Jeff Teague believes Klay Thompson has pushed Miami above Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference, but the Heat may still lack one crucial piece.
Thompson recently completed his move to Miami after negotiating a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks and clearing waivers.
The four-time NBA champion signed a reported two-year contract worth approximately US$11.5 million, with a team option attached to the second season.
His arrival gives Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo the elite floor-spacing threat Miami desperately needed, but Teague has gone considerably further than simply praising the signing.
“I told y’all the Heat was gonna be better than the Sixers,” Teague said on the Club 520 podcast, according to BasketballNews.
“We got Bam, Giannis, Klay, Wiggs, Mitchell, THJ off the pine, Portis off the pine. We got a nice seven. Ryan Conwell. I like Buddy too, Nikola Jović.”
Teague Places Miami Above Philadelphia
Teague’s confidence is understandable when Miami’s rotation is viewed as a complete group.
Antetokounmpo remains one of the league’s most dominant interior scorers and versatile defenders, while Adebayo provides elite defensive switching, screening and playmaking from the centre position.
Andrew Wiggins gives Erik Spoelstra another experienced wing defender, and Thompson creates the shooting gravity required to prevent opponents from crowding the paint.
Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Davion Mitchell, Nikola Jović and Buddy Hield give Miami multiple rotation options with contrasting skills.
However, placing the Heat above Philadelphia is still a massive call.
The 76ers have assembled a starting group featuring LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
If healthy, Philadelphia possesses considerably more individual shot creation than Miami. Maxey can break down defences from the perimeter, Brown can attack mismatches and Embiid remains nearly impossible to contain when physically available.
James no longer needs to carry an offence across an entire season. At 41, he can instead conserve energy and function as Philadelphia’s primary organiser during the most important possessions.
The biggest weakness is obvious: the Sixers’ season could be determined by availability rather than ability.
Embiid’s injury history remains a significant concern, while James will require careful workload management. Miami’s roster may not possess the same collection of offensive stars, but it could prove more dependable across an 82-game season.
Thompson Is an Ideal Giannis Teammate
Thompson is no longer the elite two-way guard who helped Golden State win four championships, but he remains an extremely dangerous perimeter shooter.
The 36-year-old averaged 11.7 points last season while making 38.3 per cent of his three-point attempts.
He also attempted three-pointers at one of the NBA’s highest rates, meaning defenders cannot comfortably leave him to provide extra help against Antetokounmpo.
That is the true value of the signing.
Miami does not need Thompson to create 20 points every night. It needs him to move without the ball, occupy defenders and punish opponents for collapsing around Giannis.
His defensive decline is a legitimate concern, particularly against quicker guards. Spoelstra can partially protect him by surrounding him with Adebayo, Antetokounmpo and Wiggins, but Philadelphia would relentlessly target any vulnerable defender during a playoff series.
Jrue Holiday Would Change Everything
Teague believes another former Milwaukee champion could transform Miami from a contender into the Eastern Conference favourite.
“Don’t let Jrue Holiday get a buyout and go to Miami,” Teague said.
“We the best team in the East, competing with the Knicks.”
Holiday would address Miami’s most obvious remaining weakness by providing an experienced point guard who can organise the offence and defend the opposition’s most dangerous perimeter player.
He already knows how to play beside Antetokounmpo after helping Milwaukee win the 2021 championship. Holiday also won another title with Boston in 2024.
A lineup featuring Holiday, Thompson, Wiggins, Antetokounmpo and Adebayo would possess championship experience, shooting and extraordinary defensive flexibility.
There is just one problem: Holiday has not received a buyout.
He remains under contract with Portland and is owed approximately US$34.8 million for the 2026–27 season, followed by a US$37.2 million player option.
The possibility of him reaching Miami through a buyout should therefore be treated as speculation rather than an expected transaction.
Portland could keep Holiday as a veteran leader or demand value through a trade rather than paying him to join an Eastern Conference contender.
Are the Heat Really Better Than the Sixers?
Miami may possess the more balanced defensive roster, but Philadelphia has the higher offensive ceiling.
Thompson makes the Heat considerably better because his greatest strength directly addresses their most obvious weakness. That does not automatically make Miami superior to a healthy Sixers team containing James, Brown, Embiid and Maxey.
The word “healthy” remains the qualification that could ultimately vindicate Teague.
Philadelphia has the talent to dominate the Eastern Conference, but its most important players carry substantial physical questions. Miami’s core appears more dependable and will be coached by one of the league’s best postseason tacticians.
The defending champion New York Knicks must also remain above both teams until somebody proves otherwise.
Teague’s verdict is controversial, but not ridiculous.
Miami has constructed a genuine contender. If Holiday somehow joins Thompson in South Beach, the debate may disappear completely.
