If you think this nightmare season could not get worse for the Miami Heat, think again. Already entering the game against the Grizzlies eight games under .500 (a season low), you would expect Miami would finally have a chance to break through on a Saturday night when Ja Morant is out.
Instead, the Heat folded and lost their seventh straight by 24. They look ready for summer vacation in March.
It is becoming routine for opposing superstars to rest against the Heat. We saw it when the Celtics rested both Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, and now again with the Grizzlies resting Ja Morant. It is a reflection of the team the Heat has become. It marks the end of the era when the Heat was a dangerously looming team in the middle of the pack that was not easy out. Since trading Jimmy Butler, Miami is 4-14 and has now entered the bottom tier of the NBA.
For how good Tyler Herro looked in the first half of the season and as strong as Bam Adebayo looked after the All-Star break, they are not number one options on contending teams. To be quite honest, they might not even be the number two option on a contender. Miami will have a lot of evaluating to do this offseason because one thing is clear: running it back is not an option.
The problem is that Miami will not have the luxury of a full-scale rebuild. If they miss the playoffs this year, they will lose their 2026 first (to OKC) and 2028 first (to CHA). Again, you could still tank this season and try to capture a high pick in a loaded draft class, but the future is in jeopardy if you do not land a top pick.
Miami's top priority this offseason is to find a number one option that can close games. When your best player is shooting 3/12, it will be a long night. Beyond that, Miami is going to have to hope one of their young prospects, Ware, Jaquez, or Jovic, breaks out.
One way or another, change is coming. This is the worst Miami Heat team since the 2007-2008 season, when they finished with 15 wins. In 2017, despite the 11-30 start, they finished the season 30-11 and almost made the playoffs. In 2015, despite missing the playoffs, Miami traded for Goran Dragic, which led to future success. Even in Dwyane Wade's last dance year, the Heat were still somewhat competitive. This Heat team has shown no fight, and it's to the point where fans don't want to watch anymore.
For an organization built on a culture of toughness and winning, this version of the Heat is unrecognizable, and unless they take action, it will only get worse.