What NBA 2K20 simulations have to say about the Miami Heat

MIAMI, FL – NOVEMBER 9: A general view of the American Airlines Arena before the game between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers on November 9, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)

With most offseason prognosticators weighing in on the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA, we have yet to consult the ultimate authority: NBA 2K20.

Sportsbooks, statistical forecasts and ESPN have all said their piece about the fortunes of the Miami Heat and the rest of the NBA. These are all perfectly respectable models and experts, but one ultimate authority reigns above all: NBA 2K20 is the final word on what to expect in the coming season of NBA basketball.

In order to determine what to expect next season for the Heat, we’re going to use 2K to simulate the coming season. Of course, much like the NBA itself, NBA 2K has a tendency to produce ridiculous results over small samples, so trusting a single season’s sample size is out of the question. As a result, we’ll simulate five seasons and see not only what each season produces independently but what the cumulative result tells us via averages.

We have ground rules, and we’ll hit those before we get started.

Roster injuries on

First off, in order to recreate the NBA’s competitive landscape as accurately as possible, roster injuries will be turned on. That means no Klay Thompson in the early stages of the season, at a minimum, and perhaps no Kevin Durant at all.

All trade requests are denied

NBA 2K has long had a fondness for preposterous trade offers. It adds to the fascination of the game, but we’re trying to find what the game’s simulation thinks THIS Heat team will do next season, not what the reshaped roster that results from a series of insane trades produces. We will note interesting trade offers throughout the simulation, but we will auto-decline each of them.

All lineup decisions will be made by the AI

To limit our own interference in the simulation, all lineup decisions will be made by the AI. It doesn’t matter who we think should be starting at point guard or any other slot, we are only here to observe, not to influence. Once again, all notable lineup decisions will be recorded.

That’s it, those are the rules. We’ll break down each season individually, and we’ll run through the overall picture painted of the 2019-20 season at the end.