Mediocre Miami Heat season could lead to a glimmer of hope
Things look dim for the 2018-19 season, but the Miami Heat have one last bit of optimism.
An NBA team with options can be a dangerous thing. Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, they are in a place where there is only one: sit back and wait.
Words like those are not uttered when it comes to Heat franchise. Not when they were at the height of any of their runs, or in the two years building towards the Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James‘ Big Three.
Competing in the offseason and on the court was always at the forefront.
At a glance, the stance seemed to shift, with team president Pat Riley‘s post-draft presser and proclamation of not having midnight meetings or making this a summer where something big happens. Statements that give off the impression that the Heat are resigned to giving up on the offseason in favor of another mediocre year.
Is that a disappointed critique or harsh reality?
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Everyone knew the Heat lacked the money to sign high profile free agents, but there was still hope of making acquisitions by other means. Riley’s claims of not getting in the meetings race—as he did with LaMarcus Aldridge when Miami also had no cap space—tends to signal that sign-and-trades are not in the immediate future as well.
There was always faith Riley would pull off a piece of magic, but it is time to give up on that as the team faded into draft and offseason silence.
So what does that leave them with?
A team that is yet to determine how head coach Erik Spoelstra meshes with center Hassan Whiteside. As well as a starting shooting guard, Dion Waiters, who will not be available for training camp.
Yet Riley says, “we’re already planning for the future like we did in 2006, 2010 and 2014.”
The offseason of 2014 did not end great (James leaving) or as bad as it could have been (Wade and Bosh re-signed). However, the money was there to put the proper product on the floor if things would have lined up correctly. The years 2006 and 2010 came with success.
And because of that success, expectations have grown higher.
Building on the 41-41 record of two years ago and last season’s 44-38 outing should come with a slight bump in the win column, due to a potentially full year of Wade and maybe Waiters.
Break things down a little further and Miami’s plan takes focus.
The summer of 2019 is poised to be another big free agency fight throughout the league. One where player options for Whiteside ($27 million), Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson ($19 million a piece) become a poison pill to the team’s cap once they opt-in.
However, what is missing may be a Riley strategy that starts with wishing for a productive 2018-19 season from each, then continuing with trying to trade at least two of their expiring contracts in sign-and-trades for free agents, or trades with teams looking to unload disgruntled stars on big contracts, in exchange for cap relief in 2020.
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The same old story and wishful thinking, but this is looking like one of the only ways the Heat can find hope.