Conclusion
So, to wrap up: The Heat have made drastic changes in their offense. They went away from the dribble handoffs, having Adebayo as the hub on offense at the elbows, and instead prioritized getting more self-creation going.
That includes using Adebayo and Butler more in the post or facing up. It also means more Tyler Herro running the picks and rolls.
As a result, that shift meant removing your best roller and the biggest source of rim pressure, which meant your efficiency at the rim fell off the cliff. And we can see that efficiency at the rim is highly important.
That’s why their shot profile is geared toward more mid-range shots, which, in a vacuum, has been good. The players taking them are converting at a good rate. But that doesn’t shift the defense to open up for more efficient shots that are at least average efficiency because shooting 45-50% will mean putting up 95 points per 100 possessions.
This is how the Heat’s offense has changed. We'll see if this trend continues or if Spoelstra has some adjustments up his sleeve this upcoming season -- because they're needed.