LeBron James is back in Cleveland and the Miami Heat have been left holding the bag in a weakened Eastern Conference. But despite the subtraction of the best player on the planet, the Heat still retain the services of two future Hall of Famers, an incredible coach and a bevy of new free agents who should place them near the top of the pack come playoff time.
The Miami Heat can still win the East
Without The King, South Beach will look very different next season. But Miami still has a formidable roster that can compete for a top seed.
Andy Lyons
Here’s why it’s foolish to count out Miami in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
Chris Bosh is still in his prime
People are quick to forget that Bosh was a superstar in his own right before coming to Miami as the do-all role player for coach Erik Spoelstra. Bosh made the All-Star Game four times before 2010 and put up magnificent performances when called upon while slowly altering his game to meet the needs of his team. Bosh has added the three-pointer to his arsenal over the last four seasons, peaking in 2013-14 when he took 23 percent of his total field goals from beyond the arc and connected on 34 percent of them.
Bosh is just 30 years old and several contemporaries -- including David West and Zach Randolph, who are both 33 -- have been productive well after hitting the three-decade mark. The Miami forward is 31st in active career leaders in minutes played, but evidence suggests he still has enough fight left in him to make Miami competitive.
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Miami may be deeper than ever
Josh McRoberts was the real prize considering his contract, as the lanky sharp-shooting power forward has the passing ability to help keep Spoelstra's offense rolling both in conjunction with Dwyane Wade and Bosh and as an offensive weapon with the two stars on the bench. McRoberts blossomed last season in Charlotte, and at $5.3 million, he should be productive in significant minutes for Miami.
A sideline triangle alignment like this, except with McRoberts, Wade and Bosh on the block, could prove deadly.
Adding Luol Deng at small forward was the other big catch for president Pat Riley. Deng has been a solid contributor to an Eastern Conference contender in Chicago for years, and at age 29, he still has plenty left in the tank. He can ease the defensive burden off Wade much the same way James did, as well as get to the free throw line on offense.
As a subset of this line of thinking, Wade could find a way to reinvigorate himself next year. At the end of the 2013 Finals it looked as though Manu Ginobili’s career could be coming to a close after a disastrous performance. In 2014, he was an instrumental piece to their success. It’s possible Wade bounces back the same way if he gets in better shape. Possible, not probable.
The East is weaker
Heading to Cleveland was a gut decision for LeBron, but not necessarily the best basketball one. Leaving Miami has left the Heat without their best player, but the combination of James, Kyrie Irving and rookie Andrew Wiggins isn't a guarantee of contention either. Even a trio of James, Irving and Kevin Love leaves the Cavaliers weak defensively. Elsewhere, the Pacers lost Lance Stephenson to Charlotte, Shaun Livingston is in California, Paul Pierce switched to the Wizards and few know how healthy Derrick Rose will be.
Miami’s chances in the East are still relatively intact even after James’ departure. They won’t be the powerhouse they were, but a top four finish shouldn’t raise the eyebrows of anyone considering the talent left on the roster and the question marks around the conference.
Erik Spoelstra is still the head coach
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Meshing James, Wade and Bosh into the strange, beautiful monster they were on both sides of the ball took an unconventional approach by Spoelstra. As we saw in Cleveland, you can’t just mash role players around James and expect to win a title. Also, as we saw in Los Angeles in 2012, combining superstars isn’t as easy as some may think.
NBA Deals
Spoelstra found a way to do both and led the Heat to two titles in four season. He is widely regarded as one of the best basketball minds in the modern NBA and should be able to put together a plan on both sides of the ball for his new squad that makes the most of their talent while guarding their shortcomings.
This is not to say that Miami is entