The offseason is always a wild ride due to conflicting reports, fans with idle time, and the anticipation for the next season. But the 2023 offseason was a little different for the Heat. After their impressive run to the Finals, Portland Trail Blazer Damian Lillard requested a trade, specifically to the Heat.
After weeks of standstill negotiating and empty reports, Lillard was surprisingly traded to the Bucks. Miami trading for Lillard would've been the most prominent summer acquisition, but things did not materialize.
It's water under the bridge now—the Heat move. At the same time, as the Heat waited on Portland, they picked up a few role players and a surprisingly great rookie.
We're almost a quarter into the 2024 season! There is plenty of basketball left to play, but let's look at the Heat's summer acquisitions.
Thomas Bryant: D
Stats: 5.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 54 TS%
Bam Adebayo is one of the best bigs in the league. But he's human, too; sometimes, the play-stopper needs a breather. The Heat signed Thomas Bryant on the second day of free agency, so those Bam-less minutes weren't a big blow.
That wasn't the case when Bryant was a stable part of the rotation. Through 168 minutes played, the Heat are minus-13.8 points worse with Bryant on the floor—these results aren't entirely his fault. We have to look at lineup combinations and when these minutes take place. That is true, but Bryant hasn't impacted the game yet. Kevin Love took the backup center role two weeks into the season. It was the right move.
Initially, I thought he would bring decent value as a stretch big (career 36% 3-point shooter), but that has not come to fruition. We're young into the season, and Bryant is staying ready. He handled the lineup change like a true professional. Hopefully, he can turn his season around and become a solid contributor.