Heat has several key issues to resolve to improve in 2021
The Heat’s 2020 was challenging and unique, but it did include an impressive and memorable run to the NBA Finals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Heat hopes to accomplish even more in 2021.
Here are five New Year’s resolutions for the Heat, which began 2021 with a road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
Find rotation stability and remain healthy:
The Heat used four different starting lineups in the season’s first four games, something it had never done in franchise history before this season. Some of that is coach Erik Spoelstra working to find the right lineup combinations, with newcomers Precious Achiuwa, Avery Bradley and Moe Harkless all getting rotation opportunities early in the season. But some of that also has to do with Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler’s sprained right ankle, which forced him to miss two of the first four games. Spoelstra is known to tinker with the rotation throughout the season, and this year will be no different as he’ll use the regular season as a testing ground for the playoffs. But avoiding major injuries is also, obviously, very important. There’s also the fact that this season is being played during a pandemic, so COVID-19 could also affect player availability and force additional rotation changes.
Continue to explore Bam Adebayo’s growing offensive game:
It looks like Adebayo has added a reliable midrange jumper to his offensive repertoire.
Adebayo shot just 27.9 percent on midrange attempts during the first three regular seasons of his NBA career, but he was much more efficient during last season’s playoff run to the Finals. Adebayo was 17 of 37 (45.9 percent) on midrange attempts in the playoffs. That success has carried over into this season, as he’s 8 of 15 on midrange shots in the first four games. While more than 60 percent of Adebayo’s shots still come from inside the paint, making a non-paint shot or two each game just adds another thing opponents must worry about. Could the three-pointer be the next shot Adebayo incorporates into his game?
Cut down on turnovers: The Heat has struggled with early season turnover issues. Miami entered Friday averaging a league-high 20.8 turnovers per game. They have been costly mistakes, too, with opponents averaging a league-high 23 points per game off the Heat’s turnovers. More than half of the Heat’s turnovers, 44 to be exact, have come on errant passes. For a Heat
offense that’s expected to be a top-10 unit, the hope is the sloppy play will be turned around soon. Miami also struggled with early season turnover issues last season, averaging 20.8 turnovers per game in the first five games before cleaning things up to finish the season averaging 14.9.
Welcome fans back at AmericanAirlines Arena safely: The Heat hopes to allow fans back inside AmericanAirlines Arena for home games at some point in 2021. The team just doesn’t know when that will be because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Heat began allowing a limited amount of family members, and team and player guests, to attend home games this week. There are just six NBA teams that have begun the season with some amount of fans in attendance for home games: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors and Utah Jazz.
Continue to find ways to improve the roster:
2021 free agency has been at the center of the Heat’s plan to make another big addition to its roster, as the front office worked for the past few years to protect cap space for this upcoming offseason. But that plan may change after superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo opted to bypass 2021 free agency and instead signed a supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks this past offseason. Antetokounmpo was expected to be Miami’s primary target in
2021 free agency. While Antetokounmpo is off the board, the list of those who could potentially become free agents this year includes Victor Oladipo, Kawhi Leonard and Jrue Holiday, among others. The Heat currently has about $73 million in guaranteed salary committed to five players for the 2021-22 season, with the cap projected to be about $112.4 million next season. But Miami really has about $78 million on its books for 2021-22 because a $5.2 million waive-and-stretch cap hit for Ryan Anderson also has to be included.
Antetokounmpo’s decision to bypass 2021 free agency could also push the Heat to become more active in the trade market in the coming months. Miami was linked to disgruntled Houston Rockets star guard James Harden before a league source told the Miami Herald on the eve of the 2020-21 season that the Heat had moved on and would not pursue Harden.
Washington Wizards star guard Bradley Beal is another potential Heat trade target if he ever asks to be dealt. The Wizards entered Friday with an 0-5 record this season.