After this summer's successful World Cup qualifiers with the national team, Pelle Larsson is back in North America and preparing for his third NBA season.
Next Saturday, Miami plays its first preseason game and on October 21, the real action begins, at home against Minnesota.
Everyone can adapt
For Miami, the weeks leading up to the premiere are about getting the team together, which will largely revolve around Greek megastar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"We will play in a completely different way. When we get a player like Giannis, he will basically become our system. Then everyone will have to adapt accordingly," Pelle Larsson told TT in connection with the latest national team meeting in Stockholm.
When Antetokounmpo was acquired from Milwaukee, Miami released Tyler Herro in the opposite direction. At the same time, Miami has further strengthened the squad, with players such as veteran and four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson.
Pelle Larsson is optimistic:
We have a bunch of players who have been there and won before and we have Giannis, who was the MVP. It looks great, but we haven't done anything yet.
Larsson will also receive a substantial salary increase starting next season. The new four-year contract, which became official on Tuesday, is worth a total of almost 590 million kronor, according to the 25-year-old's agents.
“Quite a big team”
The versatile Swedish star is often described as Miami's Swiss Army knife - and the question is what role Pelle Larsson will have in the "new" Miami.
I think it will change a little bit, I might play more point guard. We have a pretty big team and a lot of good shooters, but not that many who start offense and get the ball.
Larsson played 70 games last season, 54 of which were in the starting five, and averaged 11.4 points per game.
