Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Grading the Miami Heat’s 2020 offseason

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After an unexpected run to the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat are re-tooling for another run. Although they haven’t acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo or another NBA superstar, they’ve made enough big moves to keep them in the title picture.

 

The Heat will still be popular in the Florida sports betting circles as one of the favourites to emerge from the East. 

 

Keep a close eye on Miami as they aren’t done yet though we look and analyze at all the signings they’ve done these past few weeks: 

The Heat’s best deals

“Miami Heat” by HumongoNationphotogallery is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 

 

Miami may not have lured a certain superstar yet, but their best moves came in the form of securing two key players to their championship run plus getting the best fit during the draft.  

 

Signing Bam Adebayo to max rookie contract extension (A)

 

Although Miami tried to get Adebayo to wait, namely to structure his contract to allow for signing another max player like Antetokounmpo, they knew they had to secure their franchise cornerstone. 

 

Adebayo signed to the tune of $195 million over five years for an AAV of $39 million. The Kentucky product broke out last season posting 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 33 minutes. 

 

Most importantly, Adebayo is the centerpiece of this team. He anchors the team’s defense and is continually evolving as an offensive playmaker. 

 

At just 23, Adebayo can grow into a multiple time all-star and one of the best big men of his generation. This contract proves Miami is all-in on Adebayo even if it comes at the expense of other superstars.

 

Signing Goran Dragic to two-year extension (A)

 

Next to Adebayo, Dragic was the next crucial piece Miami needed to lock up and they not only did that but did so at a discounted price. 

 

The former All-Star signed a two-year deal for just $37.4 million with the second year being a team option.

 

Dragic was arguably the best Sixth Man last season posting averages of 16.2 points and 5.1 assists in 59 games. In the bubble, Dragic averaged 19.1 points a game and will continue to be one of the team’s main scoring options.

 

Drafting Precious Achiuwa with the no. 20 pick (B+)

“God’s gift Achiuwa about to make a pass at Madison Square Garden” by Marianne O’Leary is licensed under CC BY 2.0 

 

Few front offices can match the drafting prowess of the Heat as they scored another homerun in taking Memphis’s Precious Achiuwa.

 

The 6’9” forward is a defensive specialist and will slot in as a back-up PF. While his offensive game leaves plenty to be desired, coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff are used to molding specimens like Achiuwa.

 

While point guard was a bigger need for the Heat, Achiuwa has significant upside and could form one of the most defensively threatening frontcourts with Butler and Adebayo.

 

Secondary deals for the Heat

The biggest splash Miami made was in re-signing Adebayo. But they didn’t lay low in free agency and made some solid under-the-radar signings.

 

Signing Avery Bradley to a two-year contract (B+)

 

Miami bolstered their guard corps by adding Bradley, a two-time All-Defensive team standout. Bradley didn’t participate in the NBA bubble but was on a roll offensively averaging 10.9 points while shooting over 45% from deep in his final 17 games with the Lakers.

 

Bradley will be epitome of “3-and-D” and will slot in nicely as an alternative option to either Duncan Robinson or Tyler Herro.

 

Signing Maurice Harkless to a one-year contract (B)

 

Losing both Derrick Jones Jr. and Jae Crowder stings, but the Heat mitigated the losses by acquiring veteran Moe Harkless via their biannual exception. This means the Heat get the services of the eight-year pro at a discounted rate of just $3.6 million.

 

Harkless provides the Heat the ability to play both forward positions with some shooting on offense. He will fit in nicely behind Butler, Leonard, and Achiuwa.

 

Signing Meyers Leonard to a multi-year contract (B-)

 

Miami wasted little time in bringing back Leonard, inking him to a two-year deal north with a rough AAV of $9 million, which includes a no-movement clause and a team option for the second year akin to Dragic’s.

 

Although Leonard fell out of the rotation, he’s the quintessential backup 5 and spells Adebayo from the rigorous season. There were other free agent bigs the Heat could’ve gone for, but the team loves Leonard and that fosters better continuity in the group. 

 

Bringing back Udonis Haslem (Off the board)

 

While Haslem will be taking up that roster spot instead of a hungrier two-way guy, there is no Heat culture without Haslem. Expect to see the 40-year-old as a coach soon. But for now, Haslem rides for one more year.

Miami Heat Training Camp: “Getting Everybody Physically Right”

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In the Miami Heat’s first day of training camp, Erik Spoelstra reiterated a few times that it is all about making sure the player’s bodies are right. And well, it seems as if everybody is ready.

