MIAMI — With Saturday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder moving the Heat into their second half of the schedule, it hardly is a team making the grade, at least when it comes to the ostensible goal of avoiding a fourth consecutive trip to the play-in round.

A season can only grade out so well when over the first 41 there were losses to the Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers, as well as an 8-17 record against teams with winning records.

More is needed, either from within or beyond, as the Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline draws closer.

For now, with the final 41 games to determine playoffs, play-in … or lottery (yes, they own their pick in June’s first round), a midseason report card.

Norman Powell, A. No need to nitpick here with a player who arguably has provided more than expected, putting himself into consideration for his first All-Star berth.

With Bam Adebayo uneven and Tyler Herro largely absent, Powell has been the glue to at least deliver the Heat to a winning record at midseason.

Jaime Jaquez Jr.: A-. If Powell has been the most consistent starter, then Jaquez has been exactly that in reserve, a nightly contribution a given once he reports to the scorers’ table during the first quarter.

A leader in the race for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Jaquez has thrived in the pace-based offense installed by Erik Spoelstra, as successful in getting downhill as any player on the roster.

Tyler Herro: B+/Inc. When Herro has been available, he has been his usual bucket self, good for 20 points a night. The issue is the availability, first after the September ankle surgery and then the December toe contusion, thus the dual grades.

The second half of the season not only will determine Herro’s ultimate grade, it also will go a long way in determining if there is a better outcome for Herro with July’s extension window than the one that closed without Heat action in October.

Bam Adebayo: B+. Yes, the offense had been off, but it also has not been awful, no matter how it has been cast by Adebayo’s critics. And the defense remains elite, keeping the Heat’s performance on that end elite in terms of defensive rating.

An argument could be made that based on expectations and impending salary, anything short of an “A” grade is falling short. And that argument is fair, because to this stage he has fallen short.

Kel’el Ware: B. Arguably the most difficult player on the roster to grade, because there have been A+ efforts at times, but also the type of disappearing acts that have him down in the “D” range in certain games.

Consistency will remain the ultimate basis for judgement, although Spoelstra plays a role in that regard, with the minutes as inconsistent as Ware’s play.

Pelle Larsson: B. A “B” as in better than expected. A player you have to grade on a curve, but the impactful minutes are real, albeit at times also fleeting. Still, the energy never wanes.

When it comes to most improved on the roster, Larsson arguably stands as the Heat’s personification in his second year.

Davion Mitchell: B-. This also stands as an example of expectations vs. reality. While Mitchell has provided many of the qualities he did with last season’s breakout, they haven’t been quite to that level.

The play has been uneven at times, to a degree that a spot as a starter might not be fully assured going forward. But still a valued, solid rotation component.

Andrew Wiggins: B-. In many ways, Wiggins has played as advertised in relation to his days with the Warriors, rarely a hindrance, but also not also a consistent high-level contributor.

Yes, he has been helpful. But has he been essential? The Heat’s truest feeling may come out at the trade deadline.

Dru Smith: C+. If counted on for more, the grade could be higher, considering the pesky defense and the timely 3-pointers.

Smith ultimately stands as what a team needs from a fifth guard. In that regard anything above a “C” means expectations exceeded.

Keshad Johnson: D+. While the second-year forward hasn’t been called upon much, the energy has been there when requested. When called, it has been effort on demand.

While not nearly as skilled as the three listed below, there is an acceptance of the role, with unceasing enthusiasm.

Nikola Jovic: D. “D” as in disappointment, with so much more expected. At times, the creativity can  be captivating. But at other times, it can be crushing. In light of last summer’s extension, the grade has not been made.

All of that said, opportunities will remain, with potentially as much of an opportunity as any player on the roster to raise his final grade over the final 41.

Simone Fontecchio: D-. Three good shooting weeks have left Fontecchio well short of the hope, if not the expectations. No player on the roster is as defined by a single skill set. With Fontecchio, it’s 3-pointers or bust.

