Fans were aghast when ESPN did not include the Miami Heat among the top contenders in the Eastern Conference despite adding Giannis Antetokounmpo in the offseason.

Aside from Antetokounmpo, the Heat also retooled their core with Bobby Portis, Klay Thompson, and Tim Hardaway Jr., joining Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, and Pelle Larsson. On paper, Miami has a dangerous lineup, although chemistry will be an early issue.

For Gilbert Arenas, the Heat will be the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference just by virtue of adding Antetokounmpo.

“You're telling me Pat Riley can go to the finals with Tyler Herro as No. 1 scorer, Bam, and Jimmy Butler as the third (scorer),” said Arenas on “Gil's Arena.”

“You're saying they can go to the finals with an AAU team, and you say he (Riley) has a real juggernaut over there? Every championship Pat Riley has had, he's had a freak of nature on his team. He just got another one.”

Gilbert Arenas believes the Heat will be the number ONE seed this year:

“You telling me Pat Riley can go to the finals with Tyler Herro as #1 scorer, Bam, Jimmy Butler 3rd… they went to the finals with an AAU team. Now he has a real juggernaut over there. Every championship Pat… pic.twitter.com/vO0TLSAQHI

— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) September 16, 2026

The ex-NBA star claimed that Antetokounmpo will benefit from Adebayo being the No. 2 guy, arguing that the versatile center is better than Khris Middleton, who was the two-time MVP's longtime sidekick on the Milwaukee Bucks.

“You're acting like Bam ain't one of the coldest one-on-one players! He is a better one-on-one player than Khris Middleton!” exclaimed Arenas. “Who has to guard Bam now when Giannis is there? The reason we don’t know what Bam has is because Miami, for the last four, five years, has had all option twos and threes.”

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He added: “Now you have a number one option coming in, so Bam gets to go to what he really is. A second-option guy who can do a little bit of everything. I look at him like a Lamar Odom.”

Adebayo and Antetokounmpo have been working out together and developing their connection. If they can find their synergy, Miami will have arguably the best two-way duo in the NBA.

Both are selfless and competitive, and if coach Erik Spoelstra finds a way to optimize their tandem, the league will be in deep trouble.

The Heat's season opener will be against the Minnesota Timberwolves on October 21.