For starters, Erik Spoelstra mentioned that “It felt more like a practice of continuation than starting over,” and that’s a huge advantage for Miami. Some of the teams that didn’t make it to the bubble haven’t played in 9 months, and that’s a worse scenario than a short off-season.

When the players would discuss their bodies after a short off-season, it seems as if there was a mutual response, which was that they’re all ready. I don’t believe there will be any issues in that regard for the start of the season, but I do think Coach Spoelstra will be mindful with veterans.

There’s uncertainty of what Goran Dragic’s status will be by the first game, while Jimmy Butler missed the first day of camp with an excused absence.

But lucky for Miami, they have a great mix of youth and veterans, which means that Spoelstra will adjust if he sees an advantage with one over another.

Kelly Olynyk also seemed excited about the team following the first day of camp, saying “Seeing what this team can do and has in store for this upcoming season is exciting.”

There’s a different level of confidence there since he actually is watching what is going on behind the scenes. And actually everybody seems very confident with the guys on this team, mostly since they retained most guys, while plugging in Avery Bradley and Moe Harkless who can play in any system.

Conditioning is priority with this team, which is no surprise, but the overall consensus is that everybody is ready to go since it didn’t even feel like a real off-season.

Bundled-Up NBA Games Favor the Miami Heat

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It’s pretty clear that this upcoming NBA season will be one like no other, and that includes bundling up games.

The NBA decided to do this to limit travel as much as possible, which ultimately means that teams will play an opponent twice over a short stretch.

When Meyers Leonard was talking about it, he said it’s just about “locking in,” and there are not many teams better at staying focused or locked in.

The reason I believe this favors Miami is mostly to do with Heat star, Jimmy Butler. One of his biggest strengths is that he is very dangerous when he can lock in on one team in a playoff series, by overloading on film and breaking them down.

And well, although it will only be a regular season game, nothing is stopping him from doing it once again.

Obviously there will be bundled up games that are on back-to-back days, like the Milwaukee Bucks match-up in the third and fourth game. But there will also be times when they play the same team over the course of a few days.

Another person that will have a field day with this concept is Head Coach Erik Spoelstra. It was clear that he is very good at making adjustments on the fly after he put it on display in the bubble. And now he gets to adjust yet again, but this time to his advantage, since similar to Jimmy, he can focus on one team over a short period of time.

Another thing that Meyers Leonard mentioned when speaking about it was “Less travel is beneficial for player recovery.” This one benefits Miami since they have a lot of key veterans on this team, including Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic, who could use any advantage given to keep their bodies rested.

But with all of the back-to-backs, the young guys will be needed heavily, and Miami has plenty of them.

It will be interesting to see Jimmy Butler and Erik Spoelstra use this unique circumstance to their advantage, which will result in altered game-plans from one day to the next.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re beginning to get prepped today, since it is the first day of team training camp.

Miami Heat Add BJ Johnson as 20th Player

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The Miami Heat brought in BJ Johnson as their last addition, which means he will now be battling to earn the final two-way contract.

Johnson is an intriguing prospect who is 24 years old and has been around the league. He is a 6’7 wing who has a pretty decent all around game.

He’s a left handed shooter who has a fluid looking jumper. Some of his better attributes seem to be when attacking the rim, since he has a great amount of athleticism.

His defense though is where he’s shown better flashes, since he can hit passing lanes and guard players one-on-one.

He got some run in the bubble regular season games with the Orlando Magic, and scored 9 points in limited minutes, knocking down two good looking triples.

He also had some good flashes when he played on the G-League Magic team, averaging 23 points a game.

One of his weaknesses coming out of college was his thin frame, but he has put on 25 pounds since leaving Syracuse.

It’ll be interesting to see who comes out on top for that final roster spot, since he will be competing with Breein Tyree, Max Strus, and Paul Eboua. It’s a great mix of youth and experience, and honestly Miami could use either one right now, since the 15th man could actually be looked to in this very unique season.

Miami Heat Regular Season Schedule Released

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The Miami Heat schedule has just released, and it’s filled with some interesting match-ups.

Miami kicks off their season in Orlando, then follows that up with three straight home games. That includes the New Orleans Pelicans on Christmas Day at 12 P.M Eastern, and the Bucks twice in a row.

The games will be bundled up for all of the teams to limit travel, which is why this was no surprise. But the first couple of games definitely aren’t cakewalks, so it’ll be interesting to see how the minutes look for a guy like Jimmy Butler.