So far, it largely has been bust.

Kasparas Jakucionis: Incomplete+. Not wholly incomplete, because there have been moments of promise during the limited opportunities, including Thursday night’s performance against the Celtics.

Ultimately, the greatest degree of development could be making the grade with extended time in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce amid this rookie season for the 19-year-old.

Terry Rozier: NWT. As in “Not With Team,” as in Rozier’s designation for every game this season other than when he was held out of the opener, prior to his arrest hours later in the FBI’s gambling probe.

The G Leaguers. ???. As in question marks  of where this goes next for Vlad Goldin, Jahmir Young and Myron Gardner. With March 4 the deadline for teams to sign players to two-way deals, it is possible the Heat swap out one or more of these deals, perhaps for players already on the Skyforce roster, such as Trevor Keels or Gabe Madsen.

IN THE LANE

WHAT NEXT?: The view here, with the Heat middling at midseason, has not changed when it comes to what should come next ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trading deadline. With the Heat seemingly reluctant to add salary beyond 2027, and therefore potentially reluctant to extend Norman Powell, a trade for draft equity would seem to be the proper play there. As for Andrew Wiggins, the play should be for draft capital, as well. With those two, the Heat are at a play-in pace. Without those two, likely still the same. Both should be able to help contenders, which in a way would mean the Heat therefore putting each in a better place.

OR PLAN B?: Another option could be a play for Jonathan Kuminga, perhaps in place of Wiggins. Here’s why: The final, 2026-27 year on Wiggins’ contract is a player option, meaning he could walk in the offseason for nothing in return, potentially preferring a multiyear deal, even if at a lower starting point than his $30 million player option. Kuminga, by contrast, is under contract at $24.3 million next season on a team option, meaning the Heat would be in control of any contract decision, perhaps even then flipping Kuminga in a bigger offseason deal (Giannis Antetokounmpo or otherwise).

FIBA STYLE: As an assistant on Steve Kerr‘s Team USA gold-medal staff at the 2024 Paris Games and now the Team USA coach for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is more than familiar with the FIBA take-the-ball-from-out-of-bounds-and-go international style. But he couldn’t hold back when he saw it in Thursday night’s loss to the Celtics, while, with Heat center Bam Adebayo having tumbled out of bounds behind the Celtics’ basket, referee Suyash Mehta nonetheless immediately handed the ball to Boston for a 5-on-4 possession that led to a 3-pointer. “And that’s a free open three that can just ignite somebody,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t want to hear, ‘my bad’ right now. And I’m not trying to crush the officials. But if we can play FIBA ball, that benefits us more than anything. We’ve had more officials telling us, ‘No, no, wait, wait, wait, wait’ all year long.”

THE FOUR IN FIVE: As if the challenge wasn’t significant enough with the rescheduling of the postponed Jan. 8 game in Chicago now reset as part of a Heat run of four games in five nights from Jan. 28-Feb. 1, but it now appears more than likely that Josh Giddey, sidelined for the Jan. 8 United Center game with a strained hamstring, will be available for those three Heat-Bulls games. Giddey has begun his ramp up from his Dec. 29 injury, certainly long enough of a runway to be active for Heat-Bulls Cubed (at Chicago on Jan. 29, at Miami on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1). “The plan is, if everything goes well over the course of the week, he should be back relatively soon,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. Giddey has recorded triple-doubles in two of his past three appearances against the Heat, failing one assist shy in the teams’ Nov. 21 meeting.

NUMBER

4th. Rank for Anfernee Simons on Boston Celtics all-time list for most points by a reserve with his 39 on Thursday night against the Heat. The only Celtics with more in reserve in a game were Larry Bird (47 vs. Milwaukee on April 12, 1985), Payton Pritchard (43 vs Portland on March 5, 2025) and former Heat guard Todd Day (41 vs. Minnesota on December 22, 1995).