Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that with the Heat finally having their full roster available on Wednesday, head coach Erik Spoelstra indicated that the starting lineup may not be fixed from here on out.
Instead, Spoelstra suggested that who starts – and how the rotation unfolds – could depend heavily on specific opponents and game situations moving forward.
According to Winderman, this approach reflects Spoelstra’s willingness to adjust combinations based on matchups rather than committing to one static arrangement.
One immediate example came on Wednesday, as second-year center Kel’el Ware shifted to the bench after starting in nine of Miami’s previous ten games.
Additionally, forward Nikola Jovic, who had just returned from a right hip injury, was not included in the 10-man rotation for his first game back.
These choices underscored Spoelstra’s message that roles will remain flexible even as the roster gets healthier.
The Heat coach made it clear that nothing is locked in.
“None of it will be in cement and I don’t feel pressure to make it cement, whether it’s the starting lineup or whether it’s the rotation once we get into the bench,” he said.
The coach emphasized that Miami’s depth gives him the freedom to adapt night-to-night, adding, “I’ve said it since the first day of training camp, we feel that our depth is one of our best strengths and we want to weaponize that.”
Norman Powell has been a perfect fit in Miami so far, plus much more on the Heat: https://t.co/NEYLiXvuI1
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 28, 2025
