3 Must-know Miami Heat stats that show reason for optimism next season

3. Availability 

The area that is due for the most improvement is total games missed, where the Heat ranked near the top of the league. They also ranked top three in starting lineups used because of those injuries. It's difficult to imagine the Heat being more banged up than last season.

With key guys in and out of the lineup all season long, it was difficult to develop chemistry. Jaquez wound up leading the Heat in total games played at 75 as a rookie. That just isn’t going to get the job done. It's an area Pat Riley repeatedly expressed needs to be changed moving forward. 

The Heat’s injury issues stem from Butler's leadership. As the team’s best player and true alpha, he needs to lead by giving it his all consistently throughout the season. After playing just 60 games last season, Butler making an effort to be more available will be huge, as the Heat can’t reach their potential without their superstar on the court. 

It’s unclear if availability will continue to be a problem. But in terms of injuries, it is tough to see a more injury-riddled season than what Miami endured last year. A new season comes with a clean slate for the entire roster.