The Miami Heat still technically has two roster spots open, but there's no guarantee they'll fill both before the start of the new season. They almost certainly will fill the 14th spot. Assuming that is the case, there's one more hole the team may need to fill to feel comfortable about the supporting cast around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
If the Heat could add one more ball-handler/playmaker heading into the start of training camp, they'd be in a very good spot as they prepare for the first year of the Giannis era.
However, especially considering how watered down the free agency market is right now, that's going to be a lot easier said than done.
The Heat has been linked to three free agents
Over the last few days, the Heat has been linked to three players who could end up rounding out their pre-training camp roster: Nick Richards, Keshad Johnson, and Gabe Vincent.
They each offer their own unique strengths, but none of them are "perfect" fits for what the team needs. After addressing shooting, the biggest holes still on the Heat's roster are ball-handling/playmaking and a rim-protecting big man.
Each of these three players does offer some elements of filling those needs, but not as effectively as, for example, Klay Thompson addresses the Heat's 3-point shooting concerns. And that's why Miami is in no rush to make a final decision before training camp gets underway.
If therer was a no-brainer move for the Heat to make, it would've already been made.
One more playmaker could unlock the Heat's full potential with Giannis
All that said, if the Heat were to find a way to add a playmaker, I don't think there would be any pushback against the idea that Miami would be in a really good spot with Giannis. Especially in just their first year.
Right now, the hope is that Giannis and Bam will take more of the primary playmaking role when they're on the floor. Davion Mitchell, the team's starting point guard, has improved on that front with the Heat, but he's far from a pure and natural playmaker.
Neither is Mitchell's current backup, Dru Smith. The same could be said about Tim Hardaway Jr., Klay Thompson, and even Pelle Larsson. On paper, it's quite easy to see why and how the Heat could use another table-setter.
It's not in the nature of today's NBA coverage to have the nuance to understand just how difficult it is to retool a supporting cast on the fly (and in a matter of one offseason). After gutting their roster in the original trade for Giannis, the Heat's front office has done a masterful job in rebuilding their supporting cast.
It's not perfect by any means, but considering their limitations this offseason, the Heat are, at the very least, going to have a puncher's chance in a much-improved Eastern Conference.
With two superstars already on board, one more playmaker could be all the Heat needs to make some noise this season.
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