Heat must give Klay Thompson what the Mavericks barely did

Klay Thompson is one of the best 3-point shooters ever, but Dallas Mavericks fans didn't get to experience the best part of his game as much as they should have. Thompson played two seasons in Dallas after signing a three-year deal with the team in 2024, but he could've been even more productive if the Mavericks were more intentional about his role in the offense.

The Mavericks should've utilized Klay Thompson more

He made 418 threes over two seasons, which is still extremely productive for a player in their mid-30s, but Dallas should've utilized him even more than they did. Thompson lost his starting spot last year, and he played a career-low 21.7 minutes per game. He also shot just 7.6 threes per game, his lowest mark since the 2017-18 season.

There were 17 games in which he shot five or fewer threes, and he played fewer than 20 minutes in 25 games. Dallas, a team that desperately needed more 3-point shooting, stopped using Thompson in the way that had proven to be successful.

Now that he's on the Miami Heat after being bought out by the Mavs last week, they have to give him what Dallas barely ever did: plays drawn up for him and emphasizing that he gets plenty of looks off the catch.

Thompson is at his best when his role is prioritized

Thompson is at his best when he's running off off-ball screens and when his head coach emphasizes that he needs to get more shots in the flow of the offense. With his offensive game being a bit limited at this point in his career, he can become a ghost on offense if the coach and players around him don't hone in on getting him the ball in his spots.

He can still get hot in a hurry if he gets the looks, but these looks will only come if the coach runs plays for him and his teammates swing him the ball. These are things that the Mavericks seemingly abandoned during his final year with the team.

Even during his first year in Dallas, Mavericks fans begged for the team to get Thompson more involved. His shooting swung games in their direction early into his Mavs tenure, but later on, Jason Kidd didn't run as many plays for him.

Kidd's trust in him fluctuated, but more often than not, focusing on getting Thompson shots from beyond the arc early into games put Dallas in a good spot. For the Heat to get the most out of him, they have to make him a priority.

How Miami should use their new sharpshooter

This isn't to say that he needs to be shooting 10+ threes per game, but keeping him involved in the offense with off-ball actions and plays designed to get him open looks will benefit everyone. Thompson still has elite off-ball gravity, and keeping him moving will command the defense's attention.

Consequently, this will help his teammates get better looks while also getting Thompson better shots within the flow of the offense. His presence alone provides floor-spacing, but featuring him as a key piece gives the offense a wrinkle that makes everyone's lives easier.

The Heat have to draw up plays for Thompson and prioritize his role if they want to get the best version of him, and as tough as this is to hear for many Mavs fans, Dallas didn't do this enough over the last two seasons.

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