The Miami Heat have reached the midpoint of the 2025-26 NBA season sitting at 21-20-a record that tells you just about everything you need to know. After a promising 14-7 start, the Heat have cooled off considerably, and now find themselves in that murky middle ground of the Eastern Conference: not bad enough to blow it up, not quite good enough to scare anyone in a seven-game series.
This season feels like a transitional one for Miami-a year where the team is figuring out what it is, what it isn’t, and where it goes from here. And while the playoff picture still includes the Heat, the first half of the season has laid bare some difficult truths about this roster and the direction of the franchise.
Tyler Herro: A Good Player, But Not That Guy
Let’s start with Tyler Herro. The Heat have given him every opportunity to prove he can be a cornerstone.
He’s had the ball in his hands, the green light to score, and the minutes to make an impact. And while Herro has shown he’s a skilled offensive weapon-capable of creating his own shot and filling it up on any given night-he hasn’t made the leap into true stardom.
That’s not a knock. Herro is a valuable player in today’s NBA.
But he’s not the kind of franchise centerpiece you build around, and that distinction matters when contract decisions come into play. With a contract extension already in place, Miami now faces a tough call: pay him like a star, or pivot before his trade value dips any further.
And that clock is ticking. After this season, Herro has just one guaranteed year left on his deal.
That makes him more tradable now than he’ll be a year from now, especially if his production plateaus or his health becomes a concern. If Miami wants to maximize what it can get in return, this trade deadline might be the moment to act.
No Untouchables in South Beach
One thing this season has clarified: there are no sacred cows on this roster. Not Herro, not Bam Adebayo, not even promising young big man Kel’el Ware. That doesn’t mean the Heat should start tossing names around recklessly, but it does mean that no one should be off the table in the right deal.
Bam is probably the closest thing the Heat have to an “untouchable.” He’s still one of the league’s most versatile defenders and a key part of Miami’s culture and identity.
But even he’s had moments this season where his limitations as a lead option have shown. If the goal is to land a top-tier superstar-and all signs point to that being the plan-then Bam may have to be part of the conversation.
This is a team that knows what it takes to win big. They’ve been to the Finals, they’ve made deep playoff runs, and they’ve done it with a mix of grit, development, and timely moves.
But right now, the current core hasn’t shown it can get back to that level. That’s why everything has to be on the table.
Time to Sell, Not Stand Pat
The Heat have never been a franchise that waves the white flag, but this might be the year to make an exception. With the trade deadline approaching, Miami needs to seriously consider embracing the role of seller. That doesn’t mean a full teardown-but it does mean being proactive in flipping veterans for future assets.
If the long-term play is to make a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason-and that’s the buzz around the league-then the Heat need to start laying the groundwork now. By the summer, Miami could have up to six tradable first-round picks. That kind of draft capital is what it takes to be in the mix for a blockbuster deal.
Packaging players like Herro, Andrew Wiggins, or Norman Powell into deals that return first-round picks would go a long way toward building the kind of war chest needed to chase a superstar. And if Giannis really is the dream target, the Heat have to start acting like it. That means making moves now that position them for the future, even if it comes at the cost of a few more wins this season.
The Big Picture
This version of the Heat isn’t bad-but it’s not good enough. And in a league where the middle is the worst place to be, Miami has to make some tough decisions.
The first half of the season has shown that this roster, as currently constructed, isn’t built to contend. But the good news?
The Heat have options.
They’ve got assets. They’ve got flexibility. And they’ve got a front office that knows how to strike when the moment is right.
Now it’s just a matter of whether they’re ready to make the bold moves that could reshape their future. Because staying the course? That’s not going to cut it anymore.