The 2024-2025 iteration of the Miami Heat is in familiar territory, middle of the standings in the East and floating around a .500 record. While other fanbases would be content with competing, stumbling around purgatory is not setting well with Heat fans, and for good reason. For all intents and purposes, this is the same team Miami has fielded since 2022, and while they’ve punched above their weight and pulled off some amazing feats, it’s clearer than ever that this isn’t a championship team.
That said, this team is still interesting. In recent years, the Heat organization has shown that it’s one of the best, if not the best, developmental organizations in the league. Players, undrafted or not, who come through the Heat system generally improve at a staggering rate and often walk away with a lot of money (see Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Max Strus).
Former Heat star, Lamar Odom commented on that system or what’s now known as “Heat Culture” in a 2017 interview with the Palm Beach Post, saying: "I know what they’re going through in practice. They’re getting pushed to the limit. So if you have talent and you go to Miami, it’s going to come out and be maximized."
Currently, the Heat have a tantalizing young core and it’s time for them to take the reins. It feels almost sacrilegious to write - but the Jimmy Butler era in Miami is at an end. The Heat front office should consider trading him with other veterans like Terry Rozier, Alec Burks, Kevin Love, Thomas Bryant, and Duncan Robinson. While I know gutting the entire roster is implausible and that veterans are necessary, the goal would be to bring back as much young talent as possible (and hopefully some draft picks) and have them develop in the Heat system.
What does this mean for the short term?
It means Miami will lose more games than we’re used to. However, it doesn’t mean the Heat won’t be competitive. It’s easy to forget that Erik Spoelstra once coached an 11-30 Heat team to a 30-11 finish in 2017. No matter what tools he has at his disposal, he will be trying to win at all costs. It also means more growth for young players based on continuity.
It’s no secret that the Heat offense is not gelling. It currently ranks 17th in offensive impact and encounters serious scoring droughts in nearly every game. In Monday's loss to the Celtics, it was very much evident that the offense is now Tyler Herro or bust.
Additionally, the Heat isn't showing its typical defensive prowess sitting 17th in the league in defensive rating. The chemistry just isn't there, which is wild to think about considering this core was 3 wins away from a Championship in 2023.
In the short term, this gives Spo a chance to retool and experiment with new lineups and different rotations. The small-ball era seems like it’s being phased out of the NBA, and featuring Bam and Ware without the added pressure of making the playoffs could be very fun to watch.
Unfortunately, this would mean we likely won’t see Pat Riley win another championship before he retires. But it allows him to set the team up for success on his way out.
What does this mean for the long term?
It means a chance to make a championship run, with a new identity, albeit a few years from now.
It was clear years ago that Tyler and Bam would eventually lead this team, and it seems as if we’re at that juncture.
Tyler has taken the leap, and I'm hopeful that Bam can work his way out of his current struggles and take his play back to All-Star level. With both still many miles away from 30, it offers a runway for the Heat while Jovic, Jaquez, and Ware take the next step. Assuming Jovic is able to play his way back into the lineup.
Additionally, developing others into reliable talent could also mean trading for a younger superstar to pair with that core -- similar to what Miami did with Josh Richardson to get Jimmy Butler years ago.
There are many teams in the league that are set up to win now in the East: Boston, Cleveland, New York, Indiana, and even Orlando to name a few. If the Heat decides to make moves and embrace its young talent, they can afford to wait for these teams to age out (maybe not Orlando) and strike a couple of years down the line.
Tanking is a curse word in Heat fandom, so maybe this is more of a retool -- but the Heat need a new identity soon, or the misery of losing will persist.