The 2018-19 season did not go as planned for the Miami Heat. Despite their high payroll, the team went just 39-43 and missed the playoffs by two games.
However, change is coming in Miami, and team president Pat Riley promises that brighter days are ahead.
“Every now and then, I used to call it, you got to tighten the screws,” Riley said, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel “If there is some slippage, and there may have been some slippage in some areas across the board, not just player conditioning, but across the board in a lot of things. Then you jot that down as part of your thought process about what needs to be changed.
“And there will be changes next year. Not a new culture, but to tighten the screws on a culture that sometimes erodes just a little bit.”
Pat Riley's comments don't seem to indicate that a big shake-up is coming. But he is aware of the team's expectations, and he and the rest of the Miami front office is expected work this offseason to improve the team and make it back into the playoffs.
The Heat took the sixth seed in the 2017-18 season, but they were knocked out in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. This is the organization's third playoff miss in the past five seasons.
Miami is certain to look different on the court next year. It will be their first year after the retirement of Dwyane Wade. The 13-time All-Star played his final NBA game just last week. The 37-year-old guard was used primarily off the bench, but his production and on-court leadership is difficult to replace.
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