Miami Heat: 3 players that could be the x-factor this season

When thinking of the Miami Heat, most will think of Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo, but which “under the radar” players could be the x-factor?

Finally, after four straight years, the Miami Heat have a legitimate star in his prime. Don’t get me wrong, Dwyane Wade was an All-star in 2015 and 2016, but he wasn’t a top 15 player. That has all changed in one off-season.

Acquiring a star like Jimmy Butler after so much time without one will surely garner a ton of attention from the media and other teams alike. This is mostly because Butler is arguably a top 15 player in the league and has shown what he is capable of doing during his time in Minnesota and Philadelphia.

This doesn’t stop right there though. Bam Adebayo,  who’s now going into his third season, has tremendous pressure on him and everyone is definitely paying closer attention. Also, what about key players like Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow?

Both these players have their share of the spotlight on them and for good reasons. Winslow is expected to take another step offensively, whereas Dragic should be expected to be either the sixth man or a reliable second option behind Butler.

However, what has always been so great about the Miami Heat has never exclusively been the star power. It’s been depth and teamwork – that is the real Heat culture. Basically, there is a lot more to Miami than just the quartet of Butler, Adebayo, Dragic, and Winslow.

What about those players that we haven’t even given a minute of thought? These players would be those like James Johnson, Meyers Leonard, or Dion Waiters.

These three players have somehow fallen under a lot of people’s radar. Maybe it’s due to two of those players having injury problems or the fact they aren’t exactly stars. However, all three players have a case to be the “x-factor” that this Heat team really needs.