It is officially the offseason for the NBA and the Miami Heat plan to make their mark to build up another competitive squad for the 2021-2022 season. Free agency has begun and already there is an extensive list of names moving around the league and finding new homes. But the Heat have put a focus on solidifying their pre-existing young core and adding veteran presence around it.
Following a 2020 Finals run with a young core that showed a great amount of promise for the future, the Miami Heat knew that they had great players developing in their organization like Duncan Robinson, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro. Last year, the Heat locked up Adebayo to a 5 year, $163M contract and Herro was signed for 3 years for $11.5M. The “Bam” deal was huge because he is the focal point to their paint presence, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Herro is a great young player who shows spurts of having future superstar potential, but this was clouded in the 2020-2021 season due to injury and COVID-19. If Herro can remain consistent at a level that is remotely similar to his display in the 2020 NBA Playoffs, he will want a huge pay increase when his contract expires in 2023; but the Heat have time to juggle the pieces before then. The Heat also took care of shooting guard sniper Duncan Robinson this offseason, re-signing him to a 5 year deal worth $90M. He can put up big minutes either in a starting role or off the bench and will remain an asset for the Heat’s offense for years to come.
Going into the 2022 season, it is time to take care of the superstar of the team and the nucleus to Miami basketball at this current time: Jimmy Butler. Butler is an amazing two-way player with great leadership skills, who has found comfort in playing basketball in Miami with a group of young studs. It is being reported that the Miami Heat plan to lock up Butler this offseason and re-sign him to a 4 year deal worth $184M+. If this turns out to be factual (which it probably is), then Miami has secured their “key 3” for a couple more seasons, which will now allow them to bring in other players through free agency to focus on the 2021-2022 season; which they are already doing.
Through a sign-and-trade with the Toronto Raptors, the Miami Heat have sent Goran Dragic to Toronto for Kyle Lowry. This is an interesting move that I find helps them to win basketball games now, and to worry about the financial ramifications in the future. Lowry brings a veteran presence to the Heat organization, which can be utilized in the back-up point guard position behind Herro, if he remains healthy and consistent. If Herro cannot stay healthy or his productivity tips off halfway through the season, I can see Lowry getting the starting role. The ball is in Tyler Herro’s court and the point guard position is his for the taking, but for now, looking at the season from this day in August, it would be a safe bet that Herro and Lowry will split equal minutes and opportunity at the point guard position for the Heat.
Additionally, Miami added reigning NBA champion P.J. Tucker to the squad on a 2 year deal worth $15M. He is a great defensive mind, who will keep the bench scoring for opposing teams to a minimum. Markieff Morris is also on his way to Miami on a 1 year deal, who is another good veteran bench player who knows his role on the basketball court and doesn’t try to play outside of it.
I believe the Miami Heat are just about done making their big moves this offseason, but that’s not to say that more pieces will be added before the start of the season. The core of the team is pretty much built at this point and I think I speak for other Heat fans when I say that I am excited to see what this team can do this season. The additions of Lowry and Tucker are interesting to see to an already solid team that was riddled with injury and COVID-19 last season. My fingers are crossed that everyone can remain healthy this season so that we can see the true potential of the Miami Heat.
Brandon McFayden
South Florida Tribune
Potty Mouth Sports
