The Miami Heat organization will look a little bit different in the 2023-24 season, as Udonis Haslem won’t be on the sidelines this upcoming season.

Haslem announced his retirement in July, which ended a massive 20-season stint with the Heat where his final playing time came in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, breaking the record for the oldest person to play in the championship round at 42-years old.

While his impact on the court was limited in recent years, he had been the team captain and was a vocal leader for Miami.

His absence is felt throughout the organization, and the role as team captain will be filled after the preseason, per head coach Erik Spoelstra. 

Spoelstra told the media Tuesday morning that he has an idea of who can be the team captain, but it’s also an opportunity that can be filled organically. 

“I don’t want to drive that, I kind of want to let it open to see how it develops. I have an idea of a couple of the main leaders that make sense, but it is a difference in adjustment,” Spoelstra said. “But players are used to change, but the bigger adjustment is me. I’ve never had a locker room without UD [Haslem], so I feel a certain way about that. I’m always going to miss him.”

Heat: Bam Adebayo eyeing leadership role

A player that can possibly fill that void is center Bam Adebayo, who is heading into his seventh season with the team.

Adebayo told ClutchPoints that being someone to look up to is an aspect he’s focusing on this season.

“Being a leader since we don’t have UD anymore. So, my job is being as vocal as possible and leading these guys to wins,” Adebayo said.

Averaging 20.4 points and 9.2 rebounds last season, the Heat big man reflected on the news of Haslem retiring to the media at FAU Arena.

“We do miss UD. When you’ve been around a guy with that much equity invested into him, it’s one of those moments where you don’t hear him and it settles in that he’s not going to be around,” Adebayo said. “But for the most part, we handled that as a collective group. But there will never be another UD, so I have the utmost respect for him and I hope he’s somewhere with his feet kicked up and relaxing.”

Another player that shared their thoughts on Haslem is guard Tyler Herro. Herro has experienced his fair share of adversity, whether it be the hand injury that kept him out most of the postseason or his name being swirled around in trade talks. 

The Kentucky-alum named Adebayo and Kevin Love as options to be the team’s vocal leader.

“I mean, we still got guys that need to step up, it’s still the first day. Bam [Adebayo] and Kevin Love came back from last year who were on the run with us,” Herro said. “They experienced multiple playoff runs, and a lot of guys respect them and their voices in the locker room so I’m sure it’ll be them.”

Another obvious choice for team captain is star Jimmy Butler who encompasses the “Heat Culture” and has shown great resilience as he was the lead drive in the Heat’s playoff run last season.

Until Miami decides their team leader, they’ll be practicing at FAU for the rest of the week until they return to the Kaseya Center for a scrimmage next Monday. The day after, they’ll play their first preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets in Miami.