The Miami Heat have made one of the most dramatic moves of the NBA offseason, bringing in Giannis Antetokounmpo to pair with Bam Adebayo—but questions remain about whether they have enough perimeter shooting to maximize their new superstar duo.
Offensive Ceiling Hinges on Shooting
While Miami’s defense looks poised to be elite, the big question is whether the Heat can space the floor enough offensively. The Bucks surrounded Giannis with shooters, finishing top 10 in 3-point percentage in four of his last five seasons in Milwaukee. Miami, meanwhile, has lost last season’s top two high-volume shooters—Tyler Herro and Norman Powell—and will need new arrivals and returning players to step up.
The Heat added Bobby Portis (45.6% from three) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (40.7%) and will rely on Andrew Wiggins (41.4%) and Simone Fontecchio (37.5%) to provide outside firepower. Nikola Jović and Pelle Larsson will need to boost their efficiency, while Adebayo is still developing consistency from deep. With Giannis drawing attention inside, teammates will get more open looks—a key opportunity, but also a challenge if their percentages don’t improve.
Defensive Foundation Remains Strong
Defensively, Miami’s outlook is excellent. Adebayo anchors a unit that has been top 10 in defensive rating for much of the last decade, and Antetokounmpo adds length, versatility, and elite help defense. Wiggins and Davion Mitchell give the Heat strong options to defend wings and point guards, and coach Erik Spoelstra has a proven track record of mixing schemes and maximizing physicality.
Spoelstra’s use of switching and zone defense (the Heat switched on 38% of pick-and-rolls last season, third in the NBA) means Miami can tailor its strategy to any opponent—a major asset in the playoffs.
What’s Next?
With three open roster spots, Miami’s front office needs to find even more perimeter shooting to fully unlock Giannis and Bam’s potential. If the Heat can add reliable snipers and get internal shooting improvement, they could be one of the most dangerous teams in the East.
For now, expect a team that will be elite defensively—but with its title hopes riding on whether its shooters can answer the call.
