The Heat’s Very Interesting Offseason
The Heat made an improbable run to the NBA Finals last season, as their team culture and overall toughness made them very hard to beat. But Miami knew improvements needed to be made in order for them to continue to contend in the East. And they made a lot of moves, some good and some bad. Here’s a look at Miami’s very interesting offseason.
2020 NBA Draft
The Heat had just one draft pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the 20th pick in the first round. And with that pick they selected Precious Achiuwa. Achiuwa was one of the most productive players in college last season as James Wiseman played just 3 games at Buffalo. Achiuwa averaged 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds. He shot 50% from the field and 33% from 3. But Achiuwa averaged just under 2 3-point attempts per game. The Heat definitely needed a younger PG to fill their roster instead of just Goran Dragic, but this pickup is a decent one. It’s an interesting fit next to Bam Adebayo, and I’d like to see that fit. This pick wasn’t the best one in the world, and it has more than an interest intrigue more than anything, but it wasn’t horrible.
2020 Free Agency
The Heat made a lot of moves this offseason, making them have a lot of interesting moves. Here’s what the Heat did this offseason:
Resign Goran Dragic – 2yr/$39 Million Dollar Deal
Goran Dragic was a key part of the Heat’s final run last season, as he came up big in the postseason. Dragic averaged 16 points and 5 assists per game during the regular season, shooting 44% from the field and 37% from 3. Dragic was one of the more underrated 6th Man in the league. But in the playoffs he became a starter and averaged 19.1 points while shooting 44% from the field and 35% from 3. Dragic was a key part of this team, and resigning him was high on Miami’s list.
But it shouldn’t have been that high. Dragic is getting older and paying him nearly $20 million per year isn’t very smart. And to top it all off the Heat didn’t get any sort of young replacement for him. They did do a good job giving Dragic a team option after this season, so they can shed him if Giannis is still available. So there is a positive to this deal, but they should have at least found a replacement for him.
Avery Bradley – 2yr/$11.5 Million Dollar Deal
Avery Bradley was one of the best role players for the Lakers last season. He has a great defender as well as a solid shooter. He averaged 8.6 points while shooting 36% from 3. Bradley was a big part of the Lakers success in the regular season. But Bradley decided that he wouldn’t join the Lakers in the bubble, and the Lakers found a way to win without him when everybody said that they couldn’t. And the Lakers won the title, and they knew that they didn’t necessarily need Bradley to win. And that’s how he ended up with the Heat.
Bradley will be a solid addition to this Heat bench, giving them some veteran leadership and a guy who can defend. The Heat have shooters like Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, but those two aren’t great defenders. But Bradley is and now the Heat have added some perimeter defense outside of Jimmy Butler.
Resign Meyers Leonard – 2yr/$20 Million Dollar Deal
Meyers Leonard was an important piece for the Heat, during the regular season. He started almost every game, and he was pretty solid. He shot 51% from the field and 41% from 3. He was a very good player for the Heat, but his usage ended in March. The Heat started Bam Adebayo at center for the playoffs and went with a much smaller lineup. And it worked and Leonard was forgotten. You could still see him shouting on the bench, but that was about it.
The Heat found out a way to win without Leonard, and I don’t know why they need to resign him to this large of a deal, at about $10 Million per year. Jimmy Butler and Leonard are very close, so the Heat might be doing this to please Butler, but the reasons for bringing him back end there. I doubt Leonard will do much as the Heat don’t really need him. They could have used this money a little better.
Mo Harless – 1yr/$3.6 Million Dollar Deal
Mo Harkless is one of the better defensive wings in the NBA. He has great hands, and while his offense is very inconsistent, he can be the perfect 3&D guy. Harkless was a key piece for Portland the past few years, bringing some much needed defense. He was moved to LA and then traded back home to New York. Now he ends up on a contending team like the Heat.
Harkless did shoot 35% from 3 last season, on not that many attempts. He is a downgraded version of Jae Crowder, who the Heat lost this offseason. But his defense is valued highly, and the Heat got him for pretty cheap. He will be a defensive stopper who plays decent minutes off the bench and will be valuable in the playoffs. Nice pickup by Miami, strengthening their bench.
Losing Jae Crowder
Crowder was a mid-season pickup by the Heat, and he was amazing for Miami. His defense, shooting, and toughness made him a perfect fit along Jimmy Butler. The Heat got so much better with Crowder in the front-court along Butler. And losing him does hurt, a lot.
Crowder’s shooting at the forward position was a completely different from the attacking Jimmy Butler, and it was a good pairing. And the Heat definitely got worse at the forward position with Crowder departing for Phoenix. Harkless is a very good defender, but he is much less of a offensive weapon. This one does hurt, and losing Crowder will be felt throughout this upcoming season.
The Heat had a very interesting offseason, to say the least. They drafted big guy Precious Achiuwa, an interesting fit next to Bam Adebayo. But they didn’t select a younger point guard to put behind the aging Dragic, which does hurt. They resigned Dragic on a two-year deal, making it seem like they might want Giannis next offseason. They resigned Myers Leonard, and added defensive studs like Avery Bradley and Mo Harkless. But they did lose Jae Crowder. I definitely think that the Heat got marginally better, but their offseason could have been better if they selected a PG with the 20th pick in the draft, and if they got Jae Crowder back. But the Heat will again be contending in the East, and they will remain one of the better teams in the league.
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