The Miami Heat are building what matters most

Apr 18, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) reacts with forward Andrew Wiggins (22) after the Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks in overtime at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Miami Heat are building what matters most

Originally posted on Miami Heat on SI | By Major Passons | Last updated Sep 12, 2026 9:24 AM ET

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Team chemistry is something that every great team has. It might not show up in the box score or in any analytic, but it is one of the most important things for a championship contending team to have. Many look over this fact when evaluating teams, but the importance remains the same.

There have been numerous “superteams” over the years that have failed for numerous reasons. I think back to the Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard. There are also more recent examples such as the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Championships are not won on paper, they are won on the hardwood.

The Heat are building what matters

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The Miami Heat are no strangers to the fact that games have to be decided on the court. They have consistently been counted out and beat teams many people thought they had no chance. They also famously lost the 2011 NBA finals with the better team on paper.

This Heat team is putting in the work in the offseason to ensure that they do not over look the often hidden parts of the game. The Heat are attacking the offseason as a unit. They are doing this by going on a team mini camp together.

This is great to see because it shows the team is focused as a collective on a single goal. This is especially important with the new additions to the team.

How this camp could help the Heat this season

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The Heat have shaken up the roster this offseason in a big way. The addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Klay Thompson and Tim Haraway Jr. will all change a lot about the Heat’s play style. Most notably, Antetokounmpo who is one of the very best players in the league.

Though these 4 players are all longtime veterans of the NBA meshing together on a new team takes time. It takes time to figure out how each plays or how to maximize each players strengths when on the court together. This is why the camp matters.

Camps like these build chemistry on and off the court. They help the team understand how to play and figure out a rhythm. They also help each other understand their teammates as human beings. This helps the team bond and that bond is extremely important in an 82 game season.

The Heat are jumping out ahead of schedule by doing a player minicamp. This will only help them understand how to maximize their talents to get the best results possible. The goal is by the end of the year we look back at this camp being the starting point for a great season.

This article first appeared on Miami Heat on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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