3 Heat players who have the most at stake this training camp

Kevin Love

Love will turn 36 this season, and the first obstacle is proving he can still be a vital member of the rotation.

His 3-point shooting was valuable at times, as was his rebounding and leadership for the Heat last season. He is, of course, very limited on defense, and the loss of athleticism has clearly set in, so it begs the question of what role he could possibly play. He must prove he can still be that same stretch big, spacing the floor and anchoring his team through pivotal moments, especially in a Heat system where defense and conditioning are important.

Between the development of younger players in Nikola Jović and the first-round selection of Kel'el Ware, Love could find himself seeing a reduction in minutes. Training camp will give him an opportunity to carve out a consistent role within the rotation. If he can prove that his shooting and basketball IQ remain assets, he could remain an important veteran presence off the bench. If not, he might see a dwindling of minutes and a slide further down the depth chart.

Even as Love's physical skills decline, he is going to be big this year as a veteran leader on a young team. The Heat are big on experience and culture, and at this stage of his career, the mentorship of guys like Bam Adebayo and Jović could keep Love relevant to the Heat. Training camp will give him a chance to set the tone as a leader. That might extend his on-roster period of relevance, even if his minutes decline from here out.