The Miami Heat entered the All-Star break with the no. 1 seed and in a tie for the best record (38-21) in the Eastern Conference. With much of the attention on the Brooklyn Nets and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, the Heat have sneakily shifted from dark horse to legitimate contenders in the East.

Still, despite sitting at first place, Miami can't remain complacent given how much of blood bath it is in their conference. They share the same record with the Chicago Bulls and 2.5 games separate them from the 5th seed Bucks. With less than two months to go in the regular season, the Heat still have some issues to iron out ahead of the playoffs. Here are two burning questions for the Miami Heat after the 2022 All-Star break.

Burning questions for Heat

1. When will Victor Oladipo return and can he contribute to Miami's championship aspirations?

Things were looking bright for Victor Oladipo just prior to the All-Star break. Oladipo has been making steady progress and most recently, he ticked off a massive milestone in his road to returning to the court. The 29 year old has reportedly participated in 5-on-5 work outs with Miami's G League counterparts, the Sioux Falls Skyforce. While this is encouraging news for Heat fans, he still does not have a timeline for a return.

Oladipo hasn't played NBA basketball since April 8, 2021. He underwent quad surgery on May 13 on the same knee he initially ruptured his quad in January 2019. Since the first quad injury, Oladipo has appeared in just 52 games and has yet to suit up for the Heat this season.

With 23 games to go, Miami time is dwindling for Miami to acclimate Oladipo into their lineup. No doubt, the 2-time All-Star has the talent to make an impact for the Heat, particularly in a reserve role.

The Heat have a limited window to deal with. With the amount of time he has missed and the kind of injury he is recovering from, can Oladipo get up to speed just in time for an intense playoff push?

2. Who can they get in the buyout market?

Unlike in previous years, the Heat were relatively quiet during this year's NBA trade deadline. Pat Riley isn't afraid to make a splash and tinker his roster at this time in February. But for the most part, he stood pat this time around.

Their lone move was trading KZ Okpala to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 2nd round pick. This deal saved some money on the luxury tax and opened up a roster spot for Miami, which only means The God Father has something else brewing up his sleeve as he puts his focus on the buyout market.

Miami has looked good despite dealing with injuries (Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler) and personal matters (Kyle Lowry) throughout the season. Nonetheless, they will need added insurance reinforcements to boost their chances to return to the Finals for the second time in three years.

The Heat's most glaring hole is a back up guard to spell the veteran Lowry. While he still looks to be in tip-top shape at 35 years old, Miami will need to give him a reliable reserve. Gabe Vincent has played great this season, averaging 9.2 points and 3.4 assists in 50 games. But the Heat could do better by adding a seasoned veteran to get the more pressure-packed minutes in the playoffs.

The Heat could bring back Goran Dragic, whom they traded to the Toronto Raptors for Lowry this past summer. Dragic still seems to have ties with Miami, as he has been working out in South Beach at various points this season. After the Raptors finally traded him to the San Antonio Spurs, he was bought out and has garnered significant interest among several teams in the league, including the Heat.

The Dragon became a vital piece in Miami's 2020 NBA Finals run in Orlando. A return makes sense for both sides as Dragic is already familiar with the Heat system and culture.

Miami could also target John Wall, should he and the Rockets agree to a buyout. Wall has expressed a desire to play, but doesn't seem to be willing to let go of the $47.3 million player option he has for next season. The 5-time All-Star showed in 40 games with the Rockets last season that he hasn't lost much of a step. He averaged 20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.9 assists.

If those two pieces don't fall, maybe they could get Cory Joseph, should he also get bought out by the Pistons. Joseph may not be the household names that Wall or Dragic are, but he has proven to be a reliable backup guard and has played in the big stage, having won a title with the Spurs in 2014.