No Love: Miami Heat Strike Out in NBA Insiders Offseason Survey

The annual ESPN insiders survey dropped this week, and if you’re a Miami Heat fan, you may have noticed something: silence. Amid hundreds of words on Jokic’s dominance, Oklahoma City’s repeat chances, and Atlanta’s aggressive summer, the Heat didn’t even get a passing mention except for one lonely vote in the “Where will LeBron be in 2026?” category.

That absence speaks volumes, especially for an organization so used to being at the top.

This summer was defined by flux in Miami. The Jimmy Butler era, one that brought two NBA Finals trips and a gritty cultural showcase of “Heat basketball,” effectively ended when Miami finally moved on from their aging star in the middle of last season. What followed wasn’t a teardown, but it wasn’t exactly a splash either.

The Heat’s biggest transaction was a three-team shuffle that netted them Norman Powell from the Clippers. The deal sent out Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson, essentially meaning the Heat got Norman Powell for nothing and is a great move that enables them to stay competitive while also having future flexibility.

On paper, Powell is exactly the kind of player who should fit Miami’s identity: a proven scorer, playoff-tested, comfortable in both on- and off-ball roles. He averaged 21.8 points last year for the Clippers on efficient shooting splits and has shown he can swing a playoff game when his jumper is falling. In theory, he’s the type of “under-the-radar” addition the Heat have thrived on before.

And yet, no votes and no mentions. Not in “best offseason moves,” not in “teams on the rise.” Why?

Part of it comes down to narrative. When Kevin Durant shifts to Houston or Desmond Bane changes conferences, those moves warp the playoff picture. Norman Powell, while steady, doesn’t register in the same league-shaking way. More importantly, the Heat are caught between timelines: Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are in their prime, Jaime Jaquez Jr, Kel'el Ware and Nikola Jović are still developing, and without Butler, the franchise lacks a clear alpha. That murkiness makes it hard for insiders to peg Miami as either a contender or a rebuilder.

The Powell trade was smart, but not seismic. It made Miami better on the margins, but it didn’t shift the Eastern Conference hierarchy. That’s why Cleveland, New York, and even upstarts like Orlando and Atlanta drew attention --while the Heat were left in the dark.

For Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, that invisibility may sting. Then again, it may also be fuel. Miami has always thrived on being overlooked, and if Powell can provide the scoring punch, they quietly lacked last season, maybe the insiders will be reminded come spring that the Heat never truly go away.

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