It's fair to say that the 2026-27 NBA season hasn't started how the Miami Heat players, coaching staff or fanbase were hoping. Through the first nine games, the Heat are 3-6, and after losing their first four, things seemed to turn a corner with back-to-back wins before they lost two of three heading into the weekend.
Much has been made of the early-season struggles, and some believe star offseason acquisition Giannis Antetokounmpo is growing frustrated. How things played out after the team's loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night won't help, as The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that Antetokounmpo skipped speaking with the media. He also said frustration for both Giannis and the rest of the Heat is rising.
"It spoke volumes that Antetokounmpo
made the rare choice not to fulfill his media obligations," Amick said. "The frustration, for him and the rest of the Heat, is surely building."
We need to step back on the Giannis Antetokounmpo frustration talk
Let's be clear: there's little question that any team with talent like Miami's, which includes stars like Giannis and Bam Adebayo, would be frustrated right now. Antetokounmpo's biggest desire is to win, and he's made that clear. On top of that, he joined a franchise known for being pretty successful, so struggles out of the gate should rightfully leave everyone a bit frustrated.
If Antetokounmpo seems frustrated at times, it's probably because he is frustrated—with losing. That doesn't necessarily mean he wants out of Miami after nine games; if anything, I'd bet pretty heavily on the Heat figuring things out sooner rather than later. It's a new group adjusting to playing together, and that will take time. Is it disconcerting? Sure, maybe. Will it end up mattering? That's anyone's guess right now.
Let's see what this conversation looks like in a month or so, and more importantly, how the Heat's record looks.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Insider gives disconcerting update on Giannis, Heat amid rough stretch
