After an up-and-down 2024-25, a retooled Heat squad enters 2025-26 looking to reestablish Miami as an East contender. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/NBAE via Getty Images)
Get Caught Up
2024-25 Record: 37-45 (10th in East, lost in First Round)
Miami’s first sub-.500 season since 2018-19 still ended with a sixth straight Playoff appearance. After dropping 10 straight games in March, the Heat rallied to win eight of their final 12 to claim the last Play-In spot.
They then beat Chicago and Atlanta on the road in consecutive win-or-go-home matchups, becoming the first No. 10 seed to reach the Playoffs via the Play-In. Their postseason run ended in a first round sweep to Cleveland, but head coach Erik Spoelstra emphasized the fight it took to get there:
“This group showed a lot of character and resilience,” said Spoelstra after the loss. “It was a fun group to be around, especially those last eight weeks of the season while we were just grinding.”
Now, Miami looks to turn that late-season resilience into a steadier path back toward the East’s top tier.
Offseason
- Re-signing: Keshad Johnson (team option exercised), Davion Mitchell, Dru Smith
- Additions: Simone Fontecchio (trade), Norman Powell (trade)
- Draft: Kasparas Jakučionis (20th pick)
- Departures: Kyle Anderson (trade), Haywood Highsmith (trade), Kevin Love (trade), Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
- Unsigned Free Agents: Alec Burks
The Heat made their biggest move of 2025 in February, trading franchise cornerstone Jimmy Butler to the Warriors in a five-team deal that brought Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and Davion Mitchell to Miami.
The front office kept reshaping the roster this summer, acquiring Norman Powell in a three-team trade with the Clippers and Jazz while sending out Anderson and Kevin Love. A 10-year vet, Powell averaged a career-best 21.8 ppg last season with LA, adding a scoring punch to Miami alongside Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro.
The Heat also brought back Mitchell, a premier defender, on a two-year deal while adding Illinois guard Kasparas Jakučionis in the draft. Jakučionis averaged 15.0 points in three 2K26 Summer League games, including a 24-point outing in his debut. Miami hopes its partial rebuild, combined with internal growth, can push the team back into East contention.
X-factor
Kel’el Ware. He enters his second season as a potential game-changer for Miami. The 7-foot center and 2024 15th overall pick has the length and athleticism to protect the rim and finish inside, plus the touch and passing ability to stretch the floor.
A Second Team All-Rookie, Ware worked his way into the starting lineup in January and immediately flashed his upside on both ends. Among all rookies, from Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season, he ranked first in total rebounds (435), second in made field goals (233), third in blocks (62) and fifth in points (541). In the playoffs against Cleveland, Miami allowed 10.1 fewer points per 100 possessions with Ware on the floor versus when he was off.
Working alongside three-time All-Star Bam Adebayo, Ware’s development could give Miami an elite frontcourt and a dominant interior presence on both ends.
> Watch Kel’el Ware on NBA League Pass
One key question
Can Miami close games? The Heat’s 37-45 record undersells how competitive they really were. Yes, they finished eight games below .500, but they still closed the season with a positive net rating (+0.5) and routinely built big leads, only to squander them late.
Twenty-two of Miami’s 45 losses came after leading by double-digits — tied for the most by any team in the 29 seasons of available play-by-play data. It also lost 15 games when leading after the 3rd quarter, tied for the most by any team in the last 41 years, and were 14-28 in clutch games.
The good news? Those historic numbers are unlikely to repeat themselves, especially with Erik Spoelstra steering the ship, who owns a 787-572 (57.2%) all-time record, including a 473-380 (55.5%) mark in clutch games. The first round sweep at the hands of Cleveland was a harsh ending, but it shouldn’t overshadow the bigger picture:
Miami’s metrics point to a team better than its record, and with one of the league’s top coaches guiding a young core – with Adebayo, Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Mitchell and Ware all in their 20s – the Heat have plenty of reason for optimism.
Fantasy Outlook from RotoWire
The team at RotoWire broke down the top fantasy options for each team in the East. Here’s how they broke down some of the best options from the Heat:
“The Heat’s shockingly poor 2024-25 season didn’t lead to wholesale changes this offseason, with Norman Powell‘s addition via trade qualifying as the most noteworthy move. However, the re-signing of Davion Mitchell, who enjoyed his best stretch of play with the Heat since his rookie 2021-22 campaign in Sacramento after being acquired from the Raptors on Feb. 6, is also expected to pay dividends by providing the second unit with a dynamic presence on both ends of the floor.
Meanwhile, Tyler Herro, Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo form a potent veteran first-unit quartet. Versatile seven-footer Kel’el Ware is expected to take the next step in his second season after drawing 26 combined regular-season and playoff starts as a rookie.”
Key dates
- Preseason Opener: Oct. 4 vs. Magic (8 ET, League Pass)
- Regular Season Opener: Oct. 22 at Magic (7 ET, League Pass)
- Home Opener: Oct. 26 vs. Knicks (6 ET, League Pass)
- Emirates NBA Cup East Group C Play: Nov. 7 vs. Hornets (8 ET, League Pass), Nov. 14 at Knicks (7 ET, Prime), Nov. 21 at Bulls (8 ET, League Pass), Nov. 26 vs. Bucks (7:30 ET, League Pass)
What they’re saying
William Guillory, The Athletic: “The Heat have done a decent job of building this roster while maximizing the limited assets they brought into the offseason. Turning Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson into Norman Powell was a major win, even if Powell is 32 and looking for a new contract. Drafting Kasparas Jakučionis at No. 20 was a win for Miami, considering many draft analysts regarded him as a top-10 pick for most of the summer. Bringing back Davion Mitchell on a reasonable deal was also smart.” (Read More)
