At 36! Four-time champion sharpshooter! Thompson could team up with Antetokounmpo

The Miami Heat's projected starting five for the 2026-27 season is as follows:

Actually, this picture isn't quite accurate because one player has become a complete free agent—that guy is Powell.

According to a source:From a financial perspective, it's very difficult for the Heat to keep Powell, but they are expected to execute a sign-and-trade for him, and the team's next focus for reinforcement will be bringing in a shooter.

Powell, born on May 25, 1993, is now 33 years old. He is a combo guard standing 1.93m tall with a 2.10m wingspan, selected as the 16th pick in the second round of the 2015 draft. Last season with the Heat, he averaged 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in the regular season, shooting 47% from the field and hitting 2.7 three-pointers per game at a 38% clip. This year, he made his first All-Star team appearance.

The question is: which shooter does the Heat believe can create space for Antetokounmpo and Adebayo?According to the latest sources, the targets are Thompson and Middleton, both of whom played for the Mavericks last season.

As a former long-time teammate of Antetokounmpo, Middleton (soon to be 35) is now a full free agent. Convincing him to sign with the Heat on a minimum contract would not require a trade. The duo led the Bucks to the championship together in the 2020-21 season.

Thompson, on the other hand, has one year left on his contract, with a salary of $17.46 million for next season, but he has already been placed on the trade block by the Mavericks early on.

If traded by the Mavericks to the Heat, Thompson would certainly be happy, as it would give him a chance to pursue his fifth career championship ring instead of wasting time on a rebuilding team. He is now 36 years old.

Although no longer in his prime, Thompson remains one of the deadliest sharpshooters. Last season, he played 69 games, averaging 11.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 21.6 minutes per game, while hitting 2.9 three-pointers per game at a 38.3% clip. Any team with him on the floor always has plenty of offensive spacing.

By the way, Thompson has never played for an Eastern Conference team. Going to the Heat could potentially rejuvenate his career, allowing him to compete for a championship and secure what may be his final contract.