Despite an injury-riddled 2021-22 season, the Miami Heat claimed the top seed in the East and looked primed to make another NBA Finals run. Unfortunately, the team fell short of its championship ambitions when it lost to the Boston Celtics in the Conference Finals. In that series, Miami's glaring disadvantages were put on display. Whether it be through free agency or trades, those disadvantages must be addressed for the team to capture its first title in a decade.
At the moment, it appears Miami's main core will not change. That means Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro will again be the primary contributors. By the trade deadline, however, that core should probably be shaken up. Just one or two acquisitions this season will make a world of difference come April.
*Watch NBA Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
2 biggest needs Heat must still address to win 2023 NBA Finals
Offensive firepower
After the first few games of the Conference Finals, it was clear that Jimmy Butler needed help. His individual performance in the 2022 playoffs will be talked about for years to come and reaffirmed his status as a superstar in the league, but it was the only bright spot on the team. In the regular season, the Heat had six players average double-digit points per game (not including Victor Oladipo, who only played eight games). Against the Celtics, that number shrank to two and Butler was the only one who averaged at least 20 points per game. This was the same problem Miami had in the 2020 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
It has long been rumored that there's mutual interest between Donovan Mitchell and Miami. Adding fuel to that fire is the fact that Dwyane Wade is a minority owner of the Utah Jazz and maintains a close relationship with Mitchell. If Miami can pull it off, it's a perfect landing spot for him. After the Rudy Gobert trade, it seems the Jazz may be ready to start from scratch. Utah is currently discussing a deal with the New York Knicks, so Miami would have to swoop in with a very enticing offer. That alone could be enough to bring Miami a championship.
Size
If the Heat can't bring in another dynamic scorer, the least it can do is get bigger in the frontcourt.
Although Adebayo is undeniably an elite player, he simply disappeared throughout most of the Celtics series. The 6-foot-9 center struggled to find his shot against Robert Williams and Al Horford, scoring 10 points or less in four of the seven games. For someone who averaged 19 points per game in the regular season, those tallies were unacceptable. Because of how much bigger Boston was, however, it wasn't entirely unexpected. Adebayo would benefit greatly from playing alongside a true center.
Since the beginning of free agency, multiple options for Miami have gone elsewhere. The most notable was Andre Drummond, who signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Bulls. At 6-foot-10, 280 pounds, Drummond would have been a great piece for the team. While Adebayo is capable of handling the ball and stretching the floor with his continually-improving jumpshot, Drummond is a more traditional big that works mostly from the low block. Drummond is nowhere near as offensively skilled, but he's one of the most gifted rebounders the league has ever seen. In just 22 minutes per game last season with the Brooklyn Nets, Drummond averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Miami was out-rebounded by an average of four boards per game against Boston, and even out-blocked by 2.6 shots per game. A player of Drummond's caliber could have fixed that.
As it currently stands, the Heat have not worked to address those needs. Perhaps Oladipo returns to the level that made him an All-Star, or perhaps Adebayo does the same and finds more ways to use his athleticism to his advantage. In the meantime, players continue to go elsewhere while Miami appears content with just “running it back”—at least if potential trades for Mitchell and Kevin Durant fall through.
Follow Us
Subscribe