The 3 Things That Went Most Right for the Miami Heat in Preseason

No one hangs banners in the preseason, not even the franchises with much less success than the Miami Heat over the past three decades.

Wins and losses, naturally, don't matter much -- the Heat's winless 2025-26 preseason was followed by a scorching regular season start, which unfortunately they could not sustain.

But there are trends that can carry over. Connectivity among regulars who will see action together once the season starts. Overall attitude, and whether players appear engaged with the coach and each other. And health, of course. That typically matters most.

In that sense, this has been a rather promising beginning for this latest Heat build, this one around the squad's latest superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's hard to identify much that has gone awry so far, and much more difficult to narrow the positive developments to three.

But here are those that stand out most:

1. Mission Statement

Oct 8, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (7) looks on before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For all the superstars the Miami Heat have had over the past three decades -- and you can argue that only the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs have had as many or more -- they may not have had one who took everything as seriously as Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yes, there was Playoff Jimmy, but Butler didn't care about the regular season all that much, let alone the preseason. Shaq? It took some time to get the Big Fella going, and caring. LeBron James went hard every regular season night, and Dwyane Wade did even on some lost cause squads. But the preseason? Maybe only Alonzo Mourning, even if it's hard to remember. Giannis set a tone here from the start, in word and deed. He wants to be known as the best player in the world. He wants to be top 10 all-time. He wants another title. He's on full tilt, as evidenced not only by scoring a point a minute but by his creative passing and inspired defense, and that's what the Miami Heat traded much of their prior team for. It appears absolutely worth the cost, and more.

2. Much in Reserve

Oct 16, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Bobby Portis Jr. (95) shoots a three point basket against Orlando Magic center-forward Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There will always be reasonable depth concerns when a team trades three core contributors, all of whom were first-round picks, along with a promising guard who had found minutes as a rookie. But the Heat have done this build-around-a-superstar thing before, so it's unclear why so many assumed that they would be incapable of reloading quickly. The build is different now; they need veterans in support, and they added two (one in the Giannis trade itself, Bobby Portis Jr.) and one on a palatable deal in free agency (Tim Hardaway Jr.) who exceeded anyone's modest expectations in training camp and preseason. Both have shot well, as expected, but they've also quickly blended in other ways. Portis Jr's personality has always made him a natural fit for Heat Culture; Hardaway Jr. was born into it through his famous father. The two of them, with Pelle Larsson, should give Miami one of the better three-man benches in the league, with all capable of competing for Sixth Man of the Year, if the other two weren't in the way.

3. Style Success

Oct 8, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (22) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Heat paired Giannis with Bam Adebayo, the thought from some was that Miami would return to its 1990s Pat Riley roots, and try to bludgeon teams with a slow-down style, with scores in the 90s. Instead, Erik Spoelstra pressed the gas; the scores might reach the 90s by the middle of the third quarter. Spoelstra is leaning into his read-and-react, don't-slow-down strategy of the prior season.... except with more athletic players. That requires buy in, because as Spoelstra has noted, many players say they want to run but don't really. This group, however, is committed to the style, at least for now. It may require Spoelstra to play more than nine players regularly, just to avoid wearing anyone down. But with Ryan Conwell Jr. and Nikola Jovic both popping at times in preseason, the coach should have the confidence to do so. The Heat's fast approach may allow them to get off to a fast start, since opponents won't be fully prepared for the pace.

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