The Miami Heat have built a team with an elite interior and a surplus of questions along the perimeter. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo project to form one of the best frontcourt duos in the NBA, but Miami's lack of shooting and shot creation from the wings has become a key talking point.
With this in mind, it's up to backup big man Bobby Portis to ensure that Miami's interior dominance is sustained even when one of Adebayo and Antetokounmpo is off the court. Otherwise, the lack of ideal perimeter play will crush the Heat's title aspirations.
Portis has been understandably overlooked as a brilliant offseason addition. He was, after all, included in the trade that brought Antetokounmpo—a two-time MVP and one-time NBA champion, Finals MVP, and Defensive Player of the Year—to Miami.
With a perimeter that's devoid of a go-to scoring option or a top-tier playmaker, however, Portis will play the pivotal role of helping to sustain a high level of play in a rare area of strength on offense.
Miami still needs to generate offense from the perimeter, but if it's going all-in on its interior being the source of its success, then it must be able to play winning basketball when Adebayo or Antetokounmpo are sitting. Nikola Jovic could shoulder some of that burden at the 4, but Portis projects to be the only truly proven backup actual big man on the roster.
With this in mind, the Heat desperately need Portis to deliver another season in which he's a Sixth Man of the Year candidate to have a shot at competing in a revamped Eastern Conference.
Heat need Bobby Portis to help interior thrive with or without the stars
The good news for Miami is that Portis finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting in both 2022-23 and 2023-24. The better news is that his quality hasn't declined, as he was actually one of the few players who excelled on a lowly Milwaukee Bucks side in 2025-26.
This past season, Portis averaged 13.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.3 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, and 2.0 three-point field goals made in 24.2 minutes per game on .488/.456/.706 shooting.
Considering Antetokounmpo missed 46 games, it's safe to say that Portis proved he can thrive with or without a star teammate. He also made an impressive statement on the defensive end of the floor, where he ranked in the 82nd percentile in rim deterrence and the 94th percentile in screener rim defense, per Basketball Index.
Having averaged 20.3 points per 36 minutes on lights-out shooting with solid interior defense to boot, Portis did everything Miami will need him to replicate in 2026-27.
If Portis is successful in doing so, then the Heat will be able to lean on their interior in a way that doesn't necessarily overburden Antetokounmpo. Even when he's resting, it can still be their North Star. If Portis struggles, however, then finding the ideal moment to rest either Antetokounmpo or Adebayo could prove to border on impossible.
It's a heavy burden for a supporting player to carry, but Portis will be nothing short of essential to the Heat's success until they can find the ideal perimeter talent to resolve their shot creation woes.
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