For the Miami Heat, the most important reserve may already be sitting in plain sight.
That’s the kind of player every contender needs: someone who can absorb the grind of an 82-game season, survive the ugly stretches, and still matter when the games tighten up in the playoffs. The Heat have had that type before, and now Pelle Larsson looks like the next one in line.
Larsson brings the kind of edge teams love from a bench piece. He plays with physicality, toughness and a willingness to do whatever the game asks.
Jimmy Butler summed it up in 2024: “He just does everything. He can shoot the ball, he can handle the ball, he can finish, he can guard.
I think as the game continues to slow down for him, he’s just going to get more comfortable and better.It’s really going to be hard for… ”
The offensive foundation is already there. Larsson averaged 3.1 rim attempts per game last season, which put him in the NBA’s 87th percentile, and he converted 70.6% of those looks. He also got to the line 3.3 times per game, and his 79.7% free-throw mark represented a 12.5% jump from the year before.
The next step is the one that could change everything. Larsson needs the three-point shot to come along, and it needs to become a real part of his game.
He shot below 33% from deep last season, and even a modest improvement would make him a far more dangerous player. In a Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo led offense, that matters even more because of the pressure their rim presence and driving create.
Larsson has already talked about what he wants to sharpen this offseason, including close-out reps, making his three ball feel more comfortable, taking more threes overall and initiating offense more like Jaime.
That’s why the bar for him is so clear. If the jumper ticks up, Larsson becomes more than a useful reserve. He becomes a spot starter, a rotation weapon and a real piece on a championship roster.
The Heat already have a reserve they can trust. If Larsson takes even a small step forward, that trust gets a lot more valuable.
In Other News...
Kevin Durant Just Added More Pressure To Miamis New Star
Giannis Antetokounmpos arrival in Miami has already put a spotlight on how much the Heat are asking of their new star, and Kevin Durant just added another layer to that conversation from afar. On a podcast, Durant singled out Antetokounmpo as the player he most enjoys watching, a nod that lands with extra weight when a future Hall of Famer is sizing up someone still trying to settle into a new home and a new conference.
For Miami, the attention is part of the package now. Antetokounmpo is stepping into an Eastern Conference that offers no shortage of problems, with the Knicks, 76ers, Cavaliers and Pistons all among the teams ready to make the Heat earn every inch. The early focus is no longer just on what Miami added, but on how quickly its new centerpiece can meet the standard that comes with being watched so closely by the leagues biggest names. [Read more 🡒]
Heat History Says Giannis Alone Wont Decide This Title Chase
Miami has spent three decades proving that one superstar can change everything, but not always by himself. From the Alonzo Mourning years to the title run with Dwyane Wade and Shaquille ONeal, then the LeBron James era and later the Jimmy Butler push, the Heats best stretches have usually come when the right star arrived at the right time and the rest of the roster could keep up.
So even with Giannis Antetokounmpo now in the picture alongside Bam Adebayo, the bigger question is whether this version of the Heat can build the kind of complete team that survives deep into spring. The pieces on paper give Miami a real path back into the title conversation, but the franchises own history suggests the answer will depend on more than one player and more than one offseason, with the clearest championship window still pointing toward the 2026-27 season. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Still Have One Urgent Job After The Giannis Trade
After the Giannis Antetokounmpo acquisition and a wave of roster reshuffling, the Heat have already taken some important steps toward rounding out the new-look group. Tim Hardaway Jr. is in, Simone Fontecchio is back, and the front office is now working under a tighter financial lens as it tries to make the rest of the puzzle fit for next season.
What remains is the sort of bargain shopping that can quietly shape a contenders bench. Miami still has a few openings to address, and the focus now is on budget-friendly veterans who can add depth without forcing the team out of its cost-conscious plan. The names in that mix point to a search for reliable rotation help, the kind that can steady a second unit and give the Heat a little more room to breathe over the long haul. [Read more 🡒]