This offseason has been an absolute failure for the Miami Heat. At this point, unless something drastically changes, I can't imagine there are many that would push back against that. But the way the front office is trying to hide behind Jimmy Butler, again, is flat-out embarrassing. It's beneath the Heat.
According to a latest report that gave insight into the Heat's offseason "plan," the front office doesn't believe it was able to gauge the roster during the second half of the season properly because of Jimmy. Their argument is that the Jimmy "bomb" forced players into roles they weren't comfortable with. They also point out untimely injuries as a reason why "running it back" was suddenly back on the table for Miami.
In other words, the front office is trying to use Jimmy as their "excuse" for their offseason inactivity. Let's not beat around the bush.
But, and with all due respect to the front office, that makes little sense. At his end-of-the-season press conference, Pat Riley said that the Heat's roster wasn't good enough and that changes were on the horizon. Through the 2025 NBA Draft and the frenzy that was the start of NBA Free Agency, the Heat have done next to nothing. Why? It doesn't add up.
What really took place behind the scenes?
Something had to have happened behind the scenes in Miami that dramatically altered their offseason approach. I'm not sure if it was the fact that they truly believed they were going to land KD and it just didn't happen, or if there's something deeper and bigger that took place that no one knows about. Either way, it does feel as if there was a flip in philosophies from the front office.
Riley wouldn't have paraded around preaching change if it simply wasn't going to happen. And no, I'm pretty sure a sign-and-trade of Duncan Robinson was not the change that Riley was hinting at.
Nevertheless, this is a poor look from the Heat. Even though I'm not sure anyone expected them to flatly come out and say they miscalculated their offseason moves and take complete blame. Riley is too proud a man to do that. In fact, most executives in the league are.
While there may be some truth to the idea that Jimmy nuked last season, that shouldn't continue to be used as an excuse for the Heat's offseason failures. And that's exactly what this feels like. If the Heat explored potential moves and couldn't get anything done, fine. Just say that.
Don't keep trying to blame others for your failures. The fan base can see right through it. The front office may have gotten away with it before. But not this time. They can't. They shouldn't.