Miami Heat: 3 players who could surprise everyone this season

KZ Okpala #11 of the Miami Heat in action against the Atlanta Hawks during the preseason(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
KZ Okpala #11 of the Miami Heat in action against the Atlanta Hawks during the preseason(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
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Miami Heat
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Max Strus #31 of the Miami Heat (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Miami Heat players most likely to surprise everyone: Max Strus

Max Strus has played super well this offseason. He killed it in Summer League and followed that up with a dominant performance in the preseason.

His three-point shooting is likely going to play a key role in Miami’s offense when they go to their bench unit. It’s always nice to have sharpshooters laying around.

However, the impact he could have might be too understated. He’s not at the level of Duncan Robinson quite yet, but his shooting could cause the same fits for opposing defenses.

Even if he’s having an off night, opponents are going to have to respect his range from deep. This will end up opening up a ton of opportunities for Miami’s bench rotation.

Think about how impactful Robinson is in the starting lineup. Apply that same sort of thought process to Strus’ impact off the bench.

While Strus may not be as tall as Robinson, he is definitely more athletic. This gives him the chance to be a better defender and have more success finishing at the rim in addition to his three-point shooting.

Any Heat fans who watched the preseason already know how great Strus looks. All that’s left to do is continue to be this consistent during the regular season.