The Miami Heat’s second unit made a loud early statement in Quebec City, and if this is any sign of what’s coming, Miami may have something dangerous brewing behind its stars.
In a 129-105 preseason win over the Toronto Raptors, three reserves from the standard roster cracked double figures, giving the Heat a glimpse of the kind of bench punch that can change games. Tim Hardaway Jr. set the tone with 14 points on perfect shooting, going 3-for-3 from deep in what amounted to his unofficial Heat debut.
The 34-year-old arrived on a one-year, $6.07 million contract, and the fit is easy to see. Hardaway Jr. is a veteran three-level scorer who can work both on and off the ball, and he’s coming off a Sixth Man of the Year finalist season. He may not be the first reserve to check in most nights, but his role looks steady, and his career 36.5 percent mark from three gives Miami a clean answer when spacing matters.
That becomes especially important when he’s sharing the floor with Heat superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Nikola Jovic also flashed the kind of all-around line that keeps coaches interested. He finished with 11 points on 33.3 percent shooting in 17 minutes, adding seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The 23-year-old forward has teased a breakout before, but injuries have repeatedly interrupted his progress. At 6-10 and 245 pounds, he brings size, ball-handling and perimeter range, and the clock is ticking a little louder now that the extension he signed last summer officially kicks in this season.
The Heat would like to see a return on investment.
Pelle Larsson rounded out the standout reserve trio, scoring 13 points on 100 percent shooting in just 11 minutes while also contributing two rebounds, two assists and two steals. At 25, he’s trying to build on a breakout season, and the buzz around him is real enough to place him in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player. The last player to capture both in the same season was former Orlando Magic guard Darrell Armstrong in 1999.
That’s why the bigger question isn’t just whether Miami has a good bench - it’s whether it has the best one in the Eastern Conference. The reigning champion New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are all in the mix to claim that distinction, but Miami’s depth looks like a real weapon.
And in a league where depth can make or break a contender, that matters. The Denver Nuggets have shown what happens when bench production isn’t consistent enough, and the payoff for reliable reserve play is obvious.
Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo remain the headliners, but Miami isn’t built to ask them to carry everything across an 82-game regular season. If the Heat keep getting nights like this from the bench, that burden gets a lot lighter.
In Other News...
Tim Hardaway Jr Could Be The Heat's Real Swing Piece
Miamis offseason overhaul has been about more than just landing star power. Alongside the arrivals of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, the Heat added Tim Hardaway Jr. to help address a long-standing need on the perimeter, a move that fits neatly with the later signing of Klay Thompson and the decision to keep Simone Fontecchio in the mix. Hardaway brings both spacing and a track record that suggests he can fit into a rotation built to punish teams for helping off the arc.
What makes him especially interesting is the way his profile could matter in bigger moments. Hardaway shot a career-high 40.7 percent from three last season with Denver and has been through the playoff grind before from his time with Dallas, giving Miami another proven shooter with some postseason scars. In a group already reshaped by major additions, the question is whether Hardaway ends up being just part of the shooting depth or the player who quietly decides how far this new-look Heat team can go. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompson Looks Like Miamis Best Bet In A Crucial Battle
The Heats preseason search for a starting shooting guard has become one of the more interesting early lineup decisions, and Klay Thompson is making a strong case simply by being the kind of reliable perimeter threat Miami has long valued at the position. Even with a scoreless preseason outing, Thompson still looks like the cleanest fit for a role that has often been defined by spacing, experience and the ability to punish defenses from the arc, which keeps him in the center of the conversation alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson.
Hardaway brings his own proven shooting profile, but Thompsons track record and feel for the role give him an edge in a competition that feels less about upside than immediate trust. Larssons recent contract extension points to a longer-term future in the mix, but the Heat are still sorting out the present, and the starting job appears to be a battle between established options before the younger piece is ready to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Suddenly Have A New Guard Worth Watching In Camp
Tre Donaldson put himself on the radar in a hurry during the Heats annual Red, White and Pink scrimmage, pacing the team with 25 points while also showing the kind of scoring and playmaking that can separate a camp invite from the pack. With Miami sorting through its backcourt options, every clean possession and every steady decision matters more than usual, and Donaldson clearly gave the coaching staff something to file away.
The timing only adds to the intrigue. Dru Smith is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a calf injury, leaving Erik Spoelstra to keep evaluating the guard room and other possible ball-handling answers. Spoelstra also singled out Ryan Conwell as another camp player making an impression, which suggests this part of camp is less about filling out reps and more about finding who can be trusted when the Heat need help in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]