The Miami Heat’s first six games have already put their offseason under the microscope.
A team that entered 2026-27 with bigger ambitions now sits at 2-4, and the early returns have been uneven even after the headline move of adding two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami was widely expected to land in the top six in the Eastern Conference, but this sluggish start has made that projection look a lot less secure.
The biggest issue so far has been how long it’s taking this group to click. The roster has been reshaped, the rotation looks different, and the chemistry is still coming together. It’s early, sure, but the foundation is already starting to show what this team might be - and where the problems are.
Antetokounmpo has been the clearest win of the offseason. He’s looked like his usual MVP-level self and has been one of Miami’s few reliable bright spots. The only thing holding him back from an even higher mark is the current fit with Bam Adebayo, since the frontcourt pairing is still a work in progress after six games.
Bobby Portis has also given the Heat what they needed. Coming over with Antetokounmpo after years together in Milwaukee, he’s brought a comfort level that shows up on the floor. Portis is averaging 10 points and seven rebounds in about 20 minutes a night, which is exactly the kind of steady bench production Miami can live with.
Not every addition has worked nearly as well. Tim Hardaway Jr. has struggled badly in the role Miami brought him in to fill.
Signed to a cheap one-year deal to help stretch the floor, he’s instead been one of the team’s most inefficient players, shooting 29 percent from the field and 24 percent from three while logging 18 minutes per game. For a Heat team that has been only middling from deep, those numbers sting.
Klay Thompson has been more useful. He hasn’t looked like the player he once was, but he’s still giving Miami something as a perimeter threat, hitting 38.8 percent of his threes so far. Given the modest price tag, that’s been enough to make him serviceable in his new role.
Nick Richards lands in the middle. He signed a non-guaranteed deal in August, played well enough in preseason to stick, and has earned a roster spot. He hasn’t had enough minutes to make a strong case either way, so the early grade settles at a plain C.
In Other News...
Luka Doncic Faces A Brutal Heat Test Lakers Fans Should Watch
The Lakers visit to Miami on November 2 brings an immediate test for Luka Doncic, who has been setting the pace as the leagues leading scorer. It also gives Erik Spoelstra and the Heat a chance to measure their defensive versatility against one of the NBAs toughest cover problems, with Bam Adebayo already part of the conversation about how Miami plans to handle the matchup.
One wrinkle worth watching is whether the Heat use Giannis Antetokounmpo on Doncic, a look that would add a different kind of length and pressure to the assignment. For Miami, it is the sort of early-season chess match Spoelstra tends to relish, and for Lakers fans it should be a revealing first look at how Doncic responds when the Heat start throwing fresh bodies and different coverages at him. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Are Being Pushed To Rethink One Key Early Season Formula
The early-season version of Miami has looked a lot different from the group that spent the opening stretch trying to run at every opportunity. At 2-4, the Heat are already weighing whether their current style is sustainable, especially after leaning into the leagues highest transition frequency while not getting the kind of efficiency that usually justifies that pace. The issue is not just offense, either, because the faster tempo has also put a strain on the defense, which has had to defend in space and fight through longer possessions without much margin for error.
One path being considered is a more deliberate approach, with fewer transition chances and more screens to help create cleaner offense in the half court. Another is a lineup tweak that would swap Klay Thompson out for Pelle Larsson, a move aimed at adding more defensive versatility and energy to the starting group. For a Heat team still trying to find its identity, the question is whether the answer lies in dialing back the speed, reshaping the lineup, or both. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Momentum Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against Star-Heavy Lakers
The Heat head into Monday nights matchup in Los Angeles with a little more bounce in their step after back-to-back wins, and the timing of this one makes it feel like a real measuring stick early in the trip. Miami is in the middle of a five-game road swing, and the Lakers bring the kind of star power and spotlight that can quickly turn a solid stretch into something more meaningful if the Heat can keep building on it.
Los Angeles is also dealing with the second night of a back-to-back, which adds another layer to a game already loaded with attention because of the high-end talent on both sides. The piece points to the individual battles that tend to decide these marquee nights, and for Miami, this is the sort of test that can either validate the recent momentum or expose how far the team still has to go. [Read more 🡒]