Did Miami Heat make sneakiest ‘steal’ of year in Cody Zeller?

As the Miami Heat descended upon the NBA buyout market a few weeks ago, there were several names that most people had in mind.

With Russell Westbrook generally being atop that list of available guys for most, with the Los Angeles Lakers, seemingly, ready to release him at any moment if they couldn’t find a deal, he would eventually not even be one of the candidates that the Miami Heat brought in.

With a surprise buyout by the Cleveland Cavaliers when it came to Kevin Love, a guy like him was always what the Miami Heat needed to pair alongside a big like Bam Adebayo. And then, fortunately, the Miami Heat and their role was the one that Love would choose.

Also, to that notion and a theory stated very early on in the process before Love would even play a game for the Heat, it has been a, mostly, seamless fit. That’s not shocking at all.

But what may be shocking to most out there when it comes to the Miami Heat’s moves within the last few weeks, especially Miami Heat fans, is the fact that Cody Zeller has not only come in and excelled in his role but impacted the game in ways that most couldn’t have foreseen before now.

The Miami Heat needed help along their big-man ranks and mere depth would have sufficed. Instead, they grabbed Kevin Love and reinvigorated Cody Zeller.

Besides, when most people heard his name associated with the Miami Heat, they probably thought “where in the heck did they dig Cody Zeller up from”. And that’s a fair question, as after injury caused Portland to waive him last season, he couldn’t stick with Utah to begin this year.

With him, apparently, still needing time to shake back from the knee procedure that saw an end to his Portland stint, he still must’ve not been ready then.

However, now, he’s looking like an imperative part of the Miami Heat’s rotation for the remainder of the season, into the playoffs wherever the Heat see themselves slotted, and a strong candidate to call Miami home for at least another season beyond this one.

And while you never want to get too far ahead of yourself on matters like these, as it’s only been a few games as of now, for all Kevin Love has done, and will continue to do for the Miami Heat, a reinvigorated and still just 30-year-old Cody Zeller might just be one of the sneakiest steals of this NBA season.

And it’s no shocker that the Miami Heat were the team to pull off the heist.