Norman Powell gets honest about how the Heat got better with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Although Norman Powell left the Miami Heat for a good deal with the Chicago Bulls, he still seems to appreciate what his former team built in the 2026 offseason. With team president Pat Riley in charge, the Heat finally went for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a franchise-altering trade for Miami.

Unfortunately for the Heat, they could not retain Powell, who is fresh off the first All-Star season of his career. Now he'll play for the Bulls, where he has plenty of opportunities to keep shining. However, he might have missed a golden opportunity to win in Miami.

Norman Powell believes the Heat are title contenders with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Unfortunately for the Heat, Powell staying with them would have made so much sense. He fits in like a glove with the current roster, but they could not offer him the contract that he wanted, especially with Antetokounmpo on the roster.

Powell managed to secure a two-year deal worth $45 million. The Heat were limited by hard-cap restrictions, so they could not match what the Bulls were offering, missing out on a tailor-made player for the current system centered on Giannis.

MORE: Norman Powell provides the real reason why he never got to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Despite missing out on playing with Giannis and Bam Adebayo, it seems Powell is happy to be in Chicago. In fact, he is also excited to see what the Heat have planned ahead of the 2026-27 season.

"Anytime you get a generational talent like that, it automatically puts you into contention. He’s a generational player," Powell said about the Heat on a livestream with N3ON.

"They got some dawgs. Shoutout my man D Mitch. 'Off Night' and Bam. They gonna be good. I’m excited to see how it all comes together. They signed Klay. That’s a good pickup for them. They made some good moves."

The Heat have immense potential with the current team, and it seems the rest of the NBA knows it. With the Eastern Conference boasting teams like the Heat, the new-look Philadelphia 76ers, the defending champions New York Knicks, and the resurgent Indiana Pacers, the 2026-27 season looks exciting.

More NBA news:

• Patrick Beverley reveals what it's like to work within the Heat Culture
• Gabe Vincent believes Davion Mitchell is the X-factor for the current Heat team
• The Heat thought they could have retained Tyler Herro on a smaller contract extension
• Andrew Wiggins is excited about reuniting with Klay Thompson
• Giannis Antetokounmpo is projected to be the biggest game-changer for the 2026-27 season