The Miami Heat will debut their vice versa jerseys on January 4th against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Following this they have to play the Boston Celtics twice in five days, and then Philadelphia twice in three days.

Some other intriguing match-ups for Miami include the Nets on January 25th, the Clippers on January 28th, Houston on February 11th, and a finals rematch with the Lakers on February 25th.

Although they play a lot of top teams to start off, the schedule becomes much weaker by the beginning of February.

We will see how the season plays out, but Miami Heat basketball returns in a little under three weeks.

Bam Adebayo: “I want to be a Top 5 Center or Power Forward All Time”

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Bam Adebayo spoke with media this morning about his extension, season expectations, and most importantly, personal expectations.

He began talking about many young guys looking up to him, although he’s only 23 years old, since they want to play as a versatile big who can pass. He said, “I feel like I’m trying to change basketball.”

He then reflected a bit about the past NBA Finals, which he said, “It sucked…There are wins and there is misery. No in-between.” He added, “Two more games and we could’ve been champions…My mindset has definitely kicked up a gear.”

Accountability is the word that should come up most when describing Bam Adebayo, since he takes pride in doing that and truly means it.

Bam talked a bit about a few of his teammates as well, including incoming rookie Precious Achiuwa. He said, “I feel he has more skill than I did in my rookie year.” He also mentioned the similarities between them coming out of college, but gave Precious the edge. He ended saying that Udonis Haslem is constantly pushing him to become a “hardcore leader.”

The relationship between Bam and Udonis is clear, which Bam said, “One thing about UD is that he’s 100% honest…The big brother I never had.”

When Andre Iguodala got brought up, Bam jokingly said, “He’s like UD, but without the explicit words.”

And of course he had to talk a little about Jimmy, which he described why they have such a great relationship. He said, “We’re similar because our work ethic is through the roof. And we both came from nothing and made something out of it.”

When Bam was asked about where he sees his game improving, he responded, “My nickname in the organization is no ceiling, so that gives you a point of where I want my game to be…And win this city a championship.”

It’s very obvious that Bam has his priorities straight, even mentioning that he wants to be a top 5 center or power forward when it is all said and done.

There are not many players that can be at Bam’s level right now, while being so far from reaching their potential. And plus, he’s willing to put the work in to reach that level.

Bam’s playoff run was just the beginning, and he’s ready to make yet another jump this season.

Erik Spoelstra: “Different Group, Same Goal”

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Erik Spoelstra discussed a lot of things in his press conference this afternoon, as they get ready for the start of the season.

One of the first things that stood out was when he mentioned the veterans and youth heading into the season.

He started off talking about the veterans may need a bit more rest due to the quick turnaround, but the young guys are definitely ready. He said jokingly, “Our guys like Tyler, Duncan, K-Nunn were ready three months ago.”

He then threw Bam Adebayo into that discussion, mentioning that people need to remember how young Bam still is.

Bam Adebayo’s name seems to come up quite a lot in these zoom calls, but Coach Spoelstra elaborated on his extension a bit. He said, “I’m really happy for Bam and his family. He’s worked for this in the right way. He’s all about Heat culture and winning. In many ways, he’s like Jimmy…As I said a few years ago, my nickname for him is no ceiling.”

Coaches always seem to gas up their young players, especially ones who are the centerpiece of the team. But when Erik Spoelstra or anyone on the Heat team talk about Bam, it’s truly real and authentic. And that speaks volume.

This season will clearly be a unique one, which means a lot of things are up in the air. That includes Jimmy Butler’s exact minutes, since Spoelstra said “He’s not going to be playing the kind of minutes regardless, like he was in his early twenties.” Especially with the quick off-season, this will be the case, but ultimately it is Jimmy’s decision. And he’s going to push to be on the floor as much as possible.

And speaking of things being up in the air, the rotation is definitely an uncertainty right now. I’ve been saying that training camp will hold high value for the players to crack the rotation, but it’ll also be decision time for Erik Spoelstra and his coaching staff.

He said, “It can be different a week from now, two weeks from now, two months from now.” And Miami has the luxury of looking at it that way because of their depth.

One of Miami’s interesting depth pieces is rookie Precious Achiuwa. When Coach Spo was asked about him, he said “His athleticism, quickness, fluidity, ability to play multiple positions on defense all jumped off the screem.” He also mentioned that he texted Mike Miller about him, who was on Memphis’ coaching staff, and he told him Precious would translate perfectly.

Erik finished off the media session saying that the first team practice will be on Sunday, and it seems as if he’s ready to get the season going. He said, “Different group, same goal.”

That has been his motto entering every season.

