Klay Thompson Scoreless in Miami Heat Preseason Debut Against Raptors

The veteran guard went 0 for 2 with two rebounds in 13 minutes against Toronto, drawing fan reactions that ranged from patience to doubt.

Klay Thompson's first game in a Miami Heat uniform produced an empty scoring line. The former NBA champion was held without a point in Miami's preseason opener against the Toronto Raptors, a night on which he and most of the team's starters played roughly 13 minutes apiece.

Thompson missed both of his field-goal attempts, finishing 0 for 2 from the field. He grabbed two rebounds, registered no other positive statistics, and was the only member of Miami's starting five to post a zero in either the points or the assists column.

The sample came with obvious caveats. It was the first game on Miami's exhibition schedule, the starters' minutes were tightly restricted, and Thompson's entire night amounted to two missed shots. Even so, the outing attracted attention because perimeter scoring is exactly the skill the Heat signed him to provide.

Reaction from fans online spanned empathy, understanding, frustration and outright mockery. Plenty of voices pushed back against the criticism. One commenter, who said he roots for neither Thompson nor the Heat, described the pile-on as embarrassing given how few minutes were involved. Another argued the whole debate was overblown for a single exhibition game built on just two attempts, while a third noted both of Thompson's tries came against tight defense.

The doubters were less charitable. One fan asserted that a shooter whose value rests on one elite skill never regains it once that skill fades. Another pointed to Thompson's play since returning from a torn ACL and declared the guard finished. A different reply joked that a curse tied to his high-profile relationship with rapper Megan Thee Stallion had reached him.

Thompson's arrival in Miami has generated headlines beyond the box score. Giannis Antetokounmpo shared photos of himself and Thompson on a boat, and the guard's romance with Megan Thee Stallion has kept him in the news as well. Thompson also worked out with Michael Porter Jr. during the offseason, a session that drew attention when Porter Jr. made a pointed comment about his Brooklyn Nets teammates.

The worries now surfacing are not new. Thompson left the Golden State Warriors in 2024, and the Dallas Mavericks stint that followed stood out as the most disappointing stretch of his career. The scoreless debut echoed that run of form rather than the level that made his name.

Any final judgment will have to wait. A scoreless 13 minutes on two shots in an exhibition amounts to very little evidence, and it remains far too early to label Thompson's tenure in Miami a success or a failure.