MIAMI (AP) \u2014 Klay Thompson says he already feels right at home in Miami, and there are reasons why that makes perfect sense.<\/p>\n
Mychal Thompson, his father, starred for a team that won a high school state title at Miami Jackson High in 1974. Mychel Thompson, his brother, went to the same high school in Oregon that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra attended. He\u2019s never had a chance to live this close to the many relatives he has in the nearby Bahamas. And if all that wasn\u2019t enough, the news conference where Thompson was getting introduced Tuesday as the newest Heat player<\/a> started a bit late because of Miami\u2019s notorious traffic.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s a demanding atmosphere,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cThat\u2019s what attracted me to being here.\u201d<\/p>\n Thompson \u2014 who is No. 4 on the NBA\u2019s all-time 3-pointers made list \u2014 cleared waivers Sunday following his buyout from the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> and wasted little time finalizing a two-year deal worth about $11.5 million later that day to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and his former Golden State teammate Andrew Wiggins in Miami. The second season of the deal with the Heat is at Thompson\u2019s option.<\/p>\n He left about $10 million on the table to get a chance to play for Miami and says the opportunity to win is what mattered.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve tasted winning before and there\u2019s really nothing like it,\u201d said Thompson, who was part of four NBA title teams with Golden State in the years when he and Warriors guard Stephen Curry were the \u201cSplash Brothers\u201d duo that changed the game with their prolific 3-point shooting. \u201cThe opportunity to win again at a very high level was so attractive to me.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s a five-time All-Star, holds the league record with 14 made 3s in a game, has connected on at least 10 3s in a game nine times and will enter this season just 74 3s behind Ray Allen \u2014 a former Heat guard \u2014 for third place on the league\u2019s all-time list.<\/p>\n It\u2019s the latest big move for the Heat this summer. They acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee<\/a> in a deal that saw them send Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel\u2019el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis to the Bucks. They also signed another big-time 3-point threat in Tim Hardaway Jr.<\/a>, who grew up in Miami while his father was playing for the Heat.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s going to be a lot of eyeballs on our team this year,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cThis is what we wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n Spoelstra said Thompson is \u201cone of the best who\u2019s ever done it\u201d and raved about what he\u2019s bringing to Miami.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very excited about this,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cWe\u2019ve always had great respect for him. He\u2019s a highly, highly decorated champion. \u2026 He knows how to win. He knows how to help others. He has a great IQ for the game. And defensively he has pride in being a legitimate two-way basketball player.\u201d<\/p>\n Thompson said he can\u2019t wait to get the full team together and get to work, calling the potential of the new Heat roster \u201climitless.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a redemption season for me to show I can still make an impact on winning and do it consistently,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to get to work. It\u2019s pretty surreal being here. But what an honor it is.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n