The Miami Heat’s front office deserves almost as much praise as Erik Spoelstra for the team’s newfound success. Quietly, they’ve built a roster tailor-made for Spo to maximize - and the underrated work by the front office is fueling the team's resurgence this season.
Miami targeted players who can offer more than one skill while on the floor. Most, if not all, of the Heat's big contributors can dribble, pass, and shoot. Having a roster with that level of versatility is one of the bigger reasons why the Heat have drastically surpassed their expectations so far this season.
It's also helped completely alter the ceiling for the roster.
Where the Heat lacks the top-tier star talent, they more than make up for it with skilled depth. And it's been all the difference this season for Miami.
The Heat's front office deserves some praise
For a part of the organization that is often criticized, especially when they may not pursue star players as strongly as the fans would like to see, it's only fair to get them credit where it's due. And, even though the fans weren't content with how they approached this past offseason, it's hard to argue with the results of late.
In fact, the magnificent work that this front office has done with the Heat's roster this year began even before this past summer. Perhaps even going back to the Heat's decision to draft Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, and Kel'el Ware. You can probably throw Nikola Jovic in there, too, even despite his slow start to this season.
But we must remember that it's also the underrated move to trade Jimmy Butler for a package that included Andrew Wiggins, which opened the door for the deals for both Davion Mitchell and Norman Powell.
Without Wiggins, Mitchell, and Powell (and their blossoming young core), this Heat team isn't what it's been so far this season.
You can argue that the front office may have waited too long to trade Jimmy, but they certainly have made lemonade out of lemons. And it's paying dividends with the Heat sitting as a top 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.
There have been times when the Heat's front office has deserved its fair share of criticism, but it's only fair to also give them the love when they've done things the right way. Even though the Heat's front office hasn't had the splash move that the fans have been accustomed to, it's difficult to argue with how they've operated of late.
Because the results speak for themselves.
The Heat's recent moves haven't been labeled as "sexy" by any means, but they're certainly in a great position because of them. And the front office deserves its flowers for that.