The Miami Heat's season came to a merciful end at the hands of the Charlotte Hornets in the opening round of the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night. And if it wasn't obvious before, it's clear that big changes are needed if the Heat are going to get back to relevancy in the Association.
Unfortunately, the first big step in that direction this summer will likely involve parting ways with some key pieces of the foundation.
And if the Heat are serious about breaking out of mediocrity, there's a strong argument to be made that Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, and Andrew Wiggins are three key pieces that Miami needs to cut bait with this offseason.
Now that the Heat's season is officially over, it's finally time to start answering some of those difficult big-picture questions, starting with a few players whose tenure in Miami may be coming to an end.
3 players Heat must move on from this offseason
Tyler Herro
It's time. Over the last seven years, Herro has become a staple for the Heat. However, specifically over this last year, three developments have emerged that prove Herro should no longer be considered a foundational piece of Miami's future.
Herro has continued to prove he can't stay healthy, his impact on the team has grown stale, and the contract extension he's going to be asking for would decimate the Heat's finances.
In a vacuum, Herro is a very good player, and particularly on the offensive end of the floor. However, the impact that he makes doesn't outweigh the issues he presents on the defensive end of the floor. And he doesn't make the winning impact to justify his new contract, which would likely eat into 25 percent of the team's salary cap.
There's a role where Herro would excel in the NBA; it's become more and more clear that the Heat can't offer him that. Herro and the Heat are no longer a fit, and it does seem as if both sides are beginning to realize that.
It should lead to a divorce between the two sides this offseason.
Norman Powell
At one point in the season, it felt as if Norman Powell was one player the Heat couldn't let walk away after this season. However, over the course of the second half of the year, that sentiment has changed.
Because of injuries, his inconsistencies on the defensive end, and the schematic clashing between Powell and some of the other offensive players on the roster, it may not be in the best interest of the Heat to invest the money it would take to keep him in Miami.
And if the Heat wants to create a championship-contending team, it's hard to confidently suggest how Powell would theoretically fit in with all of that. In theory, Powell would seem like a good supporting team on a championship roster.
There's only one problem with that: the Heat doesn't currently have a championship roster. And if there's even a small chance Miami can acquire one during the offseason, it would almost certainly have to come at his disposal.
As hard as it may be to admit, Powell and the Heat may have just found themselves at the worst possible time for each other. It would be extremely hard for Miami to justify re-signing Powell, considering where this team currently stands.
Andrew Wiggins
After one of the most efficient seasons of his career, it may sound a little foolish to suggest that the Heat needs to part ways with Andrew Wiggins to get better. But that's exactly the case, because if the Heat are going to strike a deal on a star player, Wiggins is likely to be part of that home run trade package.
In a perfect world, the Heat would be able to keep Wiggins on as a third or fourth option. However, the NBA doesn't exist in a perfect world, and Wiggins will emerge as one of the best trade pieces for the Heat this summer.
Therefore, if Miami is serious about turning the page on mediocrity this offseason, Wiggins is almost certainly going to be on the cutting room floor after the summer.
It's obvious that the Heat need to make some big roster changes this offseason; they'll also need a few things to fall in their favor slightly. But the good news for the Heat is that there is a path back to relevance.
Question is, can they push all the right buttons this summer to achieve that?
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