The Heat’s week had a little more life to it. Miami handled the Hawks and the undermanned Pacers in games that felt close to must-win territory this early, then ran into a Lakers team that pushed them around while the Heat gave away possessions, missed rebounds, and basically declined to defend. Not ideal, but it was a step up from the week before.
With the G League season now underway, there’s also a new wrinkle in these rankings. Vlad Goldin, Tre Donaldson and Keshad Johnson should finally start logging real minutes, and that means there’s at least a chance to get a better read on them. If anyone else outside that trio flashes, there could be a surprise climb too - Dennis Smith Jr. is the obvious name to watch there.
At the bottom, Goldin remains No. 17 for now. Donaldson checks in at 16, mostly because a guard can matter quickly if injuries hit.
Johnson lands at 15 after what he did in the G League last year, when he averaged 21 points and eight rebounds on 55/39/79 splits across 13 appearances. If he gets anywhere near that again, the Heat may have something real on their hands.
Nick Richards sits at 14 after staying buried outside garbage time, and Bobby Portis’ strong play has made it even harder for him to crack the rotation. Myron Gardner is one spot ahead of him at 13, with the logic being simple: Miami could use a wing before it needs another big right now.
Simone Fontecchio is 12, helped by the fact that he’s had a longer track record as a rotation player than Gardner. If Nikola Jovic and Tim Hardaway Jr. keep seeing reduced minutes, Fontecchio could be next in line for a look.
Ryan Conwell comes in at 11, and his situation feels a little strange. He looked like a candidate for more run, then barely played after a brief third-quarter appearance against the Hornets, before getting just seven minutes against the Lakers. That probably won’t last long, especially with one player at his position struggling badly to make shots.
That player is Hardaway, who is 10th after a rough start to life with Miami. He did have a 14-point game against the Hawks, but he still finished minus-3 because opponents kept targeting him on defense.
His shooting has been rough, his minutes have already dipped, and he only played 12 minutes in the win over the Pacers. He did get some fourth-quarter run against the Lakers and looked more like himself as a shooter, but Conwell could start taking some of those minutes.
Jovic is 9th after a week that was better than his early-season work, even if the shot still isn’t falling. He’s been useful as a connective piece and has been positive in plus-minus, which matters.
The half-court heave against the Hawks was a nice moment, too. Spo likes him, and he’ll keep getting minutes, though this still feels like a player who shouldn’t be pushing much past 15 a night.
Dru Smith lands at 8 after a week that never quite settled into one clear pattern. He played 14 minutes against the Hawks and seemed to have a grip on a rotation spot, then followed that with a rough four-minute stretch against the Pacers before disappearing, then resurfaced in the fourth quarter against the Lakers with mixed results.
At No. 7, Andrew Wiggins had a week that started better and then fell apart in the Lakers game.
He still looks off, his three-point shooting is under 30% for the season, and the defense hasn’t been much better. Bobby Portis is 6th after cooling off from his blazing start, though he’s still shooting better than 40% from three on the season.
The issue remains the rest of his shot diet, not the catch-and-shoot looks that have kept him productive.
Pelle Larsson jumps to 5 after a much stronger stretch. He put up 35 points and 11 assists across his first two games of the week, then looked more like his early-season version against the Lakers, when the turnovers piled up and the fouls followed. Even so, he looks like he’s earning his contract.
Klay Thompson is 4th and finally starting to resemble the player Miami expected after a rough opening to the season. He hit seven threes against Indiana and four more against the Lakers. The downside is that he’s still a weak spot for a Miami defense that has been flat-out bad.
Davion Mitchell holds down the 3 spot as one of the clearest bright spots on the roster. If the Heat were winning, the attention around him would be louder.
The questions about him as a point guard should be fading by now, because the offense has not been the problem. He’s also making a strong case for himself financially.
Bam Adebayo is 2nd after bouncing back in a big way against the Hawks and Pacers, posting 24 points and nine rebounds in one and 27 points and nine rebounds in the other. He wasn’t nearly aggressive enough against the Lakers, but that still looks far better than the rough start he opened the season with.
At No. 1, Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing at an MVP level and getting a little more help from the rest of the roster.
The defense, though, has slipped badly. Even so, he’s doing everything for the Heat, and if the team starts winning again, he’ll be right in the MVP mix.
In Other News...
Giannis Called Out Miami After What The Lakers Just Did
Giannis Antetokounmpo did not hold back after the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, using the moment to take aim at Miamis defensive effort and, more broadly, the standard the Heat are bringing to the floor. Even with 30 points from Giannis in the game, his message was less about individual production and more about a team that needs to show more pride, more accountability and more resistance when things start slipping.
For a Heat group sitting at 2-5 in the Eastern Conference, the criticism lands as more than a postgame soundbite. Giannis said the team has to improve together and vowed to lead by example, which leaves Miami with a familiar challenge: respond quickly, or let one blunt assessment become part of a bigger early-season conversation about where this group is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Nikola Jovic Is Putting Real Pressure On Miamis Patience
Nikola Jovics place in Miamis rotation is getting harder to ignore after the Heats loss to the Lakers, when Robert Horry and James Worthy both took aim at his performance. The criticism centered on the same concerns that have followed him at different points this season: not enough scoring punch and too many defensive lapses for a player the Heat are trying to develop into a meaningful part of the roster.
The pressure matters because Miami has already committed to Jovic with a fully guaranteed four-year extension worth $62.4 million, so this is no longer just about upside. As the season moves along, the Heat are weighing his consistency and overall impact, and with the trade deadline approaching, his rotation spot is one of the decisions that could shape how the rest of the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Got A Harsh Reminder In Lakers Rout
The Heat got a sharp reminder of how quickly a game can get away from you against a team that is moving the ball and making shots. Los Angeles beat Miami 138-117, with Luka Doncic carving up the defense for 42 points, seven rebounds and 13 assists, while Austin Reaves added 27 and Walker Kessler turned in a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers controlled the night in assists, three-point shooting and points in the paint, a combination that left Miami chasing the game for long stretches.
For the Heat, the bigger concern is less the final margin than the way the Lakers were able to dictate the terms of the matchup. When an opponent is winning the passing battle, stretching the floor and finishing inside, it puts a premium on every defensive rotation and every missed opportunity at the other end. Miami will have plenty to sort through after this one, because the performance was a reminder of how far a game can tilt when the details start slipping. [Read more 🡒]