Miami Heat preseason comes to a close: three takeaways vs Memphis

The Heat preseason came to a close on Friday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, after getting some run with a relatively healthy team minus Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Nikola Jovic.

For the first time this season, we got a look at a real rotation feel as the Heat went to a nine man rotation in the first half, as the next stepping stone is to see if Heat go ten when Jovic returns, or if somebody is on the outside looking in with a nine man rotation.

Either way, here are three things that jumped out from this one...

1. A defensive trio to expect a lot of this season.

hea — Oct 17, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) fouls Memphis Grizzlies guard Javon Small (10) in the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

I've talked a lot about the staggering the Heat plan to do with Norman Powell and the second unit, most likely next to Jaime Jaquez, Nikola Jovic, and Kel'el Ware. But if that's the next lineup after the starting group, who becomes the one to follow? Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Bam Adebayo are the three names to keep in mind. That trio will be starting games with their stifling defense, but it feels like something that'll be relied upon in the non-Powell minutes until Herro returns. A possession in this game made this trio jump off the page: Adebayo and Wiggins switch a Ty Jerome-Jaren Jackson Jr action (because why not), and the next piece of the puzzle consists of Mitchell chasing Jaylen Wells. Miami won't be conceding that switch onto Jackson, so he fights over the top, ending in his first forced offensive foul of the night due to a moving screen. Those three have a chance to make some noise on that end of the floor.

2. A veteran and a young buck flashing real two-man chemistry.

Speaking of the offensive trio of Powell-Jovic-Ware, we got a look at two of those guys against Memphis showing off a real natural two man game. We haven't seen a ton of Powell and Ware this preseason aside from a bit to start the game in Atlanta, but Spo had the offense running through those two guys for pockets tonight. Powell flying off pin-downs from Ware into catapulting threes on the move, and a flurry of lob passes from Powell to Ware out of the pick and roll. One of Powell's most underrated aspects is his ability to get downhill, all happening based off the gravity on the perimeter when he catches in space. It seems like a two man chemistry is building. And if so, that does wonders for when Herro returns so they don't have to break him away from Adebayo completely.

3. Bam Adebayo finding his offensive footing right before game one.

We finally reached the annual Bam Adebayo vs Jaren Jackson Jr legacy game in preseason. Driven through defensive accolades and expectations, these two guys always seem to take their match-ups personal. With that said, Adebayo has needed some type of scoring outbreak this preseason to get him into that regular season mode, and this was that game. 23 points through three quarters on 9 of 17 shooting. He was aggressive, got to his spots in the mid-range, and knocked down a couple of three balls. It doesn't mean much on this Friday night for the Heat's captain, but it does provide some positive things as he searches to use this momentum into the season opener in five days.