Klay Thompson did not need much convincing.

Asked about the “Biscayne Klay” nickname that took off online after his Miami Heat introduction, the shooting guard treated it like a gift.

“I love that. I do roll with it. I love navigating open water. Love fishing. I love just being on the ocean,” Thompson told reporter Will Manso.

The nod references Biscayne Bay, the stretch of water that runs alongside Miami’s Kaseya Center. Thompson has been an avid boater for years, earning the “Captain Klay” name in the Bay Area, where he sometimes cruised to Chase Center by boat before Warriors home games.

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Two-year deal, No. 11 back

The nickname is the softer part of a busy offseason. Thompson agreed to a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, giving back roughly $10 million of the $17.5 million he was still owed for 2026-27, before signing with Miami on August 24 for two years and about $11.5 million, with a player option on the second year. He will wear No. 11, the number he wore throughout his Warriors career.

The 36-year-old is coming off a limited season in Dallas, where he averaged 11.7 points on 38.3% from three and fell out of the starting rotation. He remains a career 41% three-point shooter and holds the NBA single-game record with 14 made threes.

Why Miami went shopping

The signing came days after Miami’s blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Heat sent Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakučionis to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. That deal thinned Miami’s perimeter shooting, and Thompson was signed to space the floor around Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.

Miami’s geography did not hurt his decision either. Thompson is of Bahamian heritage on his father Mychal Thompson’s side, and the islands are a short flight from South Florida.

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Not everyone was joking along

Not every reaction to the arrival was warm. When the Heat unveiled Thompson in a Miami uniform on August 25, social media pulled out the “Celtics Shaq” comparison, the well-worn shorthand for aging stars chasing rings on short deals. Fans posted variations of “This is worse than Celtics Shaq” and “the most washed a player has ever looked.”

His father has pushed back publicly. On the Locked On Heat podcast, Mychal Thompson called the coming season “championship or bust” for Miami. And on SiriusXM NBA Radio he had a message for the doubters.

“If people don’t think Klay can be Klay anymore, leave him open. Don’t guard him. Don’t face guard him. I see people still bear-hugging him and not leaving him open for a second,” Mychal Thompson said.

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