Ranking the biggest threats to the Miami Heat: 4. New York Knicks
The New York Knicks shocked the world last season when they clinched the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. They followed up that success by making even more improvements this summer.
New York managed to sign both Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, while also retaining a large majority of their key pieces from last season. They have high hopes for the upcoming campaign.
With Julius Randle’s rise to stardom and RJ Barrett’s improvements, they could be a dangerous team in the East. If Walker returns to near full health, they could be a force to be reckoned with.
However, a large amount of New York’s long-term success is contingent on Walker’s health. That’s why they are only ranked fourth on this list.
Ranking the biggest threats to the Miami Heat: 3. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are coming off of an extremely improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals. With Trae Young at the helm, they’ll be looking to replicate that success and then some.
Young proved that he is fully capable of being the leader of a winning team. Atlanta will want to build on that this season and help Young become the best version of himself.
They were able to re-sign John Collins this offseason which was a huge win. They also have almost exactly the same supporting cast coming back as well.
The trio of Young, Collins, and Clint Capela has the potential to be one of the best in the NBA. The Hawks may be a young team, but they should not be ignored.