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Don’t look to next summer just yet, Miami Heat fans

By Kristopher Keaton

Apr 12, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra points to his bench and smiles during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra points to his bench and smiles during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Heat have enough to get excited for this season.

When it comes to expectations, sports fans can be unrealistic and polarized. We live in the era of extremism; where it’s either all good or all bad, and the analysis is usually instantaneous. This seems to be the case for the Miami Heat in the wake of one of the weirder off-seasons in recent memory.

Dwyane Wade is gone. Chris Bosh’s future is uncertain. Pat Riley whiffed on Kevin Durant. The team’s future rests in the hands of an immature Hassan Whiteside and a 30-year-old point guard in Goran Dragic. Despite all that, the Heat have more reason to play the season out to their full potential than lay down and prepare for the next off-season.

For starters, the off-season hasn’t been kind to the Heat since 2014, so somehow believing that those fortunes will undoubtedly change is misguided. It is understandable to have the optimism but with the recent events, it should be done with caution.

More importantly, though, that we’re already planning to revamp the team before this one even gets to the court is disrespectful. Although I’m not the biggest Pat Riley fan out there, one thing I can give him credit for is building this roster full of guys who are looking to prove themselves.

Whiteside is now a max contract guy and wants to prove he is worthy. Dragic is now the most experienced member of the roster. Younger guys like Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, Justise Winslow, and Willie Reed will now be slotted into bigger roles to show they belong.

This is a new opportunity for Erik Spoelstra to prove why he’s one of the better coaches in the league. For the first time in his career, he won’t have Dwyane Wade’s veteran presence to lean on, and may not have Bosh’s either. Spoelstra is the de facto leader for this young group.

While next summer could be franchise-altering, we all have to take a step back and appreciate what this season is going to bring. The Miami Heat have an opportunity to build toward the future by developing talented, young guys this season. There’s no need to rush to next year. There is plenty to be excited about right now.

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