The Miami Heat had a big win against the Utah Jazz last night, but despite their momentary success, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this team is not going to make a serious playoff push this year. With just 12 games left in the regular season, the Heat are still in the 7th seed and in danger of being forced to participate in the play-in tournament. As the Heat continue to struggle, is it time for the Heat brass to consider trading key pieces and retooling for future success?
One of the biggest issues with the Miami Heat is their lack of depth. The team made no significant moves at the trade deadline and the acquisition of Kevin Love from the waiver wire is unlikely to make a significant impact. The Heat’s bench is not strong enough to compete with the likes of the Brooklyn Nets or the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs. With such little time left in the regular season, it’s unlikely that the Heat will be able to make significant improvements in this area.
Another issue for the Heat is the performance of their key players. Kyle Lowry, the Heat’s big acquisition a couple of seasons ago, has been underwhelming due to injuries and a lack of production. He is a shell of himself compared to his prime years, and his inability to perform at a high level has been detrimental to the team. Duncan Robinson, who was given a large contract extension, has also been a disappointment. He has been injured and when healthy, has not produced as much as the team had hoped.
Considering these issues, it’s clear that the Miami Heat needs to consider blowing up their team and starting over. They need to be willing to make big moves in the offseason, including trading away key players who are not performing up to expectations. This may be a difficult decision, but it’s necessary if the Heat wants to compete with the top teams in the league.
In addition to the issues already mentioned, the Miami Heat’s lack of willingness to make big moves has also hurt the team. The team’s president, Pat Riley, passed on the opportunity to trade for James Harden or Donovan Mitchell, believing that the team’s assets were too valuable to give up, especially when it came to including both Herro and Robinson as a package deal. This decision has come back to haunt the Heat, as they now find themselves in danger of becoming a middle-of-the-pack team despite reaching the NBA Finals in 2020 and coming within one bucket of the Finals last year.
While Jimmy Butler has been great and producing for the Heat, he is 33 years old, and his “prime window” is closing. The team needs to consider retooling its roster to ensure that it can remain competitive in the years to come. This may require making tough decisions, such as trading away key players or taking on risky contracts, but it’s necessary if the Heat wants to avoid becoming an average team.
In the end, it’s clear that age and lack of firepower are significant issues for the Miami Heat, and if they don’t consider restructuring their team, they may end up being just an average team. It’s time for the Heat to be bold and make big moves, whether that means trading for a star player or taking on some risky contracts. Only then can the Heat ensure that it remains competitive and relevant in the years to come.