Do the Miami Heat Need to Make Rotation Changes Already?

MIAMI, Fla. – Ahead of Friday night’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons at the Kaseya Center, should the Miami Heat consider rotation changes for the second game of the 2026-27 NBA season?

Two main issues came from Wednesday’s 131-106 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves:

- Inefficient three-point shooting

- No true backup point guard

However, the Heat have options to address them. Starting with the lack of shot-making from behind the arc (eight-for-33), as Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to dominate from the paint, it can create opportunities for wide-open looks. It won’t be worth anything without capitalizing. Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Nikola Jovic,  Bobby Portis Jr., Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, and Davion Mitchell combined for seven three-pointers made on 25 attempts.

An outside threat who didn’t play meaningful minutes against the Timberwolves was Simone Fontecchio. Last season, he shot 37.5 percent from behind the arc while appearing in 70 games. Fontecchio is a 6-7, 220-pound forward who can play off the ball and space the floor efficiently.

If head coach Erik Spoelstra were to move anybody up in the rotation, someone would face a demotion. In this case, it would likely be Jovic, who tends to be inconsistent. Fontecchio doesn’t need the ball to get himself going. Last season, he shot 36.4 percent on catch-and-shoot threes.

Fontecchio re-signed with the Heat this summer on a one-year, $2.63 million contract.

The Heat reportedly searched the market to add playmaking depth, but came back empty. However, Ryan Conwell, the second-round pick (No. 37) rookie, could be the answer. In the preseason, he had a couple of games showcasing signs of facilitation ability. Conwell had nine assists against the Timberwolves, then seven when facing the Orlando Magic.

Although the 22-year-old is primarily known as a scorer, running an offense could be a big step in developing as an NBA player.

It would be easier to insert Conwell into the rotation than Fontecchio since the Heat didn’t have a true point guard on the court with Mitchell on the bench.

Spoelstra ran a nine-man rotation before the Timberwolves pulled away too far to make a comeback. Although they have length and size, the shooting was absent and not playing a backup point guard made a significant difference.

The Heat will look to bounce back and claim their first win of the season before traveling to Charlotte (NC) to face the Hornets on Saturday. The main focus is on the Pistons, with tipoff scheduled for 8:00 p.m. E.T. and it will be televised on WPLG Local 10.

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