The 2026-27 NBA season is still a few weeks away, but the Eastern Conference is already getting plenty of attention. LeBron James has joined the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Miami Heat have built their roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Former NBA champion Jeff Teague now believes Miami will finish ahead of Philadelphia. His prediction came after the Heat added Klay Thompson, giving them another star alongside Giannis and Bam Adebayo. Teague feels Miami has enough talent, depth, and balance to stay ahead of LeBron’s new team.

“I told y’all the Heat was gonna be better than the Sixers… We got Bam [Adebayo], Giannis [Antetokounmpo], Klay [Thompson], [Andrew] Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Tim Hardaway Jr. off the pine, Bobby Portis off the pine”, Teague said. 

Miami's decision to add Klay Thompson appears to have strengthened Teague's belief in the Heat. The veteran sharpshooter gives the team another proven scorer alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, adding even more firepower to an already deep roster.

NBA Central shared the Club 520 Podcast video on X, featuring Teague's latest comments about the two Eastern Conference contenders.

He then took his prediction a step further by mentioning another player who could join Miami. Teague warned that a Jrue Holiday buyout could make the Heat even stronger.

“We got a nice 7. Ryan Conwell. I like Buddy too, Nikola Jovic. He ain’t bad… Don’t let Jrue Holiday get a buyout and go to Miami. We [Heat] are the best team in the East, competing with the Knicks,” Teague added.

Thompson's arrival gives Miami another proven shooter around Giannis and Bam, potentially creating more room for the Heat's stars to operate. For Teague, that added offensive balance is part of the reason Miami can challenge Philadelphia and the rest of the East.

Miami's new core could make the East race tougher for LeBron

Philadelphia, however, has plenty of star power of its own. According to Reuters, LeBron joined a Sixers roster featuring Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, giving him another championship-caliber group to work with.

That makes Teague's prediction more interesting. Miami doesn't just have to outperform an ordinary Philadelphia team; it has to finish ahead of a roster built around several established stars and one of the greatest players in NBA history.

The move gives LeBron James another chance to win a championship and try to win titles with four different NBA teams.

Miami, meanwhile, has built a very different kind of contender around Giannis. The combination of interior scoring, Thompson's shooting, and the Heat's depth gives Teague reason to believe they can stay ahead of Philadelphia over the course of the season.

For now, Teague has put Miami ahead of Philadelphia before either team has played a game in the new season.

The prediction will ultimately be settled on the court, but with Giannis, Bam and Thompson leading the way, the Heat have given Teague plenty of reason to believe they can make the Sixers' path through the East much tougher.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

Know more

Edited by

Rudra Dubey