With everyone so focused on the NFL season, it is easy to forget that the 2025-2026 NBA season tips off this month. More importantly, that means the Miami Heat play basketball this month. After a tumultuous 2024-2025 season that ended in embarrassment, the team will look to bounce back this season. The current team does not appear to have the championship makeup of past teams, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited. From the new additions, young ascending players, and the continued growth of the stars, Heat fans will have plenty to watch this season. And who knows, maybe the team can surprise some people like the recent rosters have.
Notable Miami Heat Off-Season Acquisitions: Norman Powell, Simone Fontecchio, Kasparas Jakucionis, Precious Achiuwa
The Heat weren’t overly active this summer, but in comparison to recent off-seasons, they were very active. They made multiple additions at all phases of the roster.
The most recent addition the Heat made was bringing back Precious Achiuwa, their former first-round pick. This move was made as Miami didn’t have a traditional backup big man behind Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. There shouldn’t be many expectations for the former first-round pick, as he will likely play spot minutes, but it is nice to see a reunion. Especially considering the Heat traded Achiuwa after his first season in the deal to acquire Kyle Lowry.
The Heat and Duncan Robinson parted ways this summer after seven great years, as he signed with the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade. In return for the franchise’s career leader in three pointers made, Miami got Simone Fontecchio. He is a career 36.3% three-point shooter who has averaged as much as 15.4 points per game. He likely won’t play a big part in the Heat’s rotation, but he is a more than capable depth piece who has shown the ability to get hot from deep.
After years of not prioritizing the draft, the Heat have now made their own first-round pick in the last four drafts. Those picks turned into Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Ware, and this year’s first-round pick, Kasparas Jakucionis. He was widely viewed as a lottery pick, and a top-10 pick by most, and yet he fell all the way to the 20th pick.
The former Illinois point guard is a big combo guard who excels as a playmaker and shooter. Jakucionis is not expected to see a lot of minutes this year, as he still needs a lot of development, but his upside is extremely intriguing. Anytime he sees the floor this year, Heat fans should be glued to the TV, as there is a lot to be excited about with Jackucionis.
The biggest name of the Heat’s off-season additions is Norman Powell. Miami was able to add one of the league’s premier shooters for just Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson, two players who were not expected to be major factors this year.
Powell is thought of as a shooter, as he is a career 39.8% three-point shooter, but he has developed into a very efficient three-level scorer. Just last season, in his 10th year in the league, he averaged a career high of 21.8 points per game, while shooting 48.4% from the floor, and 41.8% from three. He was one of the biggest reasons the Clippers outperformed everyone’s expectations. Now, Powell will join Miami and play a crucial role as an all-around scorer, especially with Tyler Herro set to miss the beginning of the season.
Miami Heat Young Core: Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Pelle Larsson, Keshad Johnson
The Heat don’t have one of the premier young cores in the NBA, but they have a very nice group of young players on the roster. Jovic, Ware, Jaquez, Pelle Larsson, and Keshad Johnson, along with Jakucionis, who was mentioned earlier, make up a unique young core.
Ware appears to be the player that fans are most excited about, and it is easy to understand why. In 36 games as a starter last season, he averaged 10.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. Those are good numbers for a rookie, but it is the potential that he showed that has fans so excited. Over a three-game stretch in January, Ware averaged 22.3 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. Of those three games, the most impressive was a 25-point outing against Victor Wembenyama and the Spurs. From the moment he entered that game, his presence on the court was felt.
Ware showcased immense potential all season on both ends of the court, but he lacked consistency on a nightly basis. He will need to bring energy every night this season if he wants to get the best out of himself in the Heat’s system. The upside is clear, and the defensive potential that he and Adebayo possess is scary, but Ware needs to be more consistent this season. If he is, the Heat’s defensive ceiling will be even higher than it already is.
Everyone is super excited about Ware, but there are also many reasons to be excited about Jovic. At 6’10, he is great with the ball in his hands, especially in transition, as he is a very good passer and play finisher. He wants to get out and run, and use his unique blend of size and skill to his advantage. Jovic was starting to break through last season, but a hand injury caused him to miss around two months.
