We’re more than a week into the Miami Heat’s season, so the All U Can Heat staff got together to discuss some of what they’ve learned about the team and their feelings about the rest of the season.
Q: What player are you least worried about a week into the season?
Brennan Sims: I'm not worried about Bam Adebayo at all. This is an unusually rough start that'll correct itself over time. He's even clanking the open 3s he was drilling last year and all summer; maybe it's a mental thing going on. He'll be back.
Stephanie Meadows: I am not worried about Bam Adebayo. I am frustrated with his lack of energy at the start of the season. However, I know he has been putting in the work and wants to be a leader and help this team win games. On the other hand, Bam needs to be more aggressive on offense and defense, especially rebounding the ball. It can be a mental thing, but I have faith that he’ll bounce back.
Alex Villasis: I’m with Stephanie and Brennan here. Adebayo has struggled to start this season, but as Erik Spoelstra and Terry Rozier mentioned, Adebayo needs to get the ball in places where he can be a threat, and I believe that will be a point of emphasis going forward.
Q: What player are you MOST worried about?
Sims: We've seen Duncan Robinson struggle for an entire season shooting the ball, and I don't want to see him revert to the 2023 regular-season version of Duncan. He's averaging 16.3 minutes per game, just like he did in 2023.
Meadows: I hate to say it as he is one of my favorites, but I’m most worried about Duncan Robinson at the moment. He is one of the best shooters in the NBA and it’s hard to watch him struggle and regress again after working so hard with a mature and positive attitude. He adds so much to our offense and has become so versatile in his playmaking and shot-making. While I think the best shooters go through it, Duncan needs to get back in his groove, make his minutes count, and show why he was worth his contract. I think he will bounce back. He always has.
Villasis: Haywood Highsmith. Not for his play, but due to how the rotation has been looking through the past few games. Highsmith has been a DNP-CD in two of the four games, and I’m unsure if he will be a staple in the rotation going forward, which, in my opinion, he should be, as his defense has proven valuable.
Q: Now that a few days have passed, do you feel any differently about Dwyane Wade’s statue?
Sims: I feel better about the statue now because D-Wade himself likes it. His comments came off as authentic. The greatness the statue represents is greater than the aesthetics. Kobe Bryant's first statue and Cristiano Ronaldo's head bust aren't all that impressive either.
Meadows: If Dwyane Wade likes his statue, that’s all that matters. Some NBA player statues are way worse in comparison to this one. It’s about the sentiment behind it and what it represents. What Wade did for the Miami Heat and the city of Miami is forever immortalized and far exceeds vanity.
Villasis: I still think Dwyane Wade’s face could’ve been done better, but once it was revealed Wade was fully involved in how the statue looked I felt better. It wasn’t a situation where Wade was caught off guard by the statue’s appearance.
Q: The Heat have a tough four-game stretch coming up this week (the Kings, Suns, Nuggets and Timberwolves). What do you hope to see in these matchups?
Sims: The Heat have to come out and let these West Coast teams know they aren't the same Miami Heat. This team is more offensively focused and shooting 3s more frequently than they have in the Jimmy Butler era. They need to keep firing 3s and protect the 3-point line better on the other end.
Meadows: The Heat have to show what they have improved on all offseason, but be able to translate it into games during the regular season. We have seen glimpses, but they have to show what they are made of. Tough schedule or not, Miami needs to play cohesive basketball both offensively and defensively. I want to see Bam and Duncan together on offense, coach Spo to tighten his rotations, and the team to focus on playing smart basketball for the whole 48 minutes, especially in the third quarter, which has been rough for them.
Villasis: I want to see the Heat either win or be close in rebounding. Miami has struggled to secure rebounds, and the last thing needed is giving these teams second chances to score and limit the Heat’s possessions.