The Miami Heat were one of the most active teams in free agency this offseason. They made a ton of moves and may have propelled themselves into title contention.
They started off by signing Kyle Lowry to a three-year deal and followed it up by bringing PJ Tucker on board as well. Miami also snagged Markieff Morris in free agency as well.
Bringing back Victor Oladipo was a huge success as well. The veteran guard will have a chance to rebound from his injury before hitting the market again next season.
On top of that, they also re-signed Duncan Robinson to a five-year, $90 million deal. Jimmy Butler also got a max extension, meaning both of them will be in Miami for a while.
Miami made a bunch of little moves as well. This includes re-signing Dewayne Dedmon, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent to smaller contracts.
With all the talent Miami has on the roster, Erik Spoelstra is going to have to make some important decisions regarding the rotation. Lots of people are going to be vying for a starting spot.
As of now, the only players virtually locked in as starters should be Lowry, Butler, and Bam Adebayo. All three are All-Star caliber players and will be treated as such.
Past that, Duncan Robinson should be in the starting lineup as well. He started all 72 games for the Heat last season and his shooting is invaluable.
The real question will be who deserves the final starting spot. As of now, it likely comes down to two players – PJ Tucker and Tyler Herro.
The case for the Miami Heat to start PJ Tucker
PJ Tucker will most likely start off the season as the starter. He’s 36 years old and would fill the hole at power forward for the Miami Heat.
Miami has been struggling to find a starting power forward for a while. Trevor Ariza and Kelly Olynyk played the role well, but it hasn’t been the same since Jae Crowder left.
Having Tucker in the starting lineup would create one of the best defensive lineups in the NBA. He’s always been a player that can get under the skin of his opponents.
That’s the sort of team Pat Riley chose to put together this offseason. Tucker, Lowry, and Morris are all like that, so it only makes sense to have a couple of them in the starting lineup.
Another great thing about Tucker is that he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective. He is at his best in catch-and-shoot scenarios on offense.
This is exactly the type of player the Heat could use in their starting lineup. Butler, Lowry, and Adebayo are the stars, they just need players to space the floor for them.
Tucker provides exactly what the Heat need on both ends of the floor. He’s the perfect player to insert into the starting lineup next to Adebayo.
The case for the Miami Heat to start Tyler Herro
Tyler Herro has been brought up in trade rumors for what seems like forever. Ever since the season ended people were throwing him around in trade talks because he underperformed in their first-round series vs the Bucks.
Despite the constant criticism, Herro actually improved in nearly every statistical category his sophomore season. The only area where he actually got worse was his three-point percentage.
He has the potential to be the most dynamic scorer on the team and he put that on display in The Bubble. If he can improve even more next year, the Heat might consider starting him.
Giving him some reps with the starting lineup could give him a better chance to succeed. He would get to play with two great playmakers in Lowry and Butler.
Adding Herro to the starting five would also give the Miami Heat more shooting on the floor. Tucker is a great shooter, but Herro can score from more places on the floor.
They could bring Tucker off the bench for when they need defense. He could come in when they have to get some stops or need to muck up the game a bit.
At only 21 years old, Herro has all the potential in the world. Starting him could help both him and the Miami Heat next season.