19/10/2022
What is the 2022-2023 season is going to look like for the MIAMI HEAT?
For the past few seasons, the Heat always find a way to contend. Regardless if they are being led by an All-Star caliber player or just plain roster guys. But it seems that DOUBT always accompany the Heat’s regular season. They’ve always been labeled as an outsider looking in, or a team that is NOT considered top 5 in the Eastern Conference.
Let’s take a deep dive to what is in store for the Miami Heat’s 2022-2023 season.
ROSTER
This Miami Heat team is still Jimmy Butler’s to lead. They will go as far as Butler go. The Heat would still rely on Butler as the leader and their Superstar. Lowry, on the other end, according to reports he have been really working out to be in tip top shape for the upcoming season. That’s a very welcome sight for the Heat. Lowry has been in and out of the rotation last season, specially in the playoffs where you can see he is not 100%. If Lowry can stay healthy for the long haul, it is going to be huge lift for the team. PJ Tucker is a huge loss for the Heat at the 4 positions. Here is where Caleb Martin comes into the picture. He is under-sized playing the 4, but it looks like the Heat really likes his dynamics regardless of the mismatch. It looks like they are building a small-ball starting 5. While Martin seems at a disadvantage to the traditional power forwards at the defensive end, he will be a mismatch in offense. He can completely outrun most of them. It is at the defensive rebounding end where the biggest challenge is going to be. Max Struss will be heavily relied upon as well. He will still bring the same energy he brings every night, offense and defensively. Duncan Robinson will also need to contribute, last season did not go very well for him, and the Heat would love to see a bounce back season from Robinson. We hope to see him shoot the lights out once again. Gabe Vincent will be Gabe Vincent, he will be the energy guy off the bench, he will provide the needed boost from the 2nd unit. Victor Oladipo, the former All-Star, is also hoping for a comeback season. We don’t know what kind of Dipo is going to show up, but the Heat can use a very healthy Oladipo as the season goes on. We would love to see him go back to All-Star form. Dedmon and Yurt will provide Bam the much-needed rest he needs, and could sometime play along side them. In my opinion, this roster is decent enough to compete. Most of the guys have been playing together for the past 3 years already, and that familiarity with each other could be an X-factor. And let us not forget the Heat Culture that comes with it, anything is achievable. This roster could get some twitching through mid-season trades. Those needs will be addressed while the season is going.
BAM and HERRO + JOVIC
At this point, it is inevitable that Bam and Herro will be carrying the torch for the franchise for the years to come. And also, the young Jovic could be the 3rd piece to the Heat’s young Big 3. Bam Adebayo calls himself “No Ceiling,” and it is for real. Bam spent his summer improving his game. On his previous interviews, it seems that he is sending a message to the Heat organization that he is ready to be unleashed in offense. He wants a heavier role in offense. Let us also realize that Bam is being used most of the time as ball screener / PnR as his primary role. Those bone crushing picks gives the shooters like Struss and Robinson and Herro the open look. Bam has been very efficient playing this role and he even plays Point Center on some possessions. Now he seems ready to play that primary role in offense. Getting Bam the ball and making him a threat in offense gives the Heat’s offense more dynamic. Oh, by the way, Bam served a warning that he will be shooting 3’s this season, I just hope that he won’t fall in love with the 3 too much. Bam has a decent touch specially in the mid-range area. He also has a lightning first step to get past any defender in the post. He really has “No Ceiling.”
Tyler Herro on the other end has been the talk of the trade in the past off season. You can see his name in the Durant and Mitchell sweepstakes. He hasn’t had his extension until the trades were off. Herro wants the starting SG role. But when Riley was asked about it, he told the media that Herro needs to prove himself and earn the spot. But it looks like Herro would end up as the starter this season for the Miami Heat, after signing the huge extension, it looks like Herro will be a force to reckon with this season. He also wants to be included in the conversation of being a young superstar like Luka and Trey Young. Which is still to be seen. We wish to see improvement at the defensive end, this is Herro’s weakness, it is evident in the past season that teams target him every time. We hope to see an improvement on defense in Herro’s game. So that he can be relied upon, specially in the closing minutes of the game. Achieving this will not happen overnight, but let us stay hopeful that Herro can improve on D.
Nikola Jovic, the 19-year-old draft pick of the Heat has a huge upside. He has a very high IQ, and looks like he understands the game like he has been in the league for 5 years. I’m not sure if the Heat will allow Jovic to play regular minutes, but I am hoping for it. This dude needs experience to learn more and to develop more. The potential is very evident. If you ever seen this kid interviewed, he answers as if he is hungry to learn as fast as he could, his answers are very intelligent and realistic. Jovic has all the ingredients to be successful in this league. Pat Riley wouldn’t say that Jovic’s jersey will hang in the rafters someday if he didn’t see anything special in him. In Pat we trust.
HEAT will contend this season regardless of the roster. They will grind night in and nigh out. The Heat Culture is very much alive! Welcome to the 2022-2023 season! Let’s go Heat!