The Miami Heat have some work to do as the end of the regular season nears. The team is finally starting to get healthy again with the return of Tyler Herro earlier this month, along with the returns of Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins, who had brief absences over the past few weeks. Currently, Miami sits as the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference standings, which is good for a Play-In spot.
Bleacher Report released an article, naming the biggest fear for every team as we approach the final stretch of the regular season. The Heat's biggest fear is that the team's mediocrity continues.
"The Miami Heat look like they'll finish in the East play-in tournament for the fourth straight season," the article wrote. "Since LeBron James left in 2014, Miami has finished between 37 and 48 wins in 11 of 12 years, leaving this organization stuck in mediocrity. Jimmy Butler has willed the Heat to the NBA Finals twice in this span, although he's long gone. Tyler Herro, Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo (when he's not facing the Washington Wizards) are all good complementary pieces, but there's no alphas here. Miami got demolished in a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers last spring and could face a similar ending if they face the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics or New York Knicks in the playoffs now. Something needs to change."
The Heat are on the verge of making another Play-In tournament despite the team's hot start to the season. This offseason, the team faces multiple decisions regarding players seeking contract extensions. Norman Powell, the team's lone All-Star this season, is sitting on an expiring contract and will hit unrestricted free agency this summer. He will be entering his age-33 season. Herro will also be seeking a contract extension after not being extended in Oct. The 26-year-old guard has missed most of the season and has one year left on his contract.
Miami is always a team predicted to be big players during the offseason period but in recent years, they have fallen flat in terms of additions. Powell has worked wonders for this team but outside of that, the team has been largely built through the draft. If the Heat want to escape the mediocre era, they may need to make drastic moves to change the team up.
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