The Miami Heat has endured a tumultuous offseason in which it lost out on Dwyane Wade, who had served as the face of the franchise for over a decade. Though losing the three-time NBA champion certainly hurts, there is much to look forward to in Miami in the coming seasons.
Losing the aging guard may have even been a blessing in disguise for a Heat team that looks to transition to a faster pace of play with a more youthful cast of players serving clearly defined roles.
Though some experts expect the Heat to regress in 2016-17, there are a handful of factors that actually point to them having a stronger season than most may expect. If you ask Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, he still expects nothing less than greatness from his team, even after losing Wade:
“There are some things that will never change with this organization,” Spoelstra stated in a video posted to the team’s website in July. “Our expectation is to win. Our expectation is to compete for an NBA championship regardless of who we have in this uniform.”
While the ninth-year head coach maintains his confidence in the team’s ability to compete for a championship this season, reaching the postseason must come first. Despite some of the outside noise from the naysayers, the Heat certainly have a strong chance to do just that.
Here are the top five reasons the Heat will make the playoffs in 2016-17.
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1. A Healthy Chris Bosh
Basketball Gods willing, Chris Bosh will be fully healthy in 2016-17.
After missing the latter half in each of the last two seasons due to blood clots, it finally sounds like Bosh is ready to return to the court. The playing status of the 6’11” forward has been in question for many months now. Around the time the Heat’s playoff run began last season, Bosh had believed he was ready to get back to the court, however, he and the team clashed over whether or not that was a good idea.
Since the offseason began, Bosh has been seen training on the practice court and working out with his teammates which points to him likely being available to start the season. Granted, there have been reports that the Heat may be trying to force Bosh to retire early, the prevailing expectation is that he will be out there leading the way for a young Heat team beginning in late October.
Before Bosh went down with blood clots in his calf last season, he was leading the team in scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game. That’s certainly a respectable output considering that Wade was still considered the team’s go-to option on offense. Given the fact that Wade, the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, is now playing for the Chicago Bulls, the offense will surely rely more heavily on Bosh’s playmaking abilities.
Though the stretch four is surrounded by young talent, this upcoming season may finally present the perfect opportunity for Bosh to get back to the high-scoring ways of his Toronto Raptors days when the offense ran primarily through him. Ever since Bosh arrived in Miami, he’s been more of a second or third scoring option behind the likes of LeBron James and Wade. Now, for the first time since 2009, Bosh appears to be the clear-cut No. 1 option. Barring another untimely health scare, look for Bosh to have a monster season in 2016-17.
Next: A Dominant Hassan Whiteside
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2. A Dominant Hassan Whiteside
Fresh off signing a four-year, $98 million contract, Hassan Whiteside is in prime form heading into next season. The 7-footer is only 27-years-old and is looking to build off of last season’s breakout campaign in which he led the NBA in blocks and maintained the league’s best defensive efficiency rating.
No more will the big man split time at center with Amar’e Stoudemire, who has recently retired. That means more minutes for Whiteside, which means more chances to prove his worth. In addition to being amongst the league’s top defensive stalwarts, Whiteside also put up a respectable scoring average of 14.2 points per game in limited minutes last season. This offseason, Whiteside has been meticulously honing his offensive game in an effort to become more of a scoring threat.
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“Low-post scoring, that’s the number one thing he wants to work on, and I’m all for it,” coach Spoelstra recently said in a team-released video. “He will also work on his skill level at the top of the floor, handling the ball, getting us into second situations as a playmaker.”
With more minutes, more touches and an improved offensive skill set, there’s really no reason the big fella can’t average 20+ points per game in 2016-17. Ideally, the Heat would love to find itself with a “twin towers” situation with Bosh playing the role of a dynamic power forward that stretches the floor, and Whiteside taking on low-post scoring duties as the prototypical center.
Next: An Improved Justise Winslow
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3. An Improved Justise Winslow
There’s a reason Justise Winslow was considered the steal of the 2015 NBA Draft. We saw glimpses of his greatness last season, particularly as a lockdown defender versus opponents’ top scoring options. As we move forward into a new NBA season, Winslow is widely expected to improve in every area of his game.
Despite his extraordinary instincts as an on-ball defender, his maturity, work ethic and high-basketball IQ are what set him apart from other rookies last season. Unfortunately, Winslow struggled on the offensive end in 2015-16. He shot a miserable 27.6 percent from three and had a below average 42.2 overall shooting percentage.
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To shore up some of his shooting woes, the 20-year-old has been working with a shooting specialist this offseason. One veteran staffer for the Heat claims working with the specialist has already helped Winslow make great strides with his shot.
“You will see a major difference; he can be a special player,” the unnamed staffer proclaimed.
Winslow spent time at the two, three and even four last season, showcasing his unique versatility. This upcoming season, expect Winslow to have a steadier role and become more consistent on the offensive end. After all, he is the present and the future of this Heat team.
Next: Goran Dragic in His Natural Element
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4. Goran Dragic in His Natural Element
The Heat’s starting point guard Goran Dragic has seen moderate success with the Heat since he joined the team halfway through the 2014-15 season. At first, it took a while for him to adjust to the slower-paced, defensive-minded play of the Heat compared to the run-and-gun style of his former team, the Phoenix Suns. He also had to figure out how to play off of Wade, who was used to commanding the offense with the ball in his hands.
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Now, Dragic will finally be the lone ball-handler and will have an opportunity to play the game he’s used to playing, as he did when he was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player back in 2013-14. Dragic will also benefit greatly from having two superb pick-and-roll partners in Bosh (given that he plays) and Whiteside.
Overall, the Slovenian point guard will have more control of the offense than he ever has had in a Heat uniform and this can only lead to good things for Miami. Ball movement will be key for this Heat team that has struggled with its offensive efficiency in recent years. Don’t be surprised if the quick-cutting guard excels to new heights in 2016-17. In fact, an ESPN panel recently predicted that Dragic would become a first-time All-Star next season.
Next: Depth at Shooting Guard
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5. Depth at Shooting Guard
Having to choose between the newly re-signed Tyler Johnson, the sharpshooting Josh Richardson or the recently acquired Dion Waiters to start at shooting guard is a “good” problem to have. Each guy brings a unique skill set with superior athleticism to the table. As of about a month ago, Waiters was reported to have an “inside track” at the starting role, but the young guard will be hard-pressed to fend off Johnson and Richardson for minutes at the two-spot.
Richardson emerged late last season as a knockdown 3-point shooter who provided quality minutes in the playoffs. Ananth Pandian of CBS Sports even recently selected Richardson as one of his breakout sophomore candidates in 2016-17. However, the fact is that the Heat have also invested a a great deal in Johnson after signing him to four-year, $50 million deal. Johnson’s grittiness and playmaking ability make him a viable candidate to see significant time.
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In addition, the Heat was also fortunate enough to sign long-ball specialist Wayne Ellington to a deal in the offseason. The competition for the starting two-guard spot will be fierce, to say the least. That competitiveness will likely bring out the best in each of these young guards. The depth at the shooting guard position is certainly one of Miami’s strongest assets heading into next season.
All of these factors make the Heat a legitimate playoff contender in 2016-17. Fortunately, most NBA teams, experts and analysts will not have Miami very high on their radar coming into the season. That will bode well for Miami as opponents may foolishly underestimate them early on. Regardless of expectations, the Heat will be a well-balanced force to be reckoned in the Eastern Conference next season.
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