Four-time NBA champion Draymond Green has made a name for himself as much through trash-talking as defending. Now that Green’s former teammate Klay Thompson is set to join the Miami Heat, however, Green couldn’t let the opportunity to tease him pass.
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“South Beach Killa!! I think you gone have to buy a new boat to fit the 305 aesthetic my boy @klaythompson,” Green wrote in an Instagram story regarding the move.
The term “305” refers to the Miami area code and the lifestyle associated with it. The reason why Green’s post is clever is because of the well-known fact that in his Golden State Warriors days, Thompson would travel to the games via boat.
That boat was not merely a minor detail in Thompson’s schedule in California; he would employ a 37-foot Axopar 37 Cabin boat to commute across the San Francisco Bay to play at Chase Center, where he affectionately gave the boat the nickname “Nordic Knife.”
Green and Thompson have a past that means the punchline carries more weight than a joke from someone on the outside world. Both have won four titles as a duo for the Golden State Warriors, and Green is still with the team on a one-year deal worth $27.7 million through the 2026-27 season.
Thompson moving to Miami is because of a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, which ends the one remaining year left of his $17.5 million contract. It is believed that Thompson will be signing a two-year contract worth about $13 million, with a player option on the second year.
In terms of numbers, Thompson is joining Miami in less-than-peak condition compared to when he was playing for the Warriors. His stats show an average of 12.9 points per game, and shooting 38.7 percent from beyond the arc in two years of playing with the Dallas Mavericks.
Despite the decline, Thompson continues to be among the all-time leading three-point shooters in the NBA, having made it to fourth place in the NBA’s all-time three-point shooting list in January when he passed Damian Lillard. This is what makes Thompson valuable enough for Miami, in spite of his age and poor scoring form.
Miami’s interest is a direct result of the shooting gap the roster has experienced since acquiring two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Last season, the Heat’s three-point attempts per game were not among the top 10 in the NBA, a weakness that became more pressing after they used most of their trade assets to acquire Antetokounmpo.
Miami signed Tim Hardaway Jr. during the offseason as a free agent, but Hardaway alone could not fully solve Miami’s need for additional perimeter shooting. Thompson, with a career 40.9 percent three-point shooting efficiency, can further strengthen that area.
The message from Green marks the end of an offseason for Thompson, which started with the Mavericks’ buyout on August 21, 2026. However, this departure has been handled more warmly by the Mavericks’ President of Basketball Operations, Masai Ujiri, who said that “Thompson is one of the great players and competitors of his generation” in the official statement.