The Heat have an effective offseason program — and players such as Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Kyle Lowry are certainly working on their craft — but Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel questions how much stock should be put into it right now, particularly given the team’s roster situation.
Miami still has a strong core, one that includes Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo and others outside of the aforementioned names. However, the team lost starting power forward P.J. Tucker to Philadelphia and hasn’t re-signed forward Markieff Morris, raising questions about who else will start in the frontcourt.
The Heat did re-sign Caleb Martin and have second-year player Haywood Highsmith, but Martin is viewed as an undersized power forward and Highsmith is still in the process of proving himself. Miami can use a starting-caliber forward alongside Butler and Adebayo — and whether it happens may directly impact their level of success this season.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Wizards forwards Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija are quietly giving the team hope, Ethan Fuller of BasketballNews.com writes. Washington finished 35-47 last season and missed the playoffs, but if the club fails to make the postseason again, it’ll still have Hachimura and Avdija for the future. Hachimura (24) was the No. 9 pick in 2019, while Avdija (21) was drafted ninth overall in 2020.
- The Celtics‘ biggest concern with a potential Kevin Durant trade could be Jayson Tatum, Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press writes. If they were to acquire Durant, the Celtics may be taking the ball out of Tatum’s hands more, which would require time to sort through. This type of major addition has succeeded before (ie. LeBron James joining Dwyane Wade in Miami), but it requires time, patience and players willing to sacrifice for the team.
At this point Jimmy Buckets is gonna be a small ball 4 next season unless they play Bam at the 4 and start Dedmon
I have no clue what’s going on with this team
I don’t either but I have faith in Pat in the end
Really get the vibe nobody wants to touch Lowry or Duncan with a 10 ft pole- I’m sure Pat has looked around
Maybe it’s just wait till the break and hopefully restock internal value or take advantage of a deadline opportunity that presents itself from a falling team scenario for Mia
Lowry doesn’t hurt you when healthy, but his agent/team deserve all the accolades for building his name/reputation. That contract is horrendous for Miami
I agree MB and I really like Lowry in all honesty .
The truth of the matter is tho he’s a lot closer to a full MLE (11 mill) player today than his current price tag. The guaranteed 2024 number is a death-spike to his tradability
I never heard much appeal for Duncan in the market as well from outside teams ……but still, somehow, you know, Pat will have this all figured out by next March
Why should they trade Lowry or Duncan? The only reason to trade either of those 2 would be for something significant on the wing that changes the roster. Also both arent bad contracts, despite whatever narrative is out there. Neither precludes them from signing the multiple options still remaining at the 4 in free agency either
I mean you yourself have brought up KD and DM multiple times…..how do you think your going to match salaries ? I think , the Heat think ,Duncan is a bad contract ,himself….you too probably if your being honest w yourself
I have never once said the Heat should trade for Donovan Mitchell. I have actively said the opposite many times. For KD, I would trade Lowry, or as I said in the post you replied to, for something significant on the wing, and I would do that with Duncan as well for the right specific players, but I’m not trading either of them just to trade them, and no, I dont consider either to be a bad contract
It’s possible in some matchups we might see moments with Bam and Yurtseven on the floor, but I doubt it. As of now, its Highsmith, Strus, Days, and possibly Butler more often. I still want at least 1 person ahead of those guys though, and there are still a handful left in free agency. Still hoping for Paul Millsap. Dont get why Ira keeps mentioning Morris, but he hasnt said anything of any semblance of intelligence, or of any substance, in like 14 years
DC should go after D ageessively but if they go into the season with their current roster I’d start Delon Wright/Brad Beal/Deni Avdija/Rui Hachimura/Daniel Gafford. They’d have 1 of the stronger 2nd units in the league headlined by Monte Morris, Will Barton & Kyle Kuzma
No porzingis?
My bad KP starting at 5 with Gafford off bench
Delon Wright starting PG??? Nope. Monte Morris is the starting PG for Washington.
Kristaps Porzingis is the starting center.
Morris
Beal
Avdija
Kuzma
Porzingis
Delon is a much better defender & they’d need that in the starting lineup. And Rui has a much higher ceiling than Kuz & is the tougher of the 2. Makes way more sense to give him the starters mins
It hints that Tatum is selfish
Compare to
Westbrook sacrificed
The Heat can get a PF if needed at Trade Deadline. Favors will be bought out too. Trades still to be made Durant irving And Mitchell.
They don’t have the assets to get any of those players for trade.
Patience and willingness to sacrifice are not Durant’s strong suits but hey maybe he’s changed!
@Buckman
As far as on the floor when has Durant ever been known as a selfish player?
Never
@ KnicksFanCavsFan
Every season? He’s all about isoball and his stats. Which is why he clashed with Kerr when he joined Steph’s team to get easy rings.
WESTBROOK IS THE BEST FIT FOR MIAMI IM WILLING TO BET IF HEALTHY MIAMI WILL WIN 3 BACK TO BACK CHAMPIONSHIP WITH WESTBROOK KEEPING THE CORE TOGETHER
Thanks Russell
Without a guarantee from Durant that he wants play for Boston and he’ll stay and demand a trade then you make the deal but let’s be real he won’t so there will be no trade
JT ain’t much into sacrificing for the team, he wants to be the man more than winning.