Your pre-season thoughts on: Miami Heat

[2minutedrill32]

I think it is really hard for them to reach their potential on paper when Spo is always looking to save Wade's body by restricting minutes in games or Wade sitting out entire games. They aren't built like the Spurs, where starters take games off and the bench is nearly as good and the system works.

If Wade is going to take the cap space of a superstar, he has to play superstar minutes and play every night on THIS team. Maybe not when LeBron was around, but on this team he HAS to. By the end of the year last year, Spo had basically coached the team out of at least the #8 seed because of this rest strategy that had been employed in prior seasons, but LeBron could shoulder the extra burden and still get the #1 or #2 seed.

What are you saving Wade for if you don't make the playoffs? At least secure a playoff spot before you go into conservation mode. Again, if you are going to pay Wade $20 million per year, ON THIS PARTICULAR TEAM, the team needs him ON THE FLOOR, until they don't.

Spo took for granted all the success of the previous 4 years and thought he could still get in the Playoffs with the same strategy. The players may have been complicit in this as well, but Spo makes the rotations.

I watched many games early in the year where the Heat were healthy for the most part...they would get big leads early and consistently Spo would sit Wade for extended rest, and suddenly they'd let teams back in it and many times it cost them a W.

Michael Jordan played 82 games in his final year with the Wizards...he played all 82 games in each season of the second 3-peat, when they were winning 72 games, averaging 38 minutes a night. Yes, Wade has a documented history of injuries...but honestly, if Spo coaches Wade and the team with the lack of urgency that he did last year, I can see them potentially fighting for a 7 or 8 seed again this year. The other teams in the East are improving, they are mostly young and hungry teams that will be giving max effort that can make up for a talent discrepancy when the other team is in effect not doing "everything" they can do to win. The Heat are still a marquee victory for opponents as well, so they get other teams best shots.

I've been a Heat fan since 1995...last season was frustrating because of the way Spo coached, but Bosh's health, the emergence of Whiteside, and the addition of Dragic made the results bearable for one year. If I don't see a sense of urgency to win every night, I'm not sure I can watch them underachieve again.

Cautiously optimistic.


I think the addition of Gerald Green is huge for the bench. Whiteside needs to take another step on D.

[Nuff Said]

Dragic hasn't impressed me yet. Wade coasting as usual. Spo has proven to be overrated. It's not looking good so far but I believe we can get it together later in on the season.

[PJR]

Great post 2minutedrill, and you are spot on.

Wade must play the bulk of the season if he's getting paid like a star still. But I do think the team is more equipped to handle his absence, with better depth this year. Gerald Green has been impressive, and already has the prior chemistry with Dragic from their Phoenix days. The guard depth overall should be better.

[GrapeApe]

A lot of good things being said in this thread and I agree with the general sentiment most are conveying. It seems the consensus top 3 issues this season are health, chemistry, and Spo. The talent is in place to have a great season and make a deep playoff run, but deficiencies in any of those areas could pose significant problems.

Barring another injury plagued year, this season should at the very least be interesting and exciting. I think it's important for them to get off to a reasonably strong start. As with any team with somewhat high expectations they will be heavily scrutinized if and when they struggle. Hopefully they don't come out of the gate slow and have to dig out of an early hole. We shall see.

[Foster5k]

This team lacks one key ingredient... LeBron James

[GrapeApe]

This team lacks one key ingredient... LeBron James

There are 29 teams who lack Lebron James, and 10 times in Lebron's 12 year career, one of those teams won the title (including the Miami Heat).

Just sayin.

[Foster5k]

There are 29 teams who lack Lebron James, and 10 times in Lebron's 12 year career, one of those teams won the title (including the Miami Heat).

Just sayin.

Lmao. Wade was in his prime then and plus they had Shaq. So, without LeBron, you need a prime Wade and a Shaq that can put up 18ppg 10reb 2ast 60-65%fg. Oh and a bunch of help from the refs. There's a reason Wade was called D-Whistle in the 2006 Finals.

[GrapeApe]

Lmao. Wade was in his prime then and plus they had Shaq. So, without LeBron, you need a prime Wade and a Shaq that can put up 18ppg 10reb 2ast 60-65%fg. Oh and a bunch of help from the refs. There's a reason Wade was called D-Whistle in the 2006 Finals.

Dude, relax. I was just pointing out that having Lebron on your team is hardly a prerequisite for winning a title. I never claimed this year's Heat was going to win a title. I was mostly being facetious.

I just found that post ironic, especially considering that one of the teams to win a title without Lebron was in fact the Miami Heat.

[Foster5k]

Dude, relax. I was just pointing out that having Lebron on your team is hardly a prerequisite for winning a title. I never claimed this year's Heat was going to win a title. I was mostly being facetious.

I just found that post ironic, especially considering that one of the teams to win a title without Lebron was in fact the Miami Heat.

I know there are teams that win titles without LeBron. I was just saying that this particular team's problem is they don't have LeBron James. You're kidding yourself if you think the Heat wouldn't be favorites to win it all if they still have LeBron James.

[GrapeApe]

I know there are teams that win titles without LeBron. I was just saying that this particular team's problem is they don't have LeBron James. You're kidding yourself if you think the Heat wouldn't be favorites to win it all if they still have LeBron James.

I don't see how it's specifically the Heat's problem when there are multiple teams who would be favored to win it all if they had Lebron. You put Lebron on any playoff team (assuming the rest of the roster is the same) and they become at the very least a championship contender, if not the favorite.

I just think it's silly to say "that team is lacking the (arguably) best player in the world". It seems like kind of an obvious statement that could apply to every team, not just the Heat.

[Foster5k]

I don't see how it's specifically the Heat's problem when there are multiple teams who would be favored to win it all if they had Lebron. You put Lebron on any playoff team (assuming the rest of the roster is the same) and they become at the very least a championship contender, if not the favorite.

I just think it's silly to say "that team is lacking the (arguably) best player in the world". It seems like kind of an obvious statement that could apply to every team, not just the Heat.

I realize that. I was just talking about Heat. I know other playoff teams could use LeBron's talent. Pat Riley should have done everything he could have done to keep LeBron happy.

[r0drig0lac]

second best team in the east if healthy

[GrapeApe]

I realize that. I was just talking about Heat. I know other playoff teams could use LeBron's talent. Pat Riley should have done everything he could have done to keep LeBron happy.

Who's to say he didn't (or at least try)? I don't think Lebron was ever truly happy or comfortable in Miami. As a Heat fan I could always sense it and I always felt that his departure was inevitable. The finals loss in 2014 may have expedited the process, but he was always leaving. I think both Lebron and Riley knew all along that the situation was that of a rental.

Back to your initial point though, obviously a trio of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh is always going to be a championship contender and heavy favorite in the east. No argument there. With the appropriate roster tweaks, that core could have definitely won a few more titles. I've moved on though and am excited about this season and the future of the organization.