Miami Heat 2026-27 NBA Preseason Preview

Heat’s Biggest Offseason Loss: Tyler Herro

The Heat lost a considerable amount of their rotation this offseason. Most notably, they traded All-Star guard Tyler Herro to the Milwaukee Bucks. Herro played in only 33 games last season, averaging 20.5 PPG, and was the Heat’s number-one option the past two seasons. The Wisconsin native spent his first seven seasons in Miami and has been a scoring force ever since his rookie year. 

He took on the number-one role after Jimmy Butler was traded to the Golden State Warriors. Though he made the All-Star team in 2024-25, he was never really suited for the role, as he played much better as a second or third option. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22. Herro was stuck in the middle: too good not to start, but not good enough to be the main guy.

Herro is the biggest loss right now because of his scoring, but his departure had been brewing for a while. Looking ahead, Kel’el Ware could be the bigger loss years down the road.

Ware played his first two seasons in Miami, averaging 10.3 PPG and 8.3 RPG. He was the center the Heat needed, letting Adebayo move into his more traditional power-forward role, or at least that’s what could have happened if they’d been on the court together more often. 

Jakučionis, who showed great potential after his rookie year, may not look like a significant loss today, but also could prove costly down the road. 

Norman Powell left Miami this offseason and signed with the Chicago Bulls. Powell, the Heat’s lone All-Star this past season, was spectacular in the first half. In the second half, Powell dealt with a lingering groin strain and never fully returned to his early-season form. He averaged 21.7 PPG in his loan season with the Heat. 

Heat’s Biggest Offseason Addition: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Without a doubt, the Heat’s biggest offseason addition was trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo is easily the Heat’s most notable offseason move since they signed LeBron James in the 2010 offseason. The former Buck won two MVPs and one NBA Championship in his 13 seasons in Milwaukee and has been a top NBA player for nearly a decade.  

Last season was a down year for both Milwaukee and Antetokounmpo. He played in just 36 games, and the team won only 32. In those 36 games, Giannis was still Giannis. He averaged 27.6 PPG in just 28.9 minutes per game. In the previous three seasons, Antetokounmpo averaged over 30 PPG.

Miami has had only one 30+ PPG scorer in franchise history (Dwyane Wade in 2008-09), so Antetokounmpo will likely be the second if he keeps playing as he has in the 2020s. 

Antetokounmpo will impact both sides of the ball tremendously. His 7-foot-3 wingspan and defensive instincts will pair perfectly with Bam Adebayo’s defensive ability to guard anyone on the court. On offense, he will draw immense gravity, opening the floor for shooters like newly signed marksmen Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. 

In Antetokounmpo’s last healthy season (2024-25), the Milwaukee Bucks led the NBA in three-point percentage (38.7%). Beyond Thompson and Hardaway Jr., Miami has a wealth of returning shooters: Wiggins (41.4%), Davion Mitchell (39.5%), and Simone Fontecchio (37.5%), all in 2025-26. Also newly signed: Thompson (38.3%) and Hardaway Jr. (40.7%). 

The proof is in the pudding: Antetokounmpo will create plenty of open looks for the shooters, and they will create space for him to work inside. 

Heat Best-Case Scenario Outcome

The Heat are obviously in win-now mode, after acquiring and signing plenty of players and depth to support their new superstar. It is fair to say this team’s goal is to win an NBA Championship, and it is very possible.

Of course, health will be a key factor in how far this team goes in the regular season and postseason. Adebayo has stayed relatively healthy throughout his career, but Antetokounmpo has had some injury issues over the years, including last season, when he played less than half the games. 

If someone came back from the future and said, “Giannis won MVP, Bam was top three in DPOY voting, Klay Thompson or Tim Hardaway Jr. shot 40% from three last season.” Fans would likely not be surprised. If all this happens, or something similar, the Heat have a fair chance to go deep in the playoffs. 

Much of the offseason talk has also centered on Davion Mitchell and the idea that the Heat don’t have a true point guard. This is foolish.

Mitchell is known for his defense, first and foremost, but he really improved a lot last season. He is also one of the most underrated passers in the association. His assist-to-turnover ratio was 4.19, which led all point guards in 2025-26. He had a career-high 6.5 assists per game and shot a career-high 49% from the field. 

To win a championship, the Heat must stay healthy, shoot the ball well, and assume Giannis returns to his normal, MVP-caliber self. All seem within the realm of NBA possibility. With Erik Spoelstra, one of the NBA’s elite coaches, and the grit and determination the Heat always play with, it’s championship-or-bust in the 305. 

Heat Worst-Case Scenario Outcome

In recent seasons, the Heat have had little to no playoff success. Since reaching the 2023 NBA Finals, the Heat have not advanced past the first round. After trading almost your entire future, Miami’s worst-case scenario would be losing in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Surprisingly, many fans and analysts questioned the Heat trading so much of their core for Antetokounmpo, which didn’t make much sense. It was the same core that was really just good enough to make the play-in and lose in late April and early May. ESPN gave the Heat a “B-” grade, and the Bucks a “B+” grade. 

“It’s a massive risk without any guaranteed reward,” Kram and Golliver said. 

While the grades are a bit questionable, this is the reality the Heat face this season. If they fail to make it past the first round of the playoffs, the trade will look like a gamble that didn’t pay off.

If Antetokounmpo struggles with injury, Adebayo plays hesitantly, and the shooting is not there to complete the All-Star bigs, Miami’s season could turn ugly fast. With little draft capital, a down year would really be a waste of 82 games. 

Heat Biggest Question Heading Into 2026-27 Season

The biggest question surrounding the Heat is: “How will the rest of the team play behind Antetokounmpo and Adebayo?”

These two will play at All-Star levels every night, but what will the shooting and offensive rhythm look like around them? Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. will be key no matter who starts because of their shooting. If both have down years, it’s hard to say what the Heat offense will look like. 

Furthermore, the offense’s rhythm and spacing could be an issue. Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, who score most of their points from the paint, could clash offensively. Thankfully, Adebayo has improved his three-point shot, creating more spacing, but it will be interesting to see how Coach Spo uses both bigs.