On the heels of winning just 37 games in the 2024-25 regular season and getting swept in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat might not stick out to many people as legitimate title contenders, even in a weak Eastern Conference.
The Heat simply might not have the talent to be a top team in the East in the coming season. Miami has plenty of highly talented players but lacks a true centerpiece. But according to head coach Erik Spoelstra, the goal is still to win it all in the 2025-26 season.
“Well,” Spoelstra said, “hopefully we’re going to be a lot better than last year. We had to really navigate quite a few things during the season. But we did make the playoffs. The playoffs did not go how we wanted it to go, but the league is tough.
“We pride ourselves on finding a way to compete for a championship every single year, so that’s what our standard is, that’s what we’re aiming to do this year, and I think we have a good group. We have an exciting group of young players like Pelle [Larsson]. And we have experience, and have that competitive drive that we look for. So it’s a matter of putting it together and getting out there and competing for it.”
Larsson was mentioned because Spoelstra was making an appearance on Swedish television during a game that featured Larsson’s Sweden squad.
If the Heat want to legitimately contend for a title in the new season, members of their core will likely need to take major leaps forward. Some defensive growth from Tyler Herro and offensive growth from Bam Adebayo would certainly help, but that’s easier said than done.
But if any team can overcome the odds and compete for a title in 2026 sans a superstar on its roster, it might be the Heat, who have overachieved numerous times in the postseason with Spoelstra patrolling the sidelines.
After all, even with all of the drama surrounding Jimmy Butler that the Heat found themselves embroiled in for a solid chunk of last season and the many holes on their roster, they still managed to qualify for the 2025 NBA Playoffs thanks to a perfect showing in the play-in tourney. That’s a testament to Spoelstra and how he gets the most out of the rosters he has to work with.
Even if it doesn’t seem likely at this point, there is a possibility that the stars align for the Heat this season. Perhaps they’ll get production both from their young core and veterans and end up being one of the more formidable teams in the East. With any luck, that scenario will become a reality for the Heat in the coming season, and they will be in the mix for a title.