The Miami Heat have never been afraid to zig when the rest of the league zags. That’s been a defining trait of the franchise under Erik Spoelstra’s leadership-a willingness to buck convention and trust in their development pipeline, their culture, and their system. And in the 2025-26 season, that mindset has brought another unexpected name into the spotlight: Pelle Larsson.
A former second-round pick, Larsson has carved out a starting role in Miami’s rotation, starting 26 of his 39 games this season, including eight of the last nine. On paper, he doesn’t exactly scream “modern NBA wing.”
He’s not lighting it up from deep, and at 32.1% from three, he’s not spacing the floor in the way many teams demand from their perimeter players. But here’s the thing-Miami doesn’t always play by those rules.
And more often than not, they make it work.
We’ve seen this before. Jimmy Butler, the face of Heat Culture, has never been a volume three-point shooter, yet he’s led this team to two NBA Finals.
Jaime Jaquez Jr., who’s in the thick of the Sixth Man of the Year conversation, is hitting just 27.4% from beyond the arc. Still, his impact is undeniable.
Now, Larsson is following a similar path-defying the idea that you need to be a knockdown shooter to thrive in today’s NBA.
Despite his struggles from deep, Larsson has found ways to contribute across the board. He’s averaging 9.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds in just 23.5 minutes a night-solid production for a player still finding his footing in the league.
When you stretch those numbers out to per-36 minutes, they jump to 14.8 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.5 boards. That’s a meaningful leap from his rookie season, where he posted 11.6, 3.0, and 4.2 in the same metric.
But it’s not just about the box score. Larsson is doing the little things that win games.
He’s shooting a strong 58.1% on two-point attempts, and he’s been elite around the rim-ranking in the 81st percentile in field goal percentage at the basket and converting 63.6% of his shots within eight feet. That kind of efficiency inside the arc has allowed him to offset his inconsistent perimeter shooting.
And while the three-point numbers as a whole don’t jump off the page, there’s a silver lining: Larsson is hitting 36.8% of his corner threes. That’s a critical number for a role player in Miami’s system, where spacing and timely shooting can make all the difference.
Defensively, Larsson has been even more impressive. He ranks in the 90th percentile in perimeter isolation defense and 76th percentile in ball screen navigation-two areas that are vital in Spoelstra’s switch-heavy, high-effort defensive scheme. He’s not just holding his own on that end-he’s thriving.
And then there’s the bottom line: Miami is 16-10 when Larsson starts, compared to 9-12 when he comes off the bench or sits out entirely. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a reflection of the impact he’s making, even if it’s not always flashy.
Spoelstra has long had a knack for identifying guys who fit his system, even if they don’t fit the league’s mold. Larsson is the latest example-a player who may not pop on highlight reels but brings a steady, versatile presence on both ends of the floor. He’s not just surviving in the Heat rotation; he’s helping them win.
So while the question of whether a team can thrive with multiple non-shooters in the rotation lingers in some circles, Miami seems to have found its answer. With Larsson stepping up, Jaquez continuing to produce, and Butler still doing Butler things, the Heat are once again proving that there’s more than one way to win in this league.