The latest edition of the Miami Heat Tip-Off, a weekly AllUCanHeat column, is here.
The 2018 NBA Finals officially tipped off last night, with a rematch of the Golden State Warriors versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
While every NBA fan was immensely glued to the television, the league’s remaining 28 teams are entering their offseasons a tad bit earlier than expected, ready to make changes to their rosters in hopes of challenging the defending Eastern and Western Conference Champions.
Still, some teams will stay put with their current roster and wait until training camp to get back to work.
The Miami Heat will endure a bit of both during this offseason, with trade discussions already up in the air implicating future roster decisions.
However, the one constant the Heat can be certain of is both the return and improvement of Kelly Olynyk.
The KO Show came to Miami and it has exceeded expectations.
A role player back in Boston, Olynyk has managed to fulfill every task that has been asked of him.
A starter, bench role, center, forward-center, post presence, the 3-point threat, versatile pick, roll shifter… you name it and he has delivered.
Among the few certainties that surround this Heat roster, a great pleasure fans can bask in is knowing we have a Chris Bosh-like player that will step up when called. A great example of this is a mid-season dominant performance against his former team, the Boston Celtics.
And even off the court, Olynyk is finding the perfect balance in assimilating the famous Heat culture that Miami is all about.
This is the type of player Miami needs right now, and after a very productive first year in the red and white uniform, Olynyk’s potential has a reach that can be attained. He just needs to consistently prove that with hard work and dedication.
Manager Andy Elisburg and president Pat Riley are in for an intriguing summer if they decide to make some quick and necessary moves. The mystery surrounding Hassan Whiteside‘s future and Tyler Johnson’s contract will be major hurdles in Miami’s offseason, but what won’t be is their clear options moving forward.
Olynyk being one of those.
The most exciting part of this scenario is Dion Waiters comeback. The pick and roll opportunities there could work miracles, especially with Olynyk’s versatility as a shooter as well. We were exposed to the many talents that Olynyk posses, and since the loss of Bosh to blood clots, Miami has longed for a forward with those capabilities.
Now that we have the answer moving forward, hopefully the KO show will be in town for years to come.
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After all, he has already shown signs of being a true Heat lifer.