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All signs point to golden opportunity for Heat in weakened Eastern Conference

Several teams are expected to take a step back in the Eastern Conference
ByBenjamin Henderson|
Apr 11, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Apr 11, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat will enter the 2025-26 campaign with a roster that is roughly the same as it was at the end of the 2024-25 season. The addition of Norman Powell does add some offensive punch, and the Heat drafted a potential steal when Kasparas Jakucionis fell to them (Summer League notwithstanding), but Miami is otherwise planning on its younger players to step up and keep the team moving forward.

But even though the Miami Heat didn't get a massive upgrade to its roster, there is a pathway to still make noise given the state of the rest of the Eastern Conference.

A weak East should give Miami hope

ESPN polled NBA Insiders on which teams were poised to take a leap and which teams were likely to take a tumble this upcoming season.

While Miami did not make the list of teams expected to make a jump, it might do so anyway based on the teams expected to fall. Milwaukee, Boston, Philadelphia, and Indiana were all included in the top six teams expected to "take a tumble."

This isn't groundbreaking news per se, but it is a reminder of just how much of a talent drain there is going to be in the Eastern Conference to start the year.

Milwaukee lost Damian Lillard, and who knows what state of mind Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to be in after an offseason of trade speculation.

Boston is going to be without Jayson Tatum while he recovers from his injury, and that's on top of trading away Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday.

Indiana was one game away from winning the NBA Finals, but they, too, are going to be without Tyrese Haliburton as he recovers from the Achilles injury he suffered.

Outside of Cleveland and New York, there really isn't going to be a juggernaut in the East to start the 2025-26 season. Orlando and Atlanta are the two rising darlings in the East, but their rosters aren't so far ahead of Miami's that the Heat will feel overmatched.

It all adds up to a pathway where, if Miami can pick off some games here and there against some weakened teams waiting to get their stars back, they can rise up the standings even if their roster is mostly the same.

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