MIAMI – With the Miami Heat looking to solve its rotation puzzle after nine games ahead of Friday night's contest against the Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA Cup group play action, the team is dealing with an injury to a key player. As Thompson had been nursing an ankle injury ahead of the NBA Cup outing, he will end up missing Friday's game, though the journey getting to the contest has been confusing.

Thompson sustained the ankle injury in last Tuesday's 115-109 win over the Utah Jazz with around a minute left in the contest after an impressive chase-down block on Josh Green. Being listed with “left ankle soreness,” he was questionable going into Friday, but had been upgraded to “probable” earlier in the afternoon, leading to encouragement that the issue wasn't serious.

However, two hours before tip-off, Thompson was downgraded to “questionable” and then ruled out before head coach Erik Spoelstra's pre-game press conference. Spoelstra said to ClutchPoints that there was an “intention to play,” but the routine Thompson went through had him “not able to get up to top speeds,” though he said he is progressing.

“Went through his whole routine with the intention to play, but was not able to get up to top speeds. So he's been making progress each day. We'll see how he feels tomorrow,” Spoelstra said.

Asked Erik Spoelstra about Klay Thompson being probable earlier to now being out and what has changed: #Heat

“Went through his whole routine with the intention to play, but was not able to get up to top speeds. So he's been making progress each day. We'll see how he feels… pic.twitter.com/bId0exs7Sf

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 13, 2026

So far this season, Thompson has averaged 14.4 points on 42.9 percent shooting from the field and 40.8 percent from three-point range.

The Heat player who has seen extended minutes in rotation

If there is a player who is sure to get extended minutes, it's Ryan Conwell, a rookie who was the Heat's second-round pick in the recent 2026 NBA Draft. With the minutes dropping for Tim Hardaway Jr., Spoelstra has opted for Conwell, who, in the last five games, has averaged just under 20 minutes per game and has been a mainstay in the second unit.

Still, Conwell has averaged close to six points per game on 32.1 percent shooting from the field and 31.8 percent from deep, and while the first-year guard looks to find his rhythm, Spoelstra has been impressed with his defense.

“He's really made the biggest strides defensively, just in terms of his toughness and discipline on the ball,” Spoelstra said to ClutchPoints. “He's had some really good possessions defensively, and also being in the right spot on that side of the floor that usually takes longer. The offense, he plays with confidence. He shoots when he's supposed to shoot. He gets off the ball when he's supposed to get off the ball. I like that quality about him. He's earned the minutes that he's gotten so far, and we'll continue to play him. I like what he's contributing to.”

Asked Erik Spoelstra about Ryan Conwell being one of the few mainstays off the bench recently and what he’s shown as a rookie: #Heat

“He's really made the biggest strides defensively, just in terms of his toughness and discipline on the ball. He's had some really good… pic.twitter.com/fItdEDbOuN

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 13, 2026

Heat's Tim Hardaway Jr. looking to turn corner

Conwell has been getting the minutes rather than Hardaway Jr., who has seen his playing time dwindle into single digits, leading to the DNP-CD (did not play, coach's decision). Averaging 4.6 points on 26.9 percent shooting from the field and 23.7 percent shooting from deep (nine of 38), Spoelstra would talk about the mindset Hardaway has, even saying that while struggling, he's been helping out players like Conwell.

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“He has fortitude, he has grit, and his karma is great in terms of being in a tough spot. And he was the one who was pumping life into Ryan Conwell the other night, and really just pouring himself into the team in a tough situation. I told him that sometimes you just can't explain things. Things don't go your way necessarily, and with that unit, you know, for whatever reason, it's not an indictment on any individual person,” Spoelstra said.

“At some point, I just felt like we need to make a little bit of a change there, but he'll get an opportunity tonight, and he'll be ready for the opportunity,” Spoelstra continued. “And tonight, it's about everybody just contributing to a win, to do what's necessary to win the game, and not about rhythm, not about feeling like perfect about anything.”

Spoelstra has shown confidence in Hardaway, especially in the form of giving him the start in Friday night's game against the Cavaliers, as Thompson and Pelle Larsson (illness) are out. At any rate, it remains to be seen when Thompson returns from the ankle injury, as the team has the second game of the back-to-back on Saturday against the Detroit Pistons.