With the team having a top heavy roster after getting Giannis Antetokounmpo in a big trade, I became the GM to fix our main problem: not having enough depth on the bench.
We had two top five players, but the second unit was empty.
Here's my plan to make the Miami Heat into a team that's hard to guard and deep enough to win championships.
Part 1: The New Era of Giannis and Bam
The NBA has changed. Pairing Giannis Antetokounmpo with Bam Adebayo has created the most physically dominant and scary frontcourt in modern basketball.This pair has amazing ability to control the paint, great versatility, and championship experience.But superstars need support.As GM, my job was to build a smart, high-IQ team around these two stars so they can really dominate the league.
Part 2: Surviving a Dangerous East & Using Our Signings Wisely
The Eastern Conference is now a fierce competition. To make it through the tough playoffs, you need good spacing and experienced players.Here's how my free agent signings protect our weaknesses and use our strengths:
Klay Thompson (2 Years / $13.0M): A key player who forces defenses to stay away from the paint, giving Giannis open shots who's most likely to joined in coming days.
D'Angelo Russell (1 Year / $4.3M): Our sixth man who leads the second unit with great playmaking in pick-and-roll situations.
Kelly Olynyk (1 Year / $3.9M): Adds 7-foot size, good passing from the high post, and a 37% three-point shot to keep the floor spaced when Bam rests.
Royce O'Neale (via Trade): A versatile wing player who offers strong perimeter defense, playoff toughness, and clutch shooting from the corners.
Part 3: Maximizing a Logjammed Asset
Nikola Jovic is a great young player, but with our current setup, he was sitting on the bench behind Giannis and Bobby Portis.
As GM, it's important not to let valuable players sit idle.Charlotte could trade Royce O'Neale right now, so I acted quickly.I swapped Jovic and two low-value players for O'Neale, then used the remaining space to sign our three free agents.This move turned one bench player into four solid rotation players.
Part 4: Perfect Cap Management
Managing a team with a hard salary cap is tough, but I made the most of every dollar.
Charlotte had no restrictions trading O'Neale to us on August 22, 2026.The Fanspo warning just means we can't trade O'Neale with others until August 28th.Even with the salary cap system charging full prices for our minimum signings, I still left a $3.4 million cushion under the Second Apron hard cap.I built a team that can afford luxury taxes without breaking any rules.
Part 5: The Final Roster Rotation
The Starting Lineup:
PG: Davion Mitchell/D'Angelo Russell/Dru Smith
SG: Tim Hardaway Jr./Klay Thompson/Ryan Conwell
SF: Andrew Wiggins/Royce O'Neale/Pelle Larrson/Mylon Gardner
PF: Giannis/Bobby Portis/Simone Fontecchio
C: Bam Adebayo/Kelly Olynyk
The Deadline Contingency Plan While this 10-player rotation is perfectly set up to win a championship right now, a great GM also plans ahead.
If our interior depth feels too weak against older, physical postseason teams, and the Bam-Olynyk combo isn't enough to protect the rim, we have the flexibility to trade for a more aggressive backup big man at the trade deadline.
So, how did I do as a GM? Let me know your thoughts and grades in the comments!👇