ESPN’s odds for who will represent the Eastern Conference in the 2026 NBA Finals don’t paint the Miami Heat as legitimate contenders. After all, nine teams in the conference have better odds to win the East.
Despite the consensus view about Miami heading into the 2025-26 season, star big man Bam Adebayo thinks the Heat are contenders.
The talent level the Heat have on their roster doesn’t necessarily resemble that of a team in contention. While Miami isn’t short on solid players, there is no real superstar player in the fold, and in a star-driven league, players of that caliber are often needed to win at a high level.
Miami also wasn’t even close to contention last season, and while the team did add veteran guard Norman Powell this offseason, he can only do so much to move the needle. The Heat just barely cracked the 2025 NBA Playoffs and were then embarrassed in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ultimately, barring a trade for a top talent, it’s difficult to envision the Heat taking such a big leap compared to the season prior and being championship contenders. But at the same time, Miami still might be able to make more noise in the East than expected this season.
The Eastern Conference is not looking as formidable as it did a season ago, as there are teams that have taken steps back on paper, such as the Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks. Not only that, but the Heat were behind one of the more improbable playoff runs in modern NBA history not too long ago.
Back in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, the Heat were just the No. 8 seed in the East, yet they managed to reach the NBA Finals and came up only three wins short of a championship. They became just the second No. 8 seed in playoff history to advance all the way to the NBA Finals.
No one can be sure exactly how the upcoming season will go for Miami, but it certainly isn’t a bad thing that someone like Adebayo has belief in his squad.