Miami’s beaches were more active than Miami’s basketball team this off-season, as the Heat’s roster improvements could be graded with an F. Miami was one NBA team expected to make waves this off-season with a splashy trade or free agent signing, but neither came to pass. Their Eastern Conference contemporaries got better, but did Miami? Is standing pat enough? Time will tell.
Miami Heat Off-Season: A Review To Date
Miami’s Off-Season Falters, Bam Wins Gold, Butler Stays Put
South Beach has endured a scorching heat-induced summer this year. As for the Miami Heat’s off-season, it has been cold and much ado about very little. Yes, Bam Adebayo was part of Team USA’s Olympic gold medal victory, where he played really well. Erik Spoelstra also got in on some Olympic glory as an assistant coach. Adebayo also received a well-earned extension for three years. In terms of Miami’s roster, there were no splashy trades or free agent signings to get excited about this off-season. In an Eastern Conference that is getting better each year, and with a handful of top teams certainly improving this summer, Miami stood pat for the most part.
The Jimmy Butler saga temporarily halted, as he and the Heat reached a standstill in contract talks. Butler was seeking an extension, but Pat Riley was hesitant to award one to the six-time All-Star and leader of the team. Riley also refused to move on from Butler in a trade. Eventually, Butler put off seeking an extension and decided to play the remaining year of his contract out in Miami. He’ll hit the free agent market next summer. Butler has made it clear he does not want to leave Miami, and Riley doesn’t want to see him go.
Overall, the Heat refrained from changing their roster any more than it looked last season. Apart from a couple of extensions and Butler not getting traded, Miami’s off-season wasn’t as busy as it probably should have been, considering several teams above them did get better. In that regard, one could argue that Miami took a step backward rather than forward. It may turn out to be a challenge to keep pace with Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Indiana, Cleveland, and Milwaukee.
Key Player Departures
Several free agents decided to move elsewhere, including one important depth player, Caleb Martin. Signing with the Sixers, Martin was a reliable role player in his time with Miami. The five-year man had some memorable playoff performances with the Heat. Patty Mills also moved on after signing with the Jazz shortly after his Australian team was bounced out of the Olympic games.
Other departures included Cole Swider, Delon Wright, and Orlando Robinson—all free agents.
Key Player Acquisitions
Miami’s off-season free agency signings primarily focused on returning players like Kevin Love, Thomas Bryant, and Haywood Highsmith. The key outside free agent signing came in the form of Alec Burks. The Heat have had their eyes on Burks for several years; GM Andy Elisburg alluded to this earlier in the summer. He provided a scoring punch for the Knicks in last season’s playoffs. Miami is hoping he can do the same for them. Burks’ issue in his career has been injuries— a risk the Heat are evidently prepared to take.
While not an acquisition, keeping Butler in-house for at least one more year might be the most critical story of the off-season for the Heat. Without Butler, the Heat are virtually non-contenders, and that’s with Adebayo playing at an All-Defensive, DPOY-candidate level of basketball. Miami will go as Butler goes, suffice to say.
Health Will Decide Miami’s Fate
The main component of a good season for Miami is health and availability. Butler, Tyler Herro, and Terry Rozier missed significant time last season, which played a hand in crashing out early in the playoffs. Healthy bodies will lift or sink the Heat this season. Jimmy Butler has to lead the way, proving that he deserves an extension. Adebayo will have his annual impact. Others on the roster need to pull their weight—Herro, Rozier, Duncan Robinson, and Jaime Jaquez Jr., among others. Those are the players that need to produce and play their part in keeping Miami relevant throughout the regular season, as well as the playoffs.
