I know the title of this piece might seem silly to you, because at the moment of writing this the Heat are 2-2, and if the playoffs started today they would miss out on the entire thing. There have been games that they have looked pretty flat on offense, not to mention the fact that they got blown out by the Bucks by 47 points the other day. There is an alternate reality where I am a Heat fan through and through; I’ve always loved D-Wade, I love the city of Miami, I was a Dolphins fan for the longest time, I’m a supporter of Inter Miami CF in the MLS, I love Jimmy Butler so much it hurts, and Tyler Herro is one of my favorite players in the league. I could see how this statement about being able to run it back might seem just like a crazy semi-fan with the biggest hopes, but I truly do believe that Miami has all the tools to make it right back to the Finals.
Player Development
I’ve made it no secret how much I love Heat Culture and the system that Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra have in place for their franchise. A lot of what happens for the players in that system is about trying things out, and not shying away from the unknown. Right this second, Bam Adebayo is leading every major statistical category for the Heat except for steals, which he is only .3 behind Avery Bradly. After the extension Bam signed this offseason, I think he is taking it more upon himself to be the franchise’s player for the next decade. Jimmy Butler is a perfect fit for this team, and he is clearly the best player on the team right now, but at 31 it’s hard to believe that, unless he pulls a LeBron, is able to make a significant impact like we saw in the Finals for this team for much longer. Butler, at best most likely, has two or three more years of high level production before it tapers off. With Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Duncan Robinson progressing the way they have, I can see the Heat being a problem for everyone in the league for years to come, and it is all because the organization trusts them to go find themselves on the court. These three young players have put in the work, and it is starting to present itself on the court.
Steals in the Draft
I don’t know how they do it. I really don’t. The Heat might be the best drafting team in the past couple of years. The highest pick they’ve had in the past five years was #10, and they don’t even have that guy anymore. Bam Adebayo? 14th. Tyler Herro? 14th. Duncan Robinson? UNDRAFTED. Not to mention one of the better players outside the top 5 in Precious Achiuwa. In limited action this year, Achiuwa has averaged 7.3 points, almost 4 rebounds, and he’s shooting 62% from the floor right now. The biggest thing for all the Heat fans, or basketball fans in general, is that Achiuwa is literally just a younger version of Bam Adebayo. He runs the floor, he works hard, he rebounds decently, he can go coast-to-coast if need be, and he’s a willing passer. His defense needs some work, but I’m sure that working with Bam and Jimmy, his defense will be where it needs to be within due time. The Heat have this collection of young talent that they can bring with them for years to come, and literally all of them are good compliments to Jimmy Butler, as showcased in last year’s Finals.
Veteran Leadership
I’ve talked before about how I think that Goran Dragic has the ability to be the 6th Man of the Year for the Heat, but the veteran leadership goes much further than that. Jimmy Butler being the vocal leader of this team on the floor, Udonis Haslem being the vocal leader and coach on the bench, Goran Dragic being able to lead the second unit to success, and Andre Iguodala providing good minutes at the wing spot. All of that, not to mention good contributing pieces in Avery Bradly, Kelly Olynyk, and Myers Leonard. From the young guns to the vets, this team has good rotational pieces, and more importantly, chemistry and accountability.
I think it’s really early in the season, and again the Heat have not looked amazing. There are some things to consider though. Jimmy Butler has only played two games so far, only Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are playing more than 30 minutes a game, there is still a feeling out process with the new players on the roster, and honestly I think the Heat might just be tired. Lets not forget that they made the Finals, and they only had about a two month break before they had to hop back on the saddle. I think this team is special, I don’t think their Finals appearance was a fluke, and I think they are going to show the world soon enough why they are a team to be reckoned with for many years to come.
Round The Game 
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