The Miami Heat have been linked to many different stars this offseason. Whether the player is a true superstar like Kevin Durant, a young star like Donovan Mitchell, or a rising star like John Collins, the Heat are in the conversation to add all types of star talent to their roster.
The Heat were just one win away from reaching the NBA Finals last season. With that in mind, you have to be thinking that their roster, as presently constructed, is very close to winning a championship.
They just need a few more pieces to give them the extra boost.
The Miami Heat were mentioned as one of Durant’s preferred destinations.
The Jazz seem to be ignoring trade conversations regarding Donovan Mitchell for now, but if he ever requests a trade, the Heat should be one of the favorites to acquire him. In light of recent transactions across the NBA, Miami’s addition of another star has shifted from being a desire to a need.
At this point, the Miami Heat will need to add another true star to their roster or they will risk becoming worse. If they do not add another star to their roster this season, they will not be winning the championship.
Here are the reasons why the Heat’s only option is to add someone to their main tandem of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Miami Heat Either Add Another Star Or Risk Severe Relegation
If you are not getting better, you are getting worse. Simply running it back with the same team is not going to be good enough.
Big Loss With No Replacement
Unfortunately for the Miami Heat, running it back is not even an option. This offseason, the Heat lost P.J. Tucker to the 76ers.
Tucker was one of the key pieces of their team last year. He was their best on-ball defender and did just about everything on the floor.
He brought an extreme toughness and dedication about him that can’t be matched by many in the NBA. The Heat can’t truly replace P.J. Tucker, but that does not mean that they didn’t, at least, try.
There were a few players that the Heat were looking to target if they lost Tucker, including T.J. Warren. He does different things than Tucker, but he is a solid role player and a scorer who would have fit well in Miami’s system.
That is no longer an option because T.J. Warren agreed to a deal with the Nets. Warren, like so many other Miami Heat free agency targets, is off the board.
The Heat dug themselves a huge hole when they lost P.J. Tucker and they have very few options left to fill that hole. The only way to fill the hole is to add more talent.
As we witnessed with the Brooklyn Nets Big 3 disaster, talent, alone, is not going to win you a championship. But if you add a skilled player like Durant or Mitchell into a culture that thrives on maximum effort, you will get maximum results.
The Miami Heat Have Watched Others Improve, While They Haven’t Done Much
While the Miami Heat are getting worse, everyone else in the East is improving.
Everyone Else Improved
If the Heat did not make the NBA Finals last year, then they will have no chance to win the East this year without improving their roster. Beginning with the Eastern Conference champions, the Boston Celtics traded for Malcolm Brogdon.
Brogdon is the type of point guard the Celtics needed last year to control the tempo of their offense, especially in close games. With a defense as formidable as Boston’s, this improvement could be the key to unlocking their championship potential.
The Milwaukee Bucks brought back nearly everyone. They even added Joe Ingles, a more than serviceable role player.
The Bucks were arguably a healthy Khris Middleton away from becoming back-to-back champions, so they will be prepared to compete next year. Even the 76ers are improving.
As previously mentioned, they took P.J. Tucker from the Heat. Tyrese Maxey is going to become a better player.
In addition, they will have a full year to incorporate James Harden into their offense. At this point, the Heat’s only improvement will come from the development of their young stars.
That is not going to be enough. The East is becoming increasingly competitive.
Miami has a big problem on their hands. The easiest way to solve that problem is to bring a third star into the mix.
The Heat have been unable to add quality role players to their roster this offseason because they are trying to keep their flexibility to trade for a star. That is a huge risk because if they do not land a star, they will be getting worse than they were last season while everyone around them gets better.