The Miami Heat have been stuck in an odd spot for years. Not good enough to compete, but not bad enough to start over and try rebuilding.
If you're a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, it's been pretty much the same experience. NBA analyst Chris Broussard has made this comparison
“The [Miami Heat] are the Steelers. I’m not saying they don’t want to go higher, but they’re locked in the play-in. They take pride in 'Heat Culture. We play hard!' But they’re not going anywhere,” Broussard said Wednesday on First Things First.
The Steelers have been a staple of consistency for the past decade, but it's hard not to take it as mediocrity. They haven't won a playoff game since 2017, even with several championship-level squads while Ben Roethlisberger was still under center. Ever since he retired after a deep decline in play, the team has been a revolving door at quarterback. Whether it's been Draft busts or veterans outside their prime, Pittsburgh hasn't found its next franchise option.
Instead of starting over, the organization has continued to ride this wave and refused to fix the underlying issues. A glorified .500 team has continued to make the postseason, delaying the reality that they aren't a good team. It was finally set in stone with Mike Tomlin leaving this offseason.
The Heat have been in the same scenario since LeBron James departed. Granted, they have had far more playoff success, including two Finals appearances and nearly another in 2022. However, those have been more on the coattails of Jimmy Butler's superhuman runs or role players over-performing. The makeup of the team is very lackluster, and doesn't scream championship contender.
And like the Steelers, Miami refuses to regroup. Heat president Pat Riley has been adamant about working with the roster's current construction, insinuating that the players are good enough to compete or build around. It's also halted any major trades or deals, as the Heat have missed on several superstars since acquiring Butler.
It's especially shown this year, as Miami sits at No. 7 in the Eastern Conference and is poised for another play-in fate. The Heat play the Detroit Pistons (45-17) Sunday night.
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Jayden Armant is a contributor to HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or on Twitter @jaydenarmant.