Empowered by Riley, Fueled by Butler, Supported by Spoelstra
Whether it was by accident or via strokes of genius, there is no doubt that a sense of relief has
come with the successes of Miami’s organizational leadership. This offseason has served as a reminder that the Miami Heat still have one of the best front offices in the NBA. This is of course due to the leadership of Pat Riley, Andy Elisberg, and head coach Erik Spoelstra.
The Heat have proven that they know how to ensure that certain pieces will fit into their system
ahead of time, and Jimmy Butler will challenge that notion more than most players ever have coming into the Miami Heat culture. Regardless of how many positives come with his playmaking abilities, Butler will need to prove to himself and his teammates that he is worthy of being a leader for this Heat team in this Heat organization.
That means no fallouts with teammates, no unfinished business with front-office executives, and no other excuses. Miami is the perfect fresh start for him, as he will be able to set the tone more than other players will for this team’s style of play. If he can make other players better with his
presence on the court and in the locker room, then Butler could even go as far as ending his career in Miami, which he has hinted that he would like to do.
Even with the Butler addition, it is worth noting that the Eastern Conference has quickly become
more competitive since LeBron James left for the Los Angeles Lakers and there isn’t any certainty that all of the Heat’s transactions this offseason will have a drastic impact on their progression in the standings. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets and the Boston Celtics will look very different, while other squads like the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers will be looking to continue their rises to the top of the Eastern Conference.
If the Heat can find a way to add top-notch 3-point shooters before the trade deadline while also
finding new ways to increase their average speed of possessions – especially via transition – then there is a legitimate chance for them to become a 50-win team this season. With all of the aspects of his game, Butler’s intensity and work ethic should fit well into Miami’s system.
Also noteworthy, given the likelihood that this team will not go through the severity of injuries it faced last season, the Miami Heat should easily become a playoff team once again. While previews are oftentimes of the most optimism possible, this one is also chalked full of realism. Let’s just hope that both those scenarios involve a lot of winning for this Miami Heat team.