While the start of the 2015-2016 NBA season may be months away, one thing is already for sure: the Miami Heat are coming back with a vengeance. Finishing last year with a 37-45 record and falling short of the playoffs, Heat Nation was left with a sour taste in it’s mouth. However, things are going to be very different this time around.
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Team president Pat Riley and the rest of the Miami organization may not be done making moves this summer and yet, the roster is already looking pretty darn good.
From drafting a hot new rookie, to bringing a few key players back, this summer has done the Heat a world of good. And while other teams have been busy rebuilding as well, I can say this with confidence: Miami will once again be a championship contender.
Here are 5 reasons why.
1. LeBron James Said So
James may have found his way back home to Cleveland, but that does not mean he cannot still praise his former team. As far as I am concerned his nickname of “King James” is there for a reason, so if he says that the Miami Heat are going to be “a contender,” then it must be true.
2. Dwyane Wade and Goran (plus Zoran?) Dragic Are Back
Wade has officially re-signed with the Heat after months of supposed contract negations. From the New York Knicks to the Los Angeles Lakers, the veteran guard was rumored to end his career away from South Beach. However, he was finally able to reach an 1-year, $20 million agreement with Riley, and will return for yet another season. This is obviously good news for the organization in terms of holding onto talent, but the victory goes beyond that. Losing Wade, who desired to be a Heat-lifer, would have been a huge blow to Miami’s ego. It would have continued to demoralize the current squad, and certainly deter interested parties in joining the team. By having Wade come back, the Heat proved that they really are a family, even through the toughest of times. Wade may not be used to losing, but by this time next year, 2014 will be a mere distant memory.
Acquiring Goran Dragic was pretty much the only positive thing to happen to Miami last season. And unfortunately by the time he came around, the team was too far gone. However, an abysmal season was not enough to dissuade the Dragon from sticking around. The guard officially re-signed with the Heat last week, taking less money than many expected ($86 million), on a 5-year deal. Whether his agreement helped better reel Wade back in or not, Dragic certainly continued the trend of Miami players signing smaller contracts in order to win championships. Throughout his years in the NBA he has already proven to be a force to be reckoned with on the court, but also clearly has a winning mentality off of it as well.
3. Chris Bosh Is On The Road To Recovery
Losing Bosh to a blood clot on his lung last season was devastating. Not only did the Heat lose one of the best players on the their team statistically, but they had to mentally and emotionally cope with watching a loved one go through something serious. Fortunately however, Bosh is on the mend and set to be back by October. And as if his return was not exciting enough, keep in mind that he has yet to play alongside Dragic.
4. Justise Winslow Has Arrived
The Heat scored big during the 2015 NBA Draft. With the No. 10 pick in the first round, Miami already had their eye on a couple of promising prospects. But this list, of course, was made under the presumption that the “bigger names” would already be off of the table. When it became clear that Winslow was still undrafted, the organization pounced; they selected the former Duke small forward and never looked back. The rookie has already made quite an impression at the Summer League, and the best is only yet to come.
5. Pat Riley Is Flawless
When one looks up the word “boss” in a dictionary, Riley’s face should appear. He is truly one-of-a-kind, and there is good reason for him being so successful in this league. He is never afraid to speak his mind, and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. There is no better boss than Riley. Even when looking back at least year, not a single thing can be blamed on him. Some have tried to say that he should have been able to persuade James into staying, but as far as I know, he was as blindsided as the rest of us. And he has certainly done one heck of a job saving the team this summer. Aside from Wade/Goran/Winslow, he has made some extremely intelligent pickups; the Heat recently acquired both Gerald Green and Amar’e Stoudemire, and are said to still be searching for another guard.