A Preview of the 2022-23 Miami Heat

September 29^th, 2022

Miami Heat’s superstar swingman, Jimmy Butler and head coach Erik Spoelstra will lead their team back to the playoffs in 2023.
(Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images, via Bleacher Report)

The Miami Heat had a very good season last year. Back in 2021, the Heat were swept in the first round by the eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks after having made the NBA Finals in 2020, so last year they felt they needed to make some changes to help them make a deep playoff run.

Last year, they traded to get Kyle Lowry, and they received tremendous seasons out of Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, the latter whom won the Sixth Man of the Year award. They also got strong performances from numerous bench players, and the Heat have gotten a lot out of unheralded sources. They were able to take the Boston Celtics to seven games before losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, and the Heat are expected to have a strong season this year. The Heat lost P.J. Tucker in the offseason, but selected Nikola Jovic in the draft, and they have a strong duo in Butler and Adebayo that makes them a formidable team in the East.

Star Players:

G-F Jimmy Butler, F-C Bam Adebayo, G-F Tyler Herro, and G Kyle Lowry

Jimmy Butler is a very athletic, skilled swingman that can really score, pass the ball, and defend when he is on the floor. He is a versatile player that can take over games and is a strong defender. Last year, Butler put forth a memorable Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, as he scored 47 points to get his team the win in that game against Boston.

Bam Adebayo is a star center that has solid playmaking and defensive skills, and he is both a very good passer, and is a defensive anchor that will shore up his team’s interior. On the downside, he doesn’t have much range on his jump shot, and he’s not a great shot blocker due to his lack of size, so he had to rely much more position defense. Still, he is a solid player that has played well for the Heat.

Tyler Herro is a skilled scoring guard that can shoot and score the basketball, and he can put up points in a hurry. On the downside, he’s not a very good defender, and he can be ineffective in the playoffs if he struggles to get his shot down. He can start or come off the bench, and has been known to be an instant offense player.

Kyle Lowry is a hard-nosed, tough-as-nails, playmaking point guard that shoots, passes well, and is a solid defender on the court. He’s slowed down due to age and injuries recently, and he’s struggled to be the scorer or defender that he used to be, but he’s still a steady, reliable point guard that runs the team well.

Additions:

F Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic is an agile, skilled combo forward that can shoot and score the basketball, and he is a solid playmaker, especially for his size. He’ll need to get adjusted to the NBA three-point line and improve his defense, but he is a skilled offensive player that could help create mismatches that swing in his team’s favor.

Subtractions:

G-F P.J. Tucker and F-C Markieff Morris

The Heat lost a couple of role players due to free agency, but of the two, losing Tucker will hurt the Heat more. Tucker was a tough, 3 and D role player that provided toughness and played within the team’s system, but the Heat could give more minutes to Butler and the other role players. Morris is a skilled forward that can shoot and provided some toughness, but was injured for most of the season due to Nikola Jokic’s deliberate push in the back. Morris’ role will be replaced by Dewayne Dedmon and Omer Yurtseven; both of whom were fairly effective in their roles as backup centers last season.

Rookies:

F Nikola Jović and F Darius Days

There may not be many minutes for either player in the early going, but both could see some playing time late in the season. Days is a tough, athletic 3 and D forward that could play either forward position, and could be a rotation player for the Heat if he continues to develop in the future.

Expected Rotation:

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Bam Adebayo