He would return for the Heat’s playoff series with the Cavaliers, and while he was rusty, he made a major impact when he was on the court. In game two, Jovic led a near comeback win, as he had 11 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes. Those aren’t amazing numbers, but his insertion into the lineup brought a spark to the rest of the team. He is easy to play with, and he is a perfect complement to both Adebayo and Ware.
Jovic just received a 4-year extension worth north of $15million a year, showing the Heat are committed to making him a key piece of this team for the foreseeable future. Jovic has only scratched the surface of what he can become in the NBA, and he is a prime breakout candidate for Miami this year.
Outside of Jakucionis, who was discussed earlier, the rest of the young core profiles as key rotation players. Jaquez had a major sophomore slump after a great rookie year, but there is hope for a bounce-back. He works best with the ball in his hands, and with Jimmy Butler out of the picture, there may be more opportunity for Jaquez to play in a more comfortable role. Now that he has had a full off-season to refresh, reflect, and get healthy, Jaquez will hopefully return to his rookie-year form.
Larsson appears to be a lock for the rotation, as he played well in limited minutes last year and looked great all summer in both Eurobasket and Summer League. He is a tough-minded wing who is willing to take on any defensive matchup. The key for Larsson will be finding a niche on offense. He isn’t a liability by any means, as he is a solid shooter and good finisher, but he doesn’t have a clear strength on offense. If he can develop into a consistent shooter, he will be a staple in Miami’s rotation for years to come, as he is a perfect fit for the culture.
Keshad Johnson is a fun prospect, as he is an extremely athletic wing who has a lot of upside as a defender. He didn’t see much playing time last year, but the upside as a 3-and-D wing popped in summer league. If Johnson develops as a shooter this year, he should have a real role on this team, as the Heat are in desperate need of a wing with this level of athleticism.
The Rest Of The Roster: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Terry Rozier, Dru Smith,
Fans know what to expect from both Adebayo and Herro. The former is one of the league’s premier defenders, who is still evolving as an offensive player. The latter is an ascending three-level scorer who has gotten better every season. Unfortunately, Herro will likely miss at least the first month of the season due to an injury, but when he returns, it will be interesting to see how he and Powell play next to each other. Miami hasn’t had two scorers in the backcourt of this level in a long time, so their fit will be a massive key for Miami’s success.
Andrew Wiggins may very well be the Heat’s X-Factor this year, as he will need to step up with Herro injured. All reports out of Miami have been very positive when discussing the outlook on Wiggins for this season. He will need to take on a larger role in the offense, and he will likely have to take on the assignment of guarding the opposing team’s best wing every night. With a full off-season in Miami under his belt, there is a lot of excitement for a full season of Wiggins in Miami.
Davion Mitchell was a much-needed bolt of energy when the Heat acquired him at the trade deadline last year. He is the quintessential fit for Heat Culture. After he arrived in Miami, Mitchell went on to put up career highs in almost every major statistical category, except for points per game. He did, however, shoot 44.7% from three, and to put that into perspective, he never shot better than 36% before arriving in Miami.
Mitchell will likely start at point guard with Herro injured, and he will take a lot of defensive pressure off both Powell and Wiggins. With how well he played in South Beach last year, all eyes should be on the former Kings first-round pick to see if he can continue his development as a long-term piece in Miami.
Both Terry Rozier and Dru Smith profile as end-of-the-rotation players, but they could both have impacts this season. The former is coming off just a disastrous season, where he seemed to lose his confidence, but there is hope he bounces back. If Rozier can return to the player he used to be, it will be a massive boost for the Heat. As for Smith, he played well last season before suffering a season-ending injury. The Heat have continued to keep him around, despite multiple major injuries, and it shows how much they believe in him. He isn’t flashy, but he is a solid defender and facilitator, and he could absolutely give Miami some key minutes off the bench.
While last season was a mess for many reasons, there is a real reason to be excited for the Heat this season. There appears to be a much-needed spark in the locker room. There is new blood with the likes of Powell, Mitchell, and Wiggins, even though the latter two were in Miami last season. There is a lot of excitement in the organization around the likes of Jovic, Ware, and the rest of the young core.
This team may not win the title this year, but they should be more enjoyable to watch than they have been the past few seasons. This team is hungry and frankly pissed off after the way last season ended, and their drive to flip the switch this year should lead to a rejuvenated team and an enjoyable season.
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