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DeMar DeRozan might have had proper interest in joining the Miami Heat this offseason. But in the end, his decision to go elsewhere came down to a big factor: Klay Thompson. According to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, the Heat are expected to start Thompson, and that would play a big role in DeRozan turning away from Miami. “I would start Klay Thompson, believe the Heat will start Klay, and believe that played into Klay’s interest in the Heat. In fact, among the reasons that DeMar DeRozan turned away from the Heat might have been the writing on the wall that Klay would take that final Heat starting spot. The greater issue with Klay is whether he will play as a closer.” “In that regard, figure on a bunch of offense-defense maneuvering, with Klay on the court late when the Heat are playing from behind, but perhaps Pelle Larsson the closer when a defender is needed at shooting guard.” That makes plenty of sense from DeRozan’s perspective. Last season with the Sacramento Kings, DeRozan averaged 18.4 points, 4.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game while shooting 49.7% from the field across 78 appearances. He can be a productive starter and a late-game scorer even at this stage of his career. After being bought out by the Kings, DeRozan eventually agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Denver Nuggets. But the Heat, meanwhile, had different ideas. After missing out on LeBron James, the Heat reportedly focused on adding shooting around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, and Thompson was a much more natural fit for this purpose. Thompson averaged 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 39.3% from the field last season with the Dallas Mavericks. Even at 36 years old, Thompson remains one of the best shooters in NBA history. He ranks fourth in all-time made three-pointers and gives the Heat what they were looking for. And DeRozan is almost the opposite stylistically. He remains one of the league’s best mid-range scorers and can create offense in isolation, but his lack of three-point shooting volume creates spacing issues next to Giannis and Adebayo. And with Andrew Wiggins and other wings already on the roster, Miami simply had a tough time identifying a role that would fit DeRozan. Heat insider Ethan Skolnick previously reported that the Heat liked DeRozan, but there was not a clear role that would be able to satisfy him. Thompson’s eventual arrival seemingly confirmed that concern. After reaching a buyout agreement with the Dallas Mavericks, Thompson is expected to sign a two-year, $13 million contract with the Miami Heat. He reportedly sacrificed $8.8 million in the buyout just to leave the Mavericks and join another contender, showing how much he wanted to make the move. For the Heat, choosing Thompson is pretty understandable. Potential lineups featuring Thompson, Wiggins, Giannis, and Adebayo give Erik Spoelstra much more spacing and defensive flexibility than a lineup involving DeRozan. The Heat wanted shooting and apparently viewed Thompson as their final starter. And once DeRozan saw that, the Nuggets became the clear-cut option.