Many coaches can say it. But only few truly mean it.

Duncan Robinson: “Motivation is at an All-Time High”

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Duncan Robinson mostly spoke about the improvements he is looking to make in his presser this afternoon.

He started off by saying, “I definitely have some areas of focus in my mind.”

He then elaborated mentioning that his body is the primary focus, especially when playing for the Miami Heat. Duncan also mentioned the defensive improvements that need to be made, which he’s been working on with Heat trainers.

And most importantly, he discussed adding a mid-range game to his offensive package. This is something that I’ve mentioned all off-season, since it was obvious he would work on a one-dribble pull-up all off-season. That one addition opens up his entire offensive game, so it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.

He also talked about his poor performance in the first two finals games, which he said he wished he could get those two games back. But, he mentioned you just have to move forward, and “Motivation is at an all-time high.”

It seems as if motivation is high for everybody in that locker room, since it’s clear that they’ve seen the “fluke” comments. Duncan Robinson addressed it saying, “The chip with our group is as big as ever after hearing rumors that it was a fluke.”

Finally, he ended off mentioning that he’s thankful for the group he has around him, saying “One thing I love is that people are always in my ear encouraging.”

Duncan seems focused on yet another break-out season, since he said “I always feel like the percentages can go up.”

And with all of the improvements that Duncan is mentioning, it will make for an intriguing start of the season for the Miami Heat.

Goran Dragic: “I’m Here to Help”

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Goran Dragic made it clear that he is not worried about his role heading into next season, when speaking with media.

He said, “I’m here to help, whatever coach needs.”

Another reason that he will most likely come off the bench next season, is so he can preserve himself for the playoffs once again.

He mentioned that the depth of this team helps that even more, saying “The depth is crazy. We have eleven guys on the roster who can play.” And even before that when assessing the idea of a shorter off-season, he said “I’m not worried about that because we have so many players that can step up.”

Goran also elaborated on some of the young guys going into next season, saying “I can’t wait for them to take the next step. They’re a big part of this team.”

He also talked about his excitement for the Bam Adebayo extension, saying “I’m very happy for Bam. He deserves every dollar, every penny…I saw him when he was a rookie, and now he’s developed into a superstar in this league.”

And of course Goran had to bring up the idea of getting back to the Finals, which it seems as if it’s been weighing on his mind. He said, “I’m dreaming about that, every night when I go to bed.”

Lastly, Goran just began talking about his gratitude for staying with this Miami Heat team and organization. He mentioned their culture, while wearing the culture T-shirt, and said “I feel amazing. Miami Heat culture. I’m happy to be a part of this team.”

And clearly his teammates are happy to have him back as well, especially the young guys after many of them discussed his mentorship for them as they developed.

Goran is back, and as he said, he is “ready to help.”

Tyler Herro: “Championship is Our Only Goal”

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Tyler Herro got to speak with media on Wednesday afternoon, which he discussed both himself, and the rest of the team.

When discussing his improvements, he started off by saying, “I’m really just working on getting my handles tighter to be that primary ball-handler if needed.”

He also discussed the obvious defensive improvements that will need to be made, which he mentioned that is something he’s been working on.

When he was asked about his role for this upcoming season, he said “Everybody’s goal is to start….But whatever coach wants me to do I’m willing to do.” He reiterated that he was utilized in both roles in his rookie year, and he’s “ready to take it on” no matter the situation.

Tyler also began discussing a bunch of his teammates that have had an impact on him. When asked about Bam Adebayo he said, “I’m excited that Bam got his max. There’s nobody more deserving than him.”

He also gave some high praise for Duncan Robinson, saying “He’s really one of the best shooters in the world.”

The veterans on the team clearly had an impact on him as well, and he believes he still has much more to learn. He said, “I’m still 20. We still have amazing vets and I’m still young.”

Jimmy Butler took Tyler under his wing for his rookie season, and he even invited Tyler to go on vacation with him this off-season. Tyler mentioned that he declined since he told him “you need to go by yourself and enjoy it.”

And speaking of taking guys under their wing, Precious Achiuwa obviously got brought up. He immediately said that he doesn’t believe he’s taking him under his wing, which makes sense since Tyler is younger than Precious.

He did make sure to talk about all of Precious Achiuwa’s strengths, which he included “Miami’s going to fall in love with him.”

Tyler made sure to end it off with the primary focus of this team, saying “At the end of the day, the championship is our only goal.”

And if a bunch of Miami’s young guys make the leaps that many are expecting, that clearly is a valid goal.