The Miami Heat are poised to take the etch-a-sketch that is the 2020-2021 roster and shake up the board, starting fresh with a jolt to energize the team and power the next season. Now, I’m not talking total rebuild; if Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are not on the roster come September, I will be apoplectic.
But just enough weird stuff happened in the season and postseason to help a team like the Heat scoop up key free agents, make a few moves, and reload with a very lethal squad. What follows is all the unfortunate and weird things that happened, which could benefit the Heat.
It is also worth mentioning that Miami is staring down the barrel of a pretty positive cap situation, which I outlined in an earlier piece.
Victor Oladipo’s splash move ends in injury
Oladipo nursing injuries, only to play four games, and go down isn’t really weird; it’s just sad (if you aren’t on team Dipo, what’s wrong with you? Seriously. See a therapist). However, it does give the Heat a real opportunity to sign the former All-Star to a prove-it, one-year deal on the cheap.
If Oladipo tests the market and wants more, a healthy season on a great team (look at me being optimistic) could help him leap into big money the following year. It would also give Miami one year of a great combo guard on a discount if he can stay healthy.
The Miami Heat are all over the Collin Sexton and Kyle Lowry rumors.
So that was lucky, huh?. The Toronto Raptors went from giving the Boston Celtics a run to snagging a top lottery pick.
Toronto’s nosedive opens the Lowry door
It’s not really their fault. The Raptors were seemingly constantly injured or dealing with COVID protocols.
And due to the closed border, the team played an entire season without a home game, forced to a satellite Tampa Bay location. The Raptors look less like a frisky playoff team and more like a rebuilding contender, the further they get from the 2019 title.
Kyle Lowry stuck with the team despite running up against LeBron James year after year and helped bring the city its first ‘chip. He can leave guilt-free and join a team like the Miami Heat.
Cleveland is still a mess
The Cleveland Cavaliers seemed to be gathering young pieces following the second LeBron Era in Ohio, attaching the franchise to what was supposed to be a collection of rising stars. Some of the more disjointed moves, like Darius Garland and Collin Sexton’s pairing in the backcourt, seemed to be panning out (who amongst us didn’t love Sexland?).
But that light faded quickly. Now, the Cavs seem to be back at square one, but this could mean some pieces are on the move.
The veteran presence on the team, Kevin Love, is a hefty contract but a nice scoring big to add to the rotation. Sexton is turning into De’Aaron Fox, but with better defense and would be an excellent guard to run the crunch-time offense, play off Butler, or lead the second unit.
Jarrett Allen could even be picked up to fortify the frontcourt on both ends of the floor. The implosion of Believeland could offer several pieces to the league and help Miami fill out the roster.
The Miami Heat didn’t face a Western Team this postseason, as they were knocked out early. But so were plenty of teams on that side.
Several teams in the West (Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers) exited the playoffs far sooner than their lofty expectations. This could cause some serious ripple effects.
Early exits in the West
For the Clippers, the biggest problem is Kawhi Leonard hitting free agency. Even if Miami isn’t on his boarding pass, the Clippers could potentially start selling pieces to avoid losing other assets that exit in his departure.
Portland is in a similar boat. If Damian Lillard leaves and the return isn’t a superstar, it will likely be a massive haul of picks.
That could trigger a ripple effect, pushing the Trail Blazers into overhaul mode. Even partially rebuilding on the fly sends solid rotation players on the move (I’m looking at you, Robert Covington).
The Lakers might not have a firesale since injuries kept them from running the table, but the door always seems to be pretty well worn on LeBron-led teams. The high turnover could lead to someone like a Kyle Kuzma finding their way onto the Miami Heat.
The bottom line: A team like the Heat, with playoff hardened vets, at least one blue-chip piece, some cash, and a desirable city could land some real pieces this summer. Keep your eyes peeled… is the point.