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Klay Thompson officially signed a two-year, $11.5 million deal with the Miami Heat that gives him a $5.9 million player option and a 15% trade kicker for 2027-28. According to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, Thompson reportedly took a $1.5 million discount on a previously agreed-upon $13 million deal to give the Heat the financial room to sign two more veteran minimum contracts without crossing the first apron threshold. “That is why Thompson went one step further to help his new team by agreeing to a two-year, $11.5 million contract, which is less than the initially reported $13 million mark by ESPN at the time of Klay’s decision for a buyout and sign with Miami.” “Taking $1.5 million less doesn’t seem like that big of a deal for Thompson, but it’s significant for the organization since the Heat now have $5 million to work with below the first apron. This means the front office can add two more players to this roster on minimum contracts before the 2026-27 season and remain in good financial standing,” wrote Siegel in his latest report. Nick Richards is a name that has often been brought up as the Heat’s best potential addition to the roster on a veteran minimum contract among the remaining free agents. Even Siegel confirmed that Richards has a real chance of earning that spot now, thanks to Thompson’s sacrifice, which gives them more financial flexibility to negotiate a contract. “Nick Richards has the best chance to earn some type of contract with Miami, whether it’s a standard deal, partially/non-guaranteed deal, or a training camp deal,” Siegel added. “It is no secret to anyone around the league that Richards has been working out in Miami recently and seems to be eyeing a roster spot on the Heat before training camp. He certainly has a shot to join this roster.” Initially, the expectation was that the Heat would have only 14 players on their roster this season and would likely not fill the 15th spot headed into the 2026-27 season. And while $1.5 million might not seem like a lot in the grand scheme of things, it allows the Heat to be over $5 million under the first apron threshold, which gives them room to take on two veteran minimum contracts (each with a $2.5 million cap hit). Every little drop of savings counts when a team is trying to expedite its rebuild into a championship-contending team with limited financial flexibility. And each addition can be the make-or-break difference between championship contention at the highest level. Jeff Teague Picks Heat Over 76ers Due To Klay Thompson Jeff Teague, the former NBA player, was so fired up about the Heat’s addition of Klay Thompson that he went so far as to change his pick out of the Eastern Conference for the upcoming 2026-27 season. “What I told y’all!? I told y’all the Heat was going to be better than the 76ers. We got a squad boy…. Don’t let Jrue Holiday get a buyout and have him go to Miami,” Teague said in his recent appearance on the Club 520 podcast. Players like Gabe Vincent and Jrue Holiday are being floated as potential additions for the 15th spot, which could elevate the roster to another level. But all of this is only possible because Thompson took that haircut on his fee, which has allowed the Heat this flexibility to improve their roster.