The Miami Heat have not been off to a great start as expected in the 2026-27 NBA season. After trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat were supposed to be competitive to the highest level.
Unfortunately, they have struggled, as they had a 2-5 record heading into Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. While Giannis has been playing well, the rest of the team has struggled.
Tim Hardaway Sr. prefers Cooper Flagg over Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Heat have been an interesting team to follow because before the season, there was considerable hype behind them. Their defensive potential was quite high because of Giannis, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, and Davion Mitchell.
Unfortunately, the Heat have struggled on both ends of the floor. Despite the hype around them, they have not performed well based on expectations, and they are seen as one of the biggest disappointments early in the season.
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Heat legend Tim Hardaway Sr. has watched the games because he loves the franchise and his son plays for the team. However, it seems that he wants to be brutally honest about his opinion on Antetokounmpo and how he prefers the Dallas Mavericks‘ star in the making, Cooper Flagg.
“He’s better skilled about running offense. At seeing the floor, a better handle, a better jump-shot, he has a better understanding of the game,” Hardaway said on the Crossover podcast.
Alongside his criticism of Antetokounmpo, Hardaway also did talk about the Heat’s poor mindset on both ends of the floor. While the Gianis take might be bold, Hardaway is making some valid points that they can improve on moving forward.
