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The Miami Heat were definitely one of the big winners of what was easily one of the most insane offseasons in the history of the NBA. Instead of opting to fall into basketball purgatory, Heat team president Pat Riley worked his magic yet again, as he ensured that Miami would remain relevant in a highly-competitive landscape heading into the 2019-20 NBA season.
This came in the form of the Jimmy Butler signing, who the Heat acquired via a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Somehow, the Heat were able to bring in the new face of their franchise while also keeping their salary cap situation in check.
For his part, Butler is now Miami's new messiah, and much will be expected of him. As a matter of fact, in a high-profile and big-market franchise such as the Heat, a return on their investment will be demanded as early as next season.
Nevertheless, we believe that Butler will deliver. Below, we outline three arguments on why we think Miami will be able to make the 2020 Playoffs with the four-time All-Star at the helm.
Fits the Bill
First and foremost, we have to say that we could not have imagined a better landing spot for Butler than South Beach. The same can be said for the Heat, who appear to have found their match in the 6-foot-8 wing. Miami is not for the faint of heart, and definitely, as proven by all the controversy that has surrounded him throughout his career, Butler holds the type of strong personality that is required in a team such as the Heat.
Last season saw the end to the career of Miami legend Dwyane Wade. In terms of passing the torch, Butler is more than an ideal candidate in this respect. These two superstars were not only former teammates (with the Chicago Bulls), but also, Butler happens to be one of the few, if not the only other NBA superstar that like Wade, is also an alumni of Marquette University.
The Cornerstone
Setting the narrative aside, one thing about Butler is that he is a proven superstar. Last season, he lit it up with the Sixers despite playing alongside a slew of other big-name stars. However, this coming season with the Heat, there is no question that this is going to be his team. This is indeed an ideal scenario for Butler, who has in the past, proven that he is more than capable of carrying a team to the playoffs.
Butler arguably had the best season of his career in the 2016-17 season. That year, he averaged a career-high 23.9 points (on 45.5 percent shooting), 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 37.0 minutes per ballgame. This was the very same season that Wade played his single-year for his hometown of Chicago, but he was more of a Robin to Butler's Batman.
This could be a preview of the type of numbers Butler could put up as the unquestioned number one option on offense, and coupled by the fact that he is one of the best two-way players in the game today, there is very little doubt that Butler definitely possesses the tools to be Miami's cornerstone superstar — and the man that will bring them back to the promised land.
The Competition
Now that we've established that Butler has what it takes for the Heat, we will also need to consider a number of external factors. To be specific, a look at the competition in the East should provide us with a better gauge of how Miami's season will potentially play out.
The Milwaukee Bucks and the Sixers are probably a lock for the top two seeds in the East, with the six remaining spots pretty much a free-for-all for the rest of the contenders in the conference. The Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors, despite losing some significant player/s on their respective squads, are both still expected to secure a high seed in the playoffs.
The Brooklyn Nets and the Indiana Pacers — two teams that will be entering the new season without their injured star players — will be competitive, and so will the likes of the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons. However, among the previously aforementioned set of teams, Butler and the Heat appear to have a very good fighting chance to have a better season than at least one of these squads. It's not going to be easy, but judging the playoffs picture in the East, Miami might just actually sneak their way into a fifth or sixth seed this year.
Let's not get too excited, though. The Heat are definitely not going to be title contenders this season. As a matter of fact, they might not even get past the first round. Nevertheless, with Butler as their talisman, this should still be a very exciting season ahead for Miami.
