The Miami Heat are in an unenviable but common place. Likely not championship or conference winning material, what exactly would define success for them?
For as long as the NBA has existed, there has existed a gulf between the league’s haves and the have-nots. Even at its most wide-open, there are rarely more than a handful of teams that have even a shot at a championship. When teams like the Miami Heat are likely playing without a true chance at a title, what constitutes success for them?
A season ago the Heat not only missed the playoffs, but they had the ignominious distinction of being the most expensive team to ever miss the NBA playoffs. In fact, they had to cut a player (Rodney McGruder) with days left in the regular season just in the hopes of ducking under the punitive repeater tax.
They hadn’t even been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs yet when they released McGruder.
This season, they have added a legitimate high-level star in Jimmy Butler, and they did so without eliminating their ability to swing for the fences in two summers when most of the NBA’s superstars will be free agents. Needless to say, in such a bonanza, at least a handful of top-tier players will have eyes on South Beach, and retaining the flexibility to pursue them is essential.
With Butler in their ranks, there are some essential requirements for what could be considered success next season.
Make the playoffs
First off, they must make the playoffs, and they have to do it in convincing fashion. Squeaking in as a seven or eight seed with a 41-41 record won’t cut the ice for the Miami Heat. Earning homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs as one of the top four seeds, on the other hand, would qualify as an element of a successful season.
Stay relevant in 2021
The summer of 2021 remains the next big key for the hopes of Heat. While getting out of the tax once again this season would be preferable, taking on long term money to do so could be catastrophic. Ownership might need to bite the bullet this season and pay up in order maximize future flexibility.
Development of youth
Aside from the exciting future of the summer of 2021, development of young and promising players like Bam Adebayo and the rookie Tyler Herro are key to anything the Miami Heat are able to do in the future. This summer Adebayo worked out with both Heat legend Chris Bosh and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, so we may see some new tricks in the young starting center next season and down the road.
There may be no NBA championship in the immediate future for the Miami Heat, but hitting these targets will make this a successful season nonetheless.