By admin 
Day two of camp pain is in the books for the Miami Heat. We have seen some high paced action so much so that Giannis Antetokounmpo said, he is adjusting to Miami’s “insane” pace according to Ira Winderman.
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Five days ago, Jonathan Ramlakhan wrote an article detailing what he believes the starting lineup will be, come the regular season. Let’s start there, as we look at other lineups that the Heat may or should feature during the game.
Giannis adjusting to “insane” pace of first Heat camp, “everything that I expected and more.” https://t.co/ccMqxdl3OX “I just want to leave my mark.”
– Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) September 30, 2026
THE STARTING LINE UP
Davion Mitchell – The former first round pick has found new life in Miami shooting his career best from the three-point percentage in the previous season at 44.7%. He followed that up this past season with 39.5% from deep on 3.5 attempts per game. He also hit his career high in assists at 6.5 per game. Everyone knows about his defensive prowess, but I think they are underestimating his offensive game and what he will mean to this up-tempo Miami squad.
Klay Thompson-The former Champion of the Golden State Warriors may not be the lockdown two-way defensive star that he was in his prime but his picture-perfect form is as good as ever.
Klay battled injuries all season last year and only started in eight games. He battled an adductor strain last offseason and never looked comfortable in Dallas which was a rebuilding team. That however didn’t stop him from shooting 38.3% from deep on high volume.
Andrew Wiggins – Wiggins was Miami’s most consistent player last season. He brought it every single night. He may not be the point of attack defender he used to be but, in this team, defensive scheme, he doesn’t have to be. He always won’t be tasked to handle the ball which isn’t his strong suit. He is one of the four Miami Heat players that shot over 41% last season.
Giannis Antetokounmp- The most dominate player in the Eastern Conference is surrounded by defenders and shooters. The offense will revolve around him and his massive gravity. It is impossible to play one on one coverage against Giannis. It will be a pick your poison approach trying to stop him in the paint or defend the three-point line which is manned by snipers.
Bam Adebayo- The captain of this Heat squad is still Bam. He is the heartbeat of the club. He may not be the 1-5 defender he was at his peak for every minute of the game but on this team, he won’t need to be. It is going to be a nightmare for every team night in and night out trying to score on these guys. He won’t have to carry such an offensive burden as he did last year. Miami doesn’t need another 83-point game, but they would love more consistency from their heart and soul on that end of the floor.
LINEUP COMBINATION #2
Davion Mitchell- I could see him being on the floor a ton this season.
Pelle Larsson-The first Substitution off the bench is likely to be Pelle coming in for Klay. He is the rising star role player that every offensive player loves to hit in the face. Larsson has made a big impression on Giannis for him to say in an interview “Pelle is effing good. I didn’t know. I did not know” The two found chemistry in practice where Giannis found him for multiple dunks off ball movement. That is one of Pelle strong suits.
Tim Hardaway Jr- I could see him coming in at the same time for Wiggins to keep him fresh throughout the season. He won’t be a turnstile on defense and is an excellent three-point shooter averaging 40.7% last season in Denver on 6.9 attempts per game.
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Bobby Portis-The old veteran and former teammate of Giannis looks to be in fantastic shape this training camp. His ability to stretch the floor will be a real asset.
Bam Adebayo-He will also play for about 30 minutes, and I can see Head Coach Erik Spoelstra staggering their minutes so one is always on the floor.
LINEUP COMBINATION #3
Ryan Conwell- This is where things get tricky. I can see a world during stretches of the season Spo gives him reps. This could be in back up duty alongside Dru Smith or just subbing for Davion with the first unit guys. He beat Klay Thompson in a shooting drill and out hustled Smith for a loose ball and that is sure to get Spo’s attention
Dru Smith- Just a steady reliable player who will give his all and harass players defensively
Simone Fontecchio- An inconsistent three-point shooter but when he is on a hot streak he can light it up from deep.
Pelle Larsson-In this lineup Pelle could see a lot more ball handling duties like he did during the Fiba tournament this offseason when he played for Sweden.
Giannis Antetokounmpo-You want to have the one of Bam or Giannis in every lineup combination
Nick Richards– There will be nights where these vets take turns resting or healing minor injuries for the playoffs and Nick provides the size depth that Miami has been lacking for many years.
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Today’s best reads
- Where Every Miami Heat Player Stands as Camp Nears
- Projected Miami Heat Starting Lineup for 2026-27
- The Latest Miami Heat Ranking Makes Absolutely No Sense
- The 3 Heat Players Who Can Prove They Should Have Been Ranked
- How Davion Mitchell built the game Miami now needs
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/heat/onsi as The 3 Heat Lineups We Most Want to See.
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This story was originally published October 1, 2026 at 5:09 AM.