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Training camp is fewer than two weeks away and the Miami Heat’s primary rotation seems like a foregone conclusion. It contains Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, which creates a nice blend of penetration, shooting and pressure. Yet, clarity is up in the air, regarding substitution patterns, which hasn’t even taken into account yet the team’s unexpected player-to-pop – maybe that’s Myron Gardner because of his relentless defense.
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Anyways, after Thompson, the rotation spot will be the hardest to earn and it should come down to Tim Hardaway Jr. and Pelle Larsson. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if one of them becomes a situational piece, considering how smart teams play eight and trust seven players as the season goes on.
Hardaway was third in Sixth Man of the Year voting in 2025-26. While Giannis Antetokounmpo is not quite on the level of Nikola Jokić as a playmaker, he is still excellent, generating lots of open 3-point attempts for teammates.
Hardaway will benefit greatly because of it and could possibly have his second season ever shooting at least 40 percent from deep when also accounting for the Heat’s high volume of motion. All the big games he’s been a part of is a plus, too.
Larsson upgraded every area of his game and is more athletic plus stronger. He notably didn’t have a high cutting frequency in 2025-26 (7.3 percent), yet he scored efficiently on those at 1.28 points per possession. Good things could happen if he is instructed to be more assertive off-ball, and he follows through with it. These could be especially lethal when playing next to Antetokounmpo, who generates more attention than most players.
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If both play at their latest level next season, it won’t be an easy call for coach Erik Spoelstra until late. Larsson is the superior defender even more so than Thompson, and even if the Heat aren’t expected to be in as many close games next season, protecting the 3-point line takes highest priority late since huge leads are reduced in a few minutes. He is also better suited to stay on the hip of ball handlers, giving him an edge to get the nod being one of the last five on the floor.
On top of that, whoever wins the spot, could stand to make some more money if they shine as a top-tier role player and that’s a big motivating factor heading into training camp. Keep in mind that Hardaway signed for one year, and Larsson has one year left until he hits restricted free agency.
Training camp might turn into the kennel like it didn’t five years ago.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/heat/onsi as The position battle to watch going into training camp for the Miami Heat.
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This story was originally published September 18, 2026 at 4:00 AM.