The Miami Heat have made limited changes the past few seasons but it may be time for a new approach
With the season over, the Miami Heat can now turn to the future.
This is an important summer of free agency for the organization. The Heat have made limited moves over the past few seasons but is it time to move on from the "Run It Back" approach?
You know, how team president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra have said they feel comfortable with sticking by the same players each offseason? This season is evident that a change is possibly needed.
The Heat checked in at No. 20 in the power rankings at the Stein Line, which pointed out some weaknesses.
"Tuesday night's loss at Charlotte, with Bam Adebayo felled by LaMelo Ball's uncalled tripping penalty, ended the Heat's run of successful Play-In campaigns at three in a row," the publication wrote. "The reality, of course, is that even two more Play-In wins this week really couldn't have salvaged a wholly un-Heat-like season. They lost 10 of the next 14 games after Adebayo's historic 83-point eruption against Washington on March 10 and finished out of the top 10 in defensive rating for the first time in six seasons. Then they lost Game 83 in Charlotte."
The Heat have always been active during the summer, being associated with the likes of Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and several others over the past few years. With limited salary cap space, the Heat would almost certainly have to make a trade if they want to acquire a superstar. That means moving Norman Powell Jr., Bam Adebayo or Tyler Herro.
The most popular name associated with the Heat is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is the prize of the summer. Riley has to at least show some interest in making a major move or else he is going to face an angry fan base in Miami.
The Stein Line concluded, "The summer on South Beach will thus be spent waiting to see if Pat Riley's front office can successfully mount a trade pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo or another star who can haul the Heat back to where we expect to see them: In contention."
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com