3 Miami Heat lineups to look forward to next season
By Simon Smith
Following a stellar finish to the 2016-17 regular season, here’s an early look at some of the prospective Miami Heat lineups this upcoming season.
Despite missing out on their No. 1 offseason target, Gordon Hayward, the Miami Heat have nonetheless had a relatively successful summer thus far.
Last season’s reclamation success stories in Dion Waiters and James Johnson were both rewarded with four-year contract’s consisting of a significant pay rise. With a year under their belts within the Heat system, it’s certainly anticipated that Waiters and Johnson take an extra step this season, and therefore justify the faith the team has placed in their talents.
After missing out Hayward, the Heat quickly set their sights elsewhere by signing center Kelly Olynyk. Also signed to a four-year deal. Olynyk’s ability to not only man the middle, but also stretch the floor at either the 4 or 5 spot, is bound to give head coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff a plethora of options for the upcoming season.
Furthermore, a real X-factor that has emerged this offseason has been Bam Adebayo, the Heat’s No. 14 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. At 6-foot-10, and possessing incredible athletic ability, Adebayo exhibited glimpses of his significant potential in the recent Summer League in both Orlando and Las Vegas.
On top of these additions is the recent development that forward Justise Winslow has been cleared to participate in full-contact work after playing just 18 games last season due to season demanding shoulder surgery.
And this is all without mentioning the Heat’s two premier starters in Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside. Therefore, with a number of new key pieces to work with, formulating the correct lineups to make the best use of the available talent is going to be crucial for Spoelstra and his staff moving forward.
With this in mind, here’s a look at three alternative lineups the Heat could roll out this upcoming season.