The Miami Heat made one of the summer’s biggest moves, and if not for the Philadelphia 76ers trading for Jaylen Brown and landing LeBron James in free agency, it would have been the biggest. That kind of splash should have the Heat squarely in the mix to make noise in the Eastern Conference.
But the NBA’s GM survey doesn’t see it that way.
According to the poll, not a single person thinks Miami will finish as a top-two team in the East. None.
Based on the vote percentage, the Heat landed all the way down at eighth. That’s a rough spot for a team led by Erik Spoelstra, especially given what he has repeatedly done with less talented rosters.
Spoelstra is one of the best coaches the game has ever seen, and Miami just put one of the league’s best players in his hands. That’s a pairing that should have people paying closer attention.
Look back over the last decade, and the case gets even stronger. Spoelstra has guided Heat teams deep into the playoffs more than once, including two trips to the NBA Finals in the post-LeBron James era. Through all of it, he has kept squeezing production out of rosters that often lacked the kind of star power other contenders leaned on.
Now he gets a different kind of challenge.
Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in the league, and there’s a real argument he’s the best player Spoelstra has worked with since James and Dwyane Wade. Peak Jimmy Butler has a case, too.
And it’s not just about the headliner. Miami’s supporting cast gives Spoelstra a group he can mold, maximize and potentially elevate.
Davion Mitchell stands out as a player who could be pushed into a bigger role, possibly as a true 3-and-D point guard. Dru Smith is another name that raises the same question.
So do Pelle Larsson and rookie Ryan Conwell.
Those players are already useful pieces, though some more than others. The real point is what Spoelstra might pull out of them once the season gets rolling. Put that group into his system with Antetokounmpo leading the way, and the ceiling changes fast.
That’s been the Heat formula for years: the whole ending up greater than the sum of its parts. Spoelstra has made a habit of turning that idea into reality.
The rest of the NBA should know better by now. At the very least, other GMs should know enough to rank Miami higher than eighth.
In Other News...
Heat Opening Night Rotation Could Say Everything About Dru Smith
Dru Smiths status for opening night is one of the quieter but more revealing questions hanging over Miamis start to the season. He is still dealing with injury uncertainty, and with Erik Spoelstra still sorting out his rotation, the way the Heat handle the backcourt could tell you a lot about how they view Smith going forward. It also comes at a time when the competition around him is growing, especially at point guard.
Ryan Conwell and Pelle Larsson have both put together strong preseason stretches in that spot, giving Spoelstra more options and less reason to force anything if Smith is not ready. With a team option on Smith for next season, this is a meaningful year for his place in Miamis plans, and the early rotation decisions may end up offering the clearest hint yet about whether he is part of the long-term picture. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have One Late Roster Decision To Make
With the roster cut deadline approaching, the Heat still have one more decision to sort through as they take a final look at ways to reinforce the end of the bench. Miami is expected to keep exploring the waiver market, where recently let-go players around the league can become available at just the right moment for a team still weighing depth and fit.
Among the names floating around are Kenyon Martin Jr., Ochai Agbaji and Gabe Vincent, each offering a different kind of appeal if the Heat decide to make a move. Nothing has been reported officially yet, and for now the picture remains fluid, which leaves Miami with a familiar late-summer choice: stay patient with what it has, or use the moment to add another layer of insurance before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Need Davion Mitchell To Hold One Spot Together
Since arriving in Miami, Davion Mitchell has given the Heat exactly the kind of jolt they were hoping for on the defensive end, and he has quietly added enough on offense to make himself more than just a specialist. His three-point shooting has climbed to a level that has made him a much more useful fit in the rotation, and that matters for a team that needs stability from the guard spot every night.
The bigger issue for Miami is less about Mitchells production than how much the group is leaning on him to keep the point guard spot afloat. Behind him, the options are thin, with Dru Smith offering defense but not much in the way of scoring punch, so the Heat have to keep getting dependable initiation from Mitchell to help carry the offense when Giannis Antetokounmpo is off the floor. [Read more 🡒]