The Miami Heat were seeded #1 in the Eastern Conference, and they were in one game to reach the Finals during the playoffs this season. They still have superstar Jimmy Butler on the roster, and are well positioned to compete for a championship over the next few years.
The Miami Heat will start the season with a strong defensive roster, but they have a number of decisions they need to make regarding future rotations. In this article, we will try to predict the most realistic starting lineup and starting list that the Miami Heat will play in at the start of next season.
The Miami Heat is a contender because it has largely remained the same
The Miami Heat didn’t make many changes this summer, despite being linked to a diverse group of players over the course of the off-season. They’ve missed out on Donovan Mitchell and Kevin Durant, and it looks very likely that they’ll go into next season with a pretty similar roster as this one. The team’s notable loss was PJ Tucker, a valuable multi-position defender and 3PT corner shooter. Tucker’s move to the Philadelphia 76ers would likely make the Miami Heat a little worse in defense as Tucker often took on tough tasks for the team.
However, there is value in continuity and chemistry. The Miami Heat were one game away from returning to the NBA Finals, and they could have won the title if they had made it. Some people like Former Heat player Antown Jamison thinks he could have been a better match with the Golden State Warriorss.
The Miami Heat is a team that will always be in the mix as a top-tier team. Their mix of veterans and young players is strong, and they clearly have a level of upsurge going forward.
Miami Heat final roster
Starting lineup: Kyle Lowry, Tyler Hero, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Pam Adebayo
Seat: Gabe Vincent, Max Strauss, Victor Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, Dwayne Deadmon
The Heat’s starting lineup is straightforward. Kyle Lowry starts in point guard position. Although he’s no longer in his prime, Kyle Lowry is still an effective playmaker who can create easy shots for his teammates. Tyler Herro starts off as the shooting guard, as he is the second best offensive player on the team. Herro previously indicated that he “got” the position. Tyler Herro is definitely the team’s best choice in this position due to his ability to score and relieve some of the offensive pressure on Jimmy Butler.
Jimmy Butler is the #1 attacking player on this team and starts at the SF position. It’s the center of everything the Miami Heat does and seems to get better with age. We could see Jimmy Butler’s best career season next season on both ends of the floor.
Pam Adebayo and Caleb Martin will make a strong defensive duo on the front court. It is clear that Pam Adebayo will continue as the starting center for the team, as he is the centerpiece of the Heat’s defence. There are a few options for the Heat to start in the PF position, but in our scenario we go with Caleb Martin because of the spacing of the floor and defense. The Miami Heat obviously tends to a little ball in this scenario with Adebayo and Martin at 6’9 and 6’5, respectively.
The Miami Heat bench will likely be strong offensively, and they’ll also be playing small ball. Gabe Vincent, Max Strauss, Victor Oladipo and Duncan Robinson can all effectively space the floor, and the Heat are likely to be one of the best 3PT shooting teams in the league. Even Dwayne Deadmon can sometimes shoot from a distance. Although the bench unit may struggle against dominant top men such as Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, it is very likely that in those matches, Pam Adebayo will be on the field at the same time as these superstars.
Overall, the Miami Heat have a good squad that fits in with their little ball style of play. They will likely thrive in transition and when shooting 3PT, and are defensively convertible in the starting lineup.
The Miami Heat have a real chance to win it all
Although the Miami Heat don’t necessarily have a lot of offensive firepower overall, their elite defense and consistent system allow them to be among the top teams in the league each year. They have a very solid core surrounding a top 10 player in Jimmy Butler. Butler has shown that he rises in the playoffs consistently, and is undoubtedly among the best two-way players in the league. While he has yet to prove that he could be the number one choice on a real championship team, it is clear that he can get them to the NBA Finals.
The Miami Heat might have to make a move to get over the hump and exit the Eastern Conference. The team’s offensive struggled around Jimmy Butler at times during the post-season. With that being said, they are black horse competitors as they are currently built, and therefore have a chance to win it all.
The easiest way for the Heat to become a real contender next season is through improvements from Tyler Hero and Pam Adebayo. They are the top young players on the Miami Heat roster and as such are expected to add to their game. Although they are really good, both players can make some improvements towards production constantly at the end of the offensive floor.
We’ll see how the Heat end up next season. There is a scenario where they reach the finals with a bit of luck in terms of player development and matches in the playoffs. We hope to see the team thrive and prove to be a real force in the Eastern Conference.