors and ranking fourth all-time in three-pointers made with 2,899.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is another on the team who isn’t worried about the preseason struggles, saying Thompson will “be just fine.”

“The last couple games, I thought we’ve gotten him some really good looks. And shooters will all go through that. He’s still getting his legs under him,” Spoelstra said.

Thompson looks to get going in the opener on Wednesday night as the team hosts Minnesota.