Miami Heat Faces 2026 Season Decision on Herro and Adebayo

Miami, FL — The Miami Heat are preparing to assess their future in the 2026 NBA season, focusing on whether the duo of Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo can lead the team to a championship. Team president Pat Riley plans to evaluate the pair’s potential before deciding on a potential rebuild.

If Riley concludes that Herro and Adebayo are not championship contenders, he may act swiftly to initiate a rebuild. Currently, the Heat seem committed to giving the Herro-Adebayo combination a fair chance, without the distractions that arose from Jimmy Butler’s drama last season.

One trade scenario that has sparked discussions involves the Heat sending Adebayo to the Golden State Warriors, where he would reunite with Butler. In this hypothetical trade, Miami would receive Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2031 second-round pick. However, analysts observe that neither team appears likely to pursue this deal currently.

The Warriors want to see if their core of Stephen Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green can perform well in the competitive Western Conference without adding another All-Star. On the other hand, the Heat are under no pressure to offload Adebayo, especially with three years remaining on his contract.

As the season unfolds, the possibility of this trade becoming more realistic may increase if both teams struggle. For now, the trade is viewed as highly unlikely.

Separately, the Heat’s acquisition of Norman Powell in a three-team deal with the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz has positioned them as serious contenders in the Eastern Conference. Miami traded away several veterans yet managed to enhance their roster without sacrificing long-term assets.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps commented on the Heat’s shift, noting it occurs at a time when the franchise’s direction appeared uncertain. He said, “We have talked a lot about how the Heat are sort of stuck in no man’s land… They are always going to try to be competitive day to day.”

Powell joins the Heat after a standout season in which he averaged 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Bontemps sees Powell’s addition as a significant boost, reshaping the team’s expectations for the upcoming season. He remarked, “You can make an argument adding a guy like Norman essentially for free… Miami could be a team that is top 4 in the east.”

As the Heat move forward, the focus will remain on maximizing their current roster while evaluating their future prospects.