Time has flown by in 2025. We are less than a week away from Christmas Day. Don’t forget to do your last-minute shopping! While the Miami Heat will get the day off, what are 10 things on our Heat Christmas wishlist as the days approach? Here are mine!
(Editor’s note: The aforementioned wishes are in no specific order)
A consistently good offense:
The Heat were a bottom-third offense each of the last three seasons entering 2025-26. They started this year off on the right note with a new up-tempo, free-flowing offense. Miami was playing at a back-breaking pace, but was still the No. 13 unit through 20 games. They’ve now dropped ever-so-slightly to No. 17 despite being the fifth-highest scoring team while remaining atop the league in pace. I think they’re closer to 17 than No. 5, too.
A playable backup big:
Sorry, Vlad Goldin. But Miami doesn’t have a playable big not named Bam Adebayo or Kel’el Ware. It hasn’t had a good backup big since the 2020-21 version of Dewayne Dedmon, who regressed. Cody Zeller was bad, and Thomas Bryant was even worse. Kelly Olynyk or Chris Anderson isn’t walking through that door. Additionally, a playable backup big allows the Heat to play Ware and Adebayo more together, where they can work out their struggles. That’s the end-goal, right?!
Giannis Antetokounmpo:
Well, duh! He’s a top-3 player in the sport when healthy!
Bam Adebayo to win Defensive Player of the Year:
Adebayo’s been one of the NBA’s best defenders since he became a full-time starter in 2019-20. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more versatile defender than him. After five top-5 finishes in DPOY, when you could argue he should’ve won at least two in 2021-22 and 2023-24, it’s time for him to win one!
An NBA Title:
Hanging championship banners and having championship parades down Biscayne Bay is fun! Sue me!
Erik Spoelstra to win Coach of the Year:
Similar to Adebayo, a Coach of the Year award for Spoelstra is the last missing award off his storied resume.
Lottery luck at some point in future, if they’re there:
Yes, the Miami Heat will always strive to make the playoffs. You play to win the game, so I understand that! But should there be a season when the Heat underperforms, some lottery luck would be nice! In 11 appearances in the lottery, the Miami Heat have never moved up. As the NBA’s talent pool proliferates, is adding one of the top-tier prospects too much to ask?!
Continued strides from young players:
Growth isn’t linear, but Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson have all made strides in their growth. Nikola Jovic has taken a slight step back this year, but is just 22-years-old and has made tangible strides both defensively and as a floor spacer from when he first entered the league. We’ve still barely seen Kasparas Jakucionis, who was a top-7 prospect (on my board) heading into the 2025 class. Though I’d argue he’s made strides in his development as a ballhandler, point-of-attack defender and decision-maker, too.
NBA to reward Heat with compensatory pick amid Terry Rozier scandal:
It’s an obvious solution, Adam Silver!
Health:
Someone please sage the locker room or sprinkle some sort of magic pixie dust to keep them healthy!
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The more I think about it, the more I believe it would be a huge mistake to break up the tandem of Ware and Bam. For the first time in forever, Miami finally has a front court that can compete with the elite teams.
Furthermore, I believe Powell is a top notch all-star caliber SG and Mitchell is a top notch, point of attack, pass first, all Defense caliber PG. Whether as a starter or as a back-up PG, he is a keeper. Finally, JJJ is a very good 6th man candidate who brings energy, rebounding, playmaking and aggressiveness on both offense and defense.
Bam, Ware, Powell, Mitchell, Jaquez is a good starting point for the future. In addition, it makes sense to keep most of the players who are still on their rookie contracts, including: Smith, Larsson and Jakucionis.
That brings us to the two weaknesses Miami needs to address:
The expendable players who can be traded by the February 5th deadline are:
In addition, one other player will be available for trade next summer:
New Orleans and Sacramento could be good trading partners, if a ss/whale is not available. Where there is a will, there is a way.