The 2025 NBA offseason isn't officially on just yet, and the rumor mill already appears overloaded with basketball's best and brightest stars.
Heat president Pat Riley must be wide-eyed dreaming about the possibilities at his fingertips.
Even with full-fledged "whales" like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant making their rounds on the rumor circuit, this isn't the right time for a hunt. Not when Miami is more than one player away from cracking the championship race. And certainly not when next summer could offer countless more possibilities than this one.
The 2026 offseason allows the Heat a possibility of radical change
Riley might be rolling his eyes at this suggestion already. He is 80 years old, as competitive as anyone, and perpetually pushing for maximum competitiveness.
To be honest, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo probably aren't thrilled at the idea of waiting another year for more help, either. Herro is a 25-year-old first-time All-Star who just saw what happens when made the focal point of a playoff opponent's defensive game plan. Adebayo is a 27-year-old three-time All-Star whose stock and statistics took a hit during an uncharacteristically turbulent season in South Beach.
So, it's not only that there are likely several voices inside the organization pushing for roster upgrades, but also that those voices belong to some of the most prominent people in the entire franchise.
And yet, all of them are worth ignoring—for now. If the aim of the Heat is finding sustainable, high-level success, the opportunity to do so won't arrive until next summer.
There are a few different reasons for that.
For starters, Miami's finances are a bit muddy at the moment, but that won't be the case for much longer. Terry Rozier and Duncan Robinson are both approaching the final seasons of their contracts, per Spotrac. That alone could get more than $46 million off the books. Plus, there's a chance Andrew Wiggins plays well enough this season to think he can do better than his $30.2 million player option for 2026-27.
Flexibility is coming, in other words, so long as Miami waits for it. And even though free agency has been less inviting during the current collective bargaining agreement, the 2026 class still looks loaded. Several elites could extend their current contracts, and there might still be difference-makers on the board.
If the trade market still looks most inviting, the Heat will be better equipped to take advantage of it. For starters, they'd only be out one of their first-round picks (a 2027 first with lottery protection). Their young players (a group perhaps featuring a new lottery pick if Miami slides during the upcoming season) might be more appealing with another year of growth. Plus, the financial flexibility could make it easier to broker big trades.
The Heat should have more clarity regarding their core by then, too. How does Herro follow up his first All-Star season? Can Adebayo expand his offensive arsenal? Where (if anywhere) do up-and-comers like Kel'el Ware, Pelle Larsson, Nikola Jović and Jaime Jaquez Jr. fit? Can this defense regain its elite form? Can this offense find a way out of the basement?
This probably won't be a fun process, particularly in light of the big-name possibilities seemingly available now. The Heat need to think beyond instant gratification, though. There's a way to grow this group into a perennial contender organically. It'll just take time and plenty of patience and discipline during a temptation-filled offseason.