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Latest NBA intel on the new star in L.A., Miami's new offense and more
Stephen A. Smith heaps praise on Austin Reaves for stepping up for the Lakers after his game-winning shot vs. the Timberwolves. (0:54)
Making assumptions off a handful of NBA games is a fool's errand. And yet, for some teams, the evaluation process for the 2025-26 season has already begun. Whether the small sample size theater of the opening 10 days will last until April remains to be seen.
But as league coaches, scouts and executives have begun crisscrossing the country to take in games, they're reporting back.
As a result, early trends — including an offensive refresh in Miami, a new, albeit temporary, a No. 1 option in Lakerland and the league's reaction to the scoring uptick — dominate our weekly trip around the NBA.
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The obvious reason the Heat's best has yet to come isn't what you think
As early as it is into the 2025-26 NBA season, the Miami Heat have already exceeded expectations. Granted, that's partly because the bar was set so low for this bunch, but it's also due to their unexpected (but maybe sustainable) offensive surge.
It's an exciting time in South Beach, especially since All-Star guard Tyler Herro and rookie first-rounder Kasparas Jakucionis so far haven't been a part of the action. However, their impending returns aren't the biggest reason to think the Heat can take this thing even farther.
Rather, that belief stems from the fact that Miami's two biggest breakout candidates, Nikola Jovic and Kel'el Ware, haven't gotten going yet. And since both are on-paper fits for the new movement-based offensive approach, that should be a matter of when and not if those leaps will happen.
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