New-Look Miami Heat After Adding Klay Thompson: Potential Starting Lineup, Updated Depth Chart

Credits: @WadexFlash/X

Klay Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after completing his waivers with the Dallas Mavericks , as he agreed to a contract buyout so that he can join a team that is seriously contending for a championship in 2026-27.

Considering that the Mavericks are now in a rebuild around Cooper Flagg , taking his talents to South Beach seemed like a better option for the four-time NBA champion.

The 36-year-old ended the 2025-26 season averaging 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while shooting 39.3% from the field and 38.3% from behind the three-point line. Even though his numbers suggest that he’s no longer the same level of player that won four championships with the Warriors, a changing situation could still turn things around for Klay Thompson.

Let’s take a look at the Heat’s projected starting lineup and updated team depth chart to better understand if they are truly championship contenders now.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Davion Mitchell

SG: Klay Thompson

SF: Andrew Wiggins

PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo

C: Bam Adebayo

If this starting lineup alone plays 40 minutes each in the playoffs, they would be a nightmare for any team in the league. But team rotations and player matchups are also essential to a roster’s strategic viability in contending for championships. So let’s also take a look at the team’s improved depth chart.

Point Guards: Davion Mitchell, Tre Donaldson

Shooting Guards: Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr, Dru Smith, Ryan Conwell, Pelle Larsson

Small Forwards: Andrew Wiggins, Myron Gardner

Power Forwards: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Simone Fontecchio

Centers: Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic, Vladislav Goldin

This roster is filled with multiple swingmen, and Klay Thompson has also shown over the past few seasons that he can play as a swingman in a three-guard lineup as well. Therefore, the last two roster spots can go to players willing to accept veteran minimum contracts.

The Heat are currently functioning $4.27 million under the first apron and have $16.94 million in salary cap space before hitting the second apron’s threshold. With at least one more roster spot to fill (14 spots mandatory, 15th optional), they could potentially manage without breaching the first apron threshold.

But throughout the season, they will require more depth in the playmaking guards to potentially run the second unit. As Tre Donaldson is a rookie, they do not have a conventional secondary point guard. Dru Smith and Ryan Conwell can step in to play multiple roles, but they are not true playmakers that a second unit would need.

Hence, while this new-look Miami Heat team seems like a nightmare to match up with in the playoffs, they require some more bench depth in order to truly contend for a championship after sustaining the pressure situations from the upcoming 2026-27 regular season.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →