No team is hanging a banner for preseason, and the Miami Heat certainly aren’t about to start after a winless 2025-26 exhibition slate. Still, there are real signs in October that can matter once the games count, and this group has given Miami plenty to like.
The biggest reason for optimism is Giannis Antetokounmpo himself. The Heat have had stars before - plenty of them, in fact - but the source of this new build has come in with a different level of seriousness.
He wants to be known as the best player in the world. He wants to be top 10 all-time.
He wants another title. And he has already backed that up by setting the tone from the start, through both his words and his play.
He’s scoring at a relentless clip, making creative passes and bringing inspired defense. For a franchise that traded heavily to bring him in, that’s exactly the kind of return it was chasing.
Miami also looks deeper than it might have on paper after dealing away three core contributors, all first-round picks, plus a promising rookie guard. That kind of turnover usually raises immediate questions.
But the Heat have also done this before, building around a superstar and filling in the edges fast. This time, the support pieces matter more than ever, and Bobby Portis Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. have both fit quickly.
Portis Jr. came over in the Giannis trade itself, while Hardaway Jr. arrived on a deal in free agency. Both have shot the ball well, just as expected, but they’ve offered more than scoring.
Portis Jr.’s personality has long made him a natural fit for Heat Culture, and Hardaway Jr. brings that connection through his father. Add Pelle Larsson into the mix, and Miami suddenly has what could be one of the league’s better three-man bench groups.
The other encouraging sign is how this team wants to play. When Giannis and Bam Adebayo were put together, some expected Miami to lean into a slower, grind-it-out identity and try to batter opponents with post-heavy, low-possession basketball.
Instead, Erik Spoelstra has pushed the pace. The Heat are playing fast, and the scoring can climb into the 90s by the middle of the third quarter.
That approach fits Spoelstra’s read-and-react style from last season, only now he has more athletic bodies to work with. It still requires buy-in, because, as Spoelstra has pointed out, plenty of players claim they want to run without actually committing to it.
This group has bought in, at least for now.
That tempo may also force Spoelstra to go deeper than nine players on a regular basis so nobody gets worn down. With Ryan Conwell Jr. and Nikola Jovic flashing at times in preseason, he may have the confidence to do it. And if Miami can keep that pace, the Heat may have a real chance to jump on teams early before opponents fully adjust to what they’re seeing.
In Other News...
Heat Preseason Finale Exposed A Problem Miami Can't Ignore
The Heats preseason finale in Orlando offered a sharp reminder that even October games can reveal real issues before the games count. The Magic handled Miami 136-115, and the loss came with a lot more going on than the final score, as both teams were forced to navigate a night that turned messy when several players left with injuries and the level of concern around those situations still has to be sorted out.
Miami did not get the kind of clean tune-up it probably wanted heading into the regular season, especially against a Magic group that looked sharp in transition and opportunistic off turnovers. Nikola Vucevic added 13 points and seven rebounds in 23 minutes, helping fuel the kind of efficient stretch that made Orlando difficult to keep up with, while the Heat were left to absorb a preseason game that exposed something they cannot afford to carry forward. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Conwell Just Made The Heat's Rotation Decision Much Harder
Ryan Conwell gave the Heat plenty to think about in their preseason finale, finishing with 21 points and seven assists in 30 minutes while shooting 53% from the field and 3-for-7 from deep. He repeatedly showed the kind of guard skills Miami values, creating scoring chances for himself and others and looking comfortable handling a larger offensive role when the game called for it.
The performance also sharpened a decision that was already getting complicated, especially with uncertainty around other players availability. Conwell still has areas to clean up, including turnovers, and his defensive impact remains something the staff will have to evaluate, but he made a strong case for earning early-season minutes and forcing his way into the conversation for a rotation spot. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Backcourt Need Puts An Unexpected Former First-Round Guard In Play
With the Heat still sorting through their backcourt options after a series of roster challenges and injuries, a familiar offseason theme has surfaced again: Miami is looking for another guard who can help stabilize the rotation. NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that Walter Clayton Jr. is on the teams radar, a notable name considering his path from college All-American to former first-round draft pick and then on to Memphis after last seasons trade.
Claytons situation is one to watch because he could become available before the new season through either a trade or a cap move, giving Miami a possible opening to add another ballhandler without waiting for the market to dry up. For a Heat team that has been forced to manage its depth carefully, the appeal is obvious, even if the timing and cost of any deal remain unresolved. [Read more 🡒]