The Miami Heat's "star" players don't exactly fit perfectly. And that's one of the biggest reasons why they've struggled now that they are finally all healthy.
It's a realization that many fans won't admit unless they're willing to be objective. To be honest, it's not a revelation that many fans want to hear, but it's becoming more and more clear that the Heat has a talented roster, but not the best-fitting one.
The Heat's pieces don't fit together
We see it with how Tyler Herro hasn't been a great fit (since returning) in the Heat's new offense and how Erik Spoelstra is struggling to make the dynamic between Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware work. Even though it's a duo that should work on paper, the results haven't been promising.
When both Bam and Ware are on the floor together, the Heat have a negative plus-minus. Individually, their skill sets should mesh together; it just hasn't come together for the team just yet.
That doesn't mean the Bam-Ware frontcourt can't work together, but it is odd that it hasn't clicked yet. And because it hasn't, it's naturally made the team's rotation that much more difficult for Spo to maneuver.
Erik Spoelstra's big dilemma
And in the event that Spo needs to choose between the two, he's naturally going to lean on Bam. That's another reason why Ware's minutes continue to be inconsistent. If Ware can't find a groove playing alongside Bam, that means Spo either has to limit his minutes to when their versatile forward isn't on the floor, or to continue to try and force feed this duo that has been hit or miss so far this season.
It's not easy by any means. It also hurts the team overall.
Trying to build chemistry and continuity is extremely difficult to do on the fly, especially for a team that is looking to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference.
In what many expected to be a "gap" year for the Heat, in which the team was going to lean into their young core, that's not exactly what Spo has prioritized this season. It's certainly been interesting to watch unfold.
Ware's role is still somewhat limited and varies from night to night. Jaime Jaquez Jr. has taken a backseat now that Herro has returned, Nikola Jovic has been relegated out of the rotation after his rough start, and Kasparas Jakucionis hasn't even played one significant minute so far this season.
The Heat is still leaning heavily on its veterans and "stars" so far this season. But the big problem for the team is that their pieces, especially at the top, may not fit together. And if fans are willing to be objective about this team, it's pretty easy to realize.