Miami Heat: An in-depth 2019-2020 Season Preview of the team

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Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat leaves the game after getting injured in the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Arena on March 15, 2019 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 the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

How healthy can Miami’s core remain for 82 games and a postseason?

Last year, the greatest impediments to the Miami Heat roster involved injuries. More than half of
the roster was hurt at one point or another from the October to April stretch. When taking into account the odds that Erik Spoelstra’s squad faced, one could argue that it was even remarkable to see the Heat come up just three games short of a winning season.

The Miami Heat’s top three scorers from 2017-2018 in Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, and Hassan Whiteside missed 90 games combined, which resulted in a disappointingly quiet offense from the Heat throughout last season. To make matters worse, Dwyane Wade went down right as the Heat were heading into a tight playoff race that included the Nets, Magic, Hornets, and Pistons. Rodney McGruder’s knee injury directly impacted the Heat’s perimeter defense, while James Johnson’s shoulder problems took away some of the physicality that this team has when they play at their best.

During a year where almost everything went wrong, the Heat learned more about their young
core than they had in the previous four or five seasons combined. The team’s health issues allowed players like wingman Josh Richardson to take on more opportunities as a scorer, which saw him average 16.2 points per game.

It also gave Justise Winslow valuable exposure to the starting PG role, where he got
to learn the ins and outs of the offense. On top of that, the Heat managed to remain one of the
better rebounding teams in the league, greatly in part to the rise of big man, Bam Adebayo.

There’s no guarantee that the recent growth of the young talent will pay off long-term, especially as Josh Richardson will essentially be assuming Jimmy Butler’s old role in Philadelphia during this upcoming season. However, with new experiences under their belts, the Heat may be better prepared next season should they continue to be afflicted with injuries.

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