With NBA Free Agency in the rear-view mirror, the Miami Heat have supplemented a roster that can forcefully contend in the Eastern Conference. With their track record though, much of this isn’t exactly new.
The Heat were bound to improve this offseason and winning a title next summer will only verify that. Those aspirations only become realistic when Jimmy Butler signs a maximum extension at his career-peak and Bam Adebayo benefits from a foundational summer Olympics experience.
With the Heat locking in their two franchise cornerstones, they’ve also retained elite sharpshooter, Duncan Robinson, and added to their front-court rotation with PJ Tucker and Markieff Morris.
But in a vacuum, the vast portion of Miami’s pending success will be determined by the playmaking and leadership qualities of their recent sign-and-trade acquisition, Kyle Lowry. He’s the missing piece of the puzzle that they haven’t had, a three-level scoring point guard.