Miami Heat’s Offseason Provides A Sudden Change In Latest NBA Power Rankings

Following a successful offseason, the Miami Heat now have a path to regain some ground and return as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

NBA.com released its latest power rankings, and John Schuhmann broke down one of the Heat’s most significant weaknesses that plagued them most of last season. While their offseason success primarily stems from acquiring and retaining key perimeter talent, the big man duo of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware will have to take another leap to solve most of the Heat’s interior struggles.

“The Heat are one of four teams that have ranked in the bottom 10 offensively in each of the last three seasons,” Schuhmann said. “They were also one of only three teams (the Cavs and Thunder were the others) that ended last season with a league-high seven players who shot 37% or better on 100 or more 3-point attempts. They lacked inside scoring, ranking 23rd in field goal percentage in the paint, 24th in free throw rate, and 27th in offensive rebounding percentage.”

Another key aspect of the struggles last season was a sophomore slump from Jaime Jaquez Jr. after an impressive rookie season. Schuhmann explains why the addition of Norman Powell will also require some internal improvement from some other players on the Heat for them to return as a top team in the East.

“Powell (fifth in transition points per game) gives the offense more juice, but the Heat need more from their frontline,” Schuhmann continued. “Bam Adebayo has become more of a jump-shooter over the last two seasons, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. took a step backward after a promising rookie season. A Jaquez renaissance or improvement from center Kel’el Ware could give the Heat the offensive boost they need to get back into the top six in the East.”

MIAMI HEAT’S NORMAN POWELL CHANNELS MICHAEL JORDAN’S ICONIC FLU GAME IN FIBA

NBA fans got a great preview of the Miami Heat’s most significant addition of the offseason in the FIBA pre-qualifiers.

Norman Powell led Jamaica with a victory over Costa Rica, as he finished with 34 points, two assists, and three steals on 53 percent shooting and 55 percent from three-point range. The most impressive aspect of his performance was the fact he was able to summon his inner Michael Jordan and play through flu-like symptoms.

Norman Powell battled through a virus in Game 2 for Jamaica, dropping 34 points.

Powell: "I had a mission, a goal in mind when I committed to this team — to help them advance. I wasn’t going to pass up the chance… didn’t want to leave my teammates hanging."

(🎥:… pic.twitter.com/y25EwTidZG
— Heat Diehards (@HeatDiehards) August 11, 2025

“The last 48 hours after game one was a lot of good and a lot of bad,” Powell said. “During the game, I was feeling very fatigued, body sore, and I thought it was just being tired from jet lag. After that, I got a little treatment done, and I started throwing up. Then bad stomach pains, diarrhea, and really sick. Some type of food poisoning, and something I don’t know what it is, but I went from that to being bedridden all the way up until game two.”

Despite feeling very sick, Powell displayed plenty of toughness and leadership because he didn’t want to leave his teammates alone in a must-win game for the pre-qualifiers to advance in the group stage of FIBA.

“I’m always a person that’s going to lay it all out there,” Powell continued. “I always talk about going out on my shield. I had a mission and a goal in mind when committing to this team and helping them advance.”

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