Two Heat leaders call their shot for contender status

Setting goals between people within the Heat building compared to those outside of it is usually a tricky thing. Many outsiders look at a realistic goal being crawling out of the play-in tournament and trying to grab a top 6 seed in the injury ridden Eastern Conference this season.

As for some Miami Heat players, they're currently setting their goals even higher than that: contender status.

“People [are] going to call us crazy, but I think we’re a contender”

- Bam Adebayo

(Via @andscape ) pic.twitter.com/MA7IXZYHG6
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 30, 2025

Bam Adebayo even said in an interview with Andscape: "People [are] going to call us crazy, but I think we’re a contender."

There's been a lot of talk about the short term goals of surviving life without Tyler Herro, but the reality of the NBA is that it's a long, grueling season of preparation for things that you don't know is coming next.

Keeping a focus in the long term scope within this organization is always crucial, but even more-so this season, as the young players are essential elements of how far this team can ultimately get to.

Norman Powell also hasn't been shy about propping up his new team. "We can be really good," Powell said in an interview with Andscape. "One thing that people don’t understand or see is that you don’t need a generational superstar or talent to be good to go and win a championship and have a deep playoff run."

Powell is a big believer in needing a well-rounded team with some experience with star players, which he called Tyler Herro and Adebayo. Also made sure to reference himself as a "budding star even though I'm 32."

"We have a great team built around guys who have an opportunity to step up and play bigger roles," Powell added. "And a team that’s hungry and ready to compete, ready to go after it and prove people wrong. We have the DNA to be a team to be feared going into the season.”

To be completely honest, the only way for you to compete in this league is for your leaders and star players to have that mindset, even if it appears unrealistic to some on the outside. Even looking back to the Heat's most recent star and leader of the past half decade, Jimmy Butler, he always made sure to instill confidence in the building that a championship was the one and only goal.

Herro, Adebayo, and Powell now hold the cards to keeping this Heat team in line with a focused mindset, especially with the rest of the rotation being filled with young guys below the age of 25 years old.