"While it wasn't exactly formal, exactly one year ago today, Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler not-so-subtly requested a trade away from the organization. The relationship between and the organization continued to deteriorate over the next several weeks, which ultimately led to him being moved in early February to Golden State. While Miami fell apart down the stretch without its former star, its start to 2025-26 was much more encouraging."
"Through the 30-game mark, the Heat are currently 15-15, good enough for the No. 8 seed in the East. They are sandwiched between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Hawks and Bulls, who are tied for the No. 9 seed. Last year, the Heat was 16-14 through 30 games. But if you peel back the curtain, there's more than just one similarity."
Miami sits 15-15 through 30 games in 2025-26, occupying a similar playoff-seeding range as the prior season. Offensive and defensive ratings, NET rating, rebounding percentage, turnover rate, three-point percentage, and effective field goal percentage all remain close to last season's figures. Norman Powell has taken on a larger role in place of Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, while injuries to Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson have impacted depth. Pace has regressed over the last nine games, and the team has the same number of wins versus top-10 NET teams despite playing five more games. A difficult upcoming schedule could influence whether recent struggles continue.
Read at Hot Hot Hoops - Miami HEAT NBA Blog
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