It was a tumultuous season for the Miami Heat, but after a first-round sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, it’s finally over. The All U Can Heat staff got together to discuss their takeaways from a disappointing, though eventful, season.
Q: How would you explain this season to someone who doesn’t pay attention to the Heat or the NBA?
Daniel Riccio: A lost season in professional sports, taken over by off-the-court drama that clouded an entire organization. Imagine a team’s best player quickly becoming disgruntled and forcing his way out of town, while bringing down the vibes and focus of his former teammates. For a squad that went into this season with championship expectations, they had to pivot on the fly and attempt to succeed halfway through with the top player — who could’ve been the only man that made those expectations possible at the time – quitting on the team.
Noah Decker: At a time when ratings were reaching a low point, a shocking trade reignited fan interest and set the stage for a dramatic season. Unfortunately for the Heat, their drama involving a disgruntled star was too much for them to mentally overcome, leading to a disastrous second half of the season.
Stephanie Meadows: A roller-coaster ride. It had its positive moments, including good player development (Kel’el Ware, Tyler Herro), as I always like to see both sides. As a major Heat fan, that embarrassing loss is not how we wanted it to end. The season ended emphatically, and even though we weren’t going to win the series against Cleveland, I wish the Heat had come out fighting and resilient as they did against the Bulls and Hawks. We’re a team that doesn’t usually give up, and sadly, the events that took place with Jimmy Butler’s trade request plagued the locker room in a lot of ways. Stemming from the culmination of a season gone wrong from the start, if this sweep taught us anything, it's that change is needed.
Joshua Gitman: A “reset” season. Tension between Pat Riley and Jimmy Butler built all summer and continued into the season. Moving on was the right move, but clearly, the drama affected the team. Now, the front office can focus on finding the next star to pair alongside Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
Q: What were your honest expectations before the season, and when did you realize that things would go differently?
Noah Decker: I thought the Heat would be around the seventh or eighth in the East, since that is where they ended up the previous two seasons. I hoped that with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo working together, the Heat could make one more miracle playoff run before their window officially closed. It took me until around Christmas to realize that Butler was truly unhappy in Miami and that things would change. The Heat blew double-digit leads all season, and when it continued past the trade, I knew it was going to be a rough time for the Heat, even if they made the playoffs.
Stephanie Meadows: Honestly, I was not expecting what happened this season. However, the minute Jimmy said he found “no joy” in Miami anymore in that postgame presser, I knew something didn’t feel right, a woman’s intuition at its finest. He was already acting up, not looking like himself, and quitting on his teammates, but I wasn’t aware of what was to come. It was bigger than Butler’s usual talk and gimmicks. The Heat, unfortunately, were not able to find a way to keep their leads and compete against some of the best teams. It’s time for a reset, and come October, I hope the team is ready to go and the stench of quitting is no longer in that arena.
Joshua Gitman: The eighth seed. Why would I expect anything different when the front office made no moves to improve the roster? I was not surprised when the Heat snuck into the playoffs because, despite the 10-game losing streak, I believed they still had a better roster than the Hawks and Bulls. The difference was that without Butler, the Heat stood no chance against a far more talented Cavaliers squad.
Daniel Riccio: I truly fell for the “contract year Jimmy” hype, thinking that the Heat could have secured a top-five seed with Butler leading the way for at least one final postseason run. Perhaps I always thought the situation had the potential to get ugly, but as a fan of both Butler and the Heat, I was hoping it wouldn’t. By Christmas Day, when Shams first stirred the speculation that Butler was open to playing elsewhere, I knew it was all going to be over.
Q: Is there one mistake the Heat made that could have avoided this outcome? If so, what was it?
Noah Decker: There are a lot of trades that the Heat didn’t make that probably would have helped, but it is difficult to assess those without hearing what trade negotiations sounded like. Instead, I will focus on a trade the Heat did make, which was trading for Terry Rozier. He became unplayable by the end of the season while making $24 million. With one of the worst contracts in the league, it puts the Heat in a tough spot financially.
Stephanie Meadows: I think the obvious answer would be not trading Jimmy Butler in the summer instead of waiting during the season at the trade deadline. It disrupted the team in many ways, and it could have been avoided, or at least the situation could have been handled very differently by Butler and the front office.
Joshua Gitman: Yes! Trading Butler in the summer. If Miami traded him in the summer, they would have avoided all the drama between Butler and the front office during the season. How could you not know Butler would make a scene after not being offered the max? Plus, the Heat probably could’ve gotten more assets in a deal.
Daniel Riccio: Yes— refusing to pay your franchise superstar that gave you the most successful years in over a decade. I always understood the front office’s reluctance to commit to a 35-year-old, aging star. But at the same time, Butler is still a great player who can make an impact on a contending team. Now, Pat Riley gets to sit back and witness his team get swept out of the postseason while Butler is on the verge of leading the Warriors to the next round of the NBA playoffs.
Q: What path should the Heat take this offseason? Go all-in for a star, take a gap year and wait for the summer of 2026, or begin a full rebuild?
Noah Decker: I would like to see them go for a star. Despite Tyler Herro taking a tremendous leap this season, it is clear the Heat are still missing a number one option offensively. If you add that to a team with Herro and Adebayo, you probably feel pretty good about your chances in the East.
Stephanie Meadows: Firing the whole coaching staff and trading away all the players on the current roster is not the answer or realistic. We need to find a player who can facilitate the offense and be a leader on the floor, both during the regular season and in the playoffs.
Joshua Gitman: It depends. If the right player is available, I say go for it. If not, Miami is in great position to make a big move in the summer of 2026. This offseason, I would focus on tinkering around the edges. Next summer, the Heat will have the cap space to sign someone to a max contract. Free agents in 2026 include Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant and Trae Young.
Daniel Riccio: Heat Nation doesn’t deserve another season of being stuck in no-man’s land. The front office has refused to pick a direction for years now, and seems to have nothing but excuses. They need to go all-in for a star this offseason— nobody should want to hear about 2026 after the season the Heat just had. Miami has assets, including young players, expiring salary and three tradeable first-round picks. Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo should be the biggest names on the market in the coming months. And the front office owes it to the fans to pounce.
Q: Let’s start putting the whiteboard together. Who is at the top of your list as a potential offseason target?
Noah Decker: Kevin Durant. He has previously shown an interest in Miami and is almost certain to be available for trade. Entering the final year of his contract, he might go for a surprisingly low price. A player like Durant is someone you always want to go for if you can.
Stephanie Meadows: Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although Durant is an outstanding scorer and could improve the offensive potential with Tyler Herro, I think this would not be a wise choice given his age and injuries. In light of the management issues facing the Milwaukee Bucks and how their season went, Antetokounmpo could be motivated to join a more ambitious franchise. Whether Giannis even considers Miami to be an ideal destination will emerge as one of the most compelling storylines this offseason.
Joshua Gitman: Giannis Antetokoumpo. Everyone would be on the table to trade. Yes, he's 30, but we're talking about someone who is a top-three player in the league. If Miami wants to become the attractive destination it once was, it must do whatever it takes to get the Greek Freak if he becomes available, even if that means trading Bam Adebayo. More realistically, if the Heat move on from Duncan Robinson, I would love for them to sign Luke Kennard. He can surely fill Robinson's role on the team.
Daniel Riccio: Kevin Durant. A pairing between KD and South Beach has been long overdue. Riley tends to circle back on players he has coveted in the past. Durant is a more realistic target than Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime, who could maximize a Heat title window for the next 2-3 years. Get it done.