The Heat will enter training camp next week with several options to back up starting center Bam Adebayo, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami’s roster could change dramatically with a Damian Lillard trade, but for now the candidates to be the second-string center are Thomas Bryant, Orlando Robinson and Kevin Love, who may be the starter at power forward.
Bryant signed a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract after spending last season with the Lakers and Nuggets. Winderman notes that the 26-year-old was the only big man added to the roster this summer, so it appears the organization is committed to giving him a steady role.
Robinson, 23, signed a standard contract in July after playing on a two-way deal as a rookie. He showed promise last season and during Summer League, Winderman observes, and may be able to earn rotation minutes if he can improve his defense and avoid foul trouble.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Trading for Lillard isn’t the Heat’s only path to success, Winderman adds in a separate Sun Sentinel story. He contends that with the current roster, the team’s outlook will depend on how much improvement from Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic and Haywood Highsmith can offset the loss of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent.
- Wizards swingman Corey Kispert established himself as one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters during his second season, writes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins consulted several NBA scouts to get their view of Kispert, who connected at 42.4% from long distance last year. “The one thing you want to look for often with young guys is: Does he have an elite skill? Does he have something that the coaches can rely on? (Does he have a skill where) they can say, ‘We’re going to put him out there and we know for sure he can do this,’” one scout said. “And Corey does, right? No one’s going to question his ability to shoot.”
- Theoden Janes of The Charlotte Observer talks to country music star Eric Church about his love for basketball and how he became part of the Hornets‘ new ownership group. He calls owning his favorite childhood team “beyond any dream I ever had when I was a young man.”
The Miami Heat are a good team to bring up when so many people cry about the Warriors lack of big men. The heat are short in that area as well if you ask some, but they made it all the way to the finals and they’re ready to do it again.
They don’t seem too concerned about a 6-9 starting center and limited big men on the bench.
The difference is that Bam is an elite defender and can score 18-20 ppg, while Looney is just above-average and not a scoring threat. And “limited” big men isn’t what I’d describe cycling through like, six separate backups between C and PF. Their starting lineup was fine, but their frontcourt depth wasn’t great until they got Kevin Love.
Also, the Heat struggled with the lack of a true PF for most of the year. Caleb Martin was very clearly not big enough, and Highsmith wasn’t much better in that regard. Once they got Love, they stabilized, but he was just kind there for a lot of the time, especially in the regular season.
It mattered *less* in the playoffs, but they struggled a fair amount against the Knicks and Celtics *because* of that same problem, and won because they shot lights-out or guys got hot and dominated. That’s not a reliable strategy, and it showed when they got dogwalked by the Nuggets in the finals. None of those losses were close except Game 5, and even then, it was only close because Butler got hot in the 4th, again. And in their Game 2 win, it was Duncan Robinson getting hot and Spoelstra’s adjustments paying off, as well.
tl;dr The Heat really needed a PF, struggled hardcore without one, and were still just okay after Kevin Love showed up despite Bam being way better than Kevon Looney, or most other Centers, tbh.
The Heat are a flash in the pan team as currently constructed…
They got lucky one year with Butler… Now general soreness is older and the depth around him thinner…
The Heat need to make a move to bring in more talent or reset for their next window of contention…
The only team to go to the finals 2 of the last 4 years and three trips to the ECF, not sure you understand the meaning of a flash in a pan
They’ve had a few good years but obviously haven’t been good enough to get it done and their best player is 34 years old, injury prone and has a history of being a malcontent. How much longer can they hope to be relevant as currently constructed?
It’s honestly both? The Heat have a rock-solid two-step with Bam and Jimmy. And they always manage to fill out the roster with plenty of competent guys, plus they can get breakout performances that turn guys into regulars. But their ceiling, without getting blazing hot like they did last year, is limited. Maybe trading for Dame isn’t the move, but they do need more if they want to *consistently* be in play to win a chip, imo. Either Herro needs to take a step forward into All-Star territory (unlikely), or they need to make a move.
And they have the best coach in the NBA in Eric Spoelstra.
Even the greatest conductor in the world can’t manage an orchestra with two world-class performers and fifteen college students. Which is about the talent gap between Bam/Butler and the rest of the roster. Maybe one or two mid-chair professionals.
Mid chair reference. Love it.