If Klay Thompson thought he was walking into the Miami Heat as their number one shooting guard option, the former Golden State Warriors star might have to think again after the franchise further proved their commitment to Pelle Larsson on Friday.
Larsson and the Heat agreed to a four-year, $60 million contract extension, solidifying the 25-year-old's future at the franchise and setting up an intriguing rotational battle between he, Thompson and another new free agency acquisition in Tim Hardaway Jr.
Pelle Larsson will average more minutes than Klay Thompson this season
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel recently suggested that Larsson could be above Thompson when it comes to minutes in the Heat rotation, and this new deal only further consolidates that stance on the eve of a season where Miami is expected to bounce into championship contention.
While the addition of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo means the Heat will be focused on the short-term and building a genuine contender, Larsson's age and now his contract gives the former second-round pick a distinct rotational advantage over the Warrior legend.
If head coach Erik Spoelsta is deciding between Thompson and Larsson in specific situations, the fact the latter now appears a long-term part of Miami's core could be a factor that comes into play. There's an argument to be made that Larsson is now a better player than Thompson anyway, having averaged nearly five minutes more per game last season.
Thompson may still step into a starting role on a veteran Heat team already featuring Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins -- three players over the age of 29. But as Winderman outlines, don't be surprised if Larsson plays more and closes games over the veteran sharpshooter.
Klay Thompson left Warriors after Brandin Podziemski development
The irony to the potential Thompson-Larsson rotational battle is that the 36-year-old went through a similar event in his final year with the Warriors where, after over a decade of being a solified starter when healthy, he was replaced briefly in the lineup by a rookie Brandin Podziemski.
There's no doubt that development, and Golden State's unwillingness to guarantee Thompson a starting role moving forward, played a big factor in his departure from the franchise two years ago as he signed a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.
Has Thompson reached the point of his career where he's comfortable losing minutes to someone like Larsson? We'll soon find out and it could play a major role in the Heat's pursuit of success.
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