Pelle Larsson may already be proving the Miami Heat haters wrong. With his impressive play for Team Sweden, he is showing that the Heat's supporting cast has a much higher ceiling than many are currently giving them credit for.
During his most recent FIBA performance against Finland, Larsson finished with 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field. He also grabbed five rebounds in Sweden's win. It may not be NBA competition, but Larsson seems to already be gearing up for what will end up being a truly important season for him.
If Larsson isn't in mid-season form, he's awfully close.
Pelle Larsson can raise the ceiling for the Gianns-led Heat
Heading into the Heat's first season of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era, it's safe to say that Larsson could end up playing a pivotal role.
Even after the signing of Klay Thompson, most would still consider the Heat to have somewhat of an underwhelming supporting cast around Giannis. And while we can certainly have a back-and-forth debate on that front, even the most optimistic Heat fans would have to admit that it could use some work.
But that's where an unexpected jump from a player like Larsson can come into play. Most of those projections of the Heat's supporting cast leaving much to be desired are built around the idea that many of the Heat's reserves won't make a big leap.
In fact, I think I can honestly say that there are many league-wide analysts who would know a lot about Larsson. He's not a household name yet. He's not a name the average NBA fan (or even prognosticator) knows.
However, that could change. And Larsson may already be making a claim for that before the season even begins. And if he is able to make a big unexpected leap, that's going to make a lot of Heat haters look awfully foolish this season.
Pelle Larsson could an unexpected game-changer for the Heat
If Larsson emerges as one of the best bench players in the league, or even overtakes a foothold as the full-time starter in Miami, it certainly will change the perception of how the Heat are viewed.
If Larsson gives the Heat a consistent fourth or fifth player, it changes everything about what this team might be able to do. At the very least, it will help strengthen their stance as a dark-horse contender in the conference.
And if his performance in FIBA play is any indication, maybe the Heat do expect a leap from Larsson that no one else in the league is. If that's what indeed happens, it's going to make a lot of the Heat's biggest critics eat their words this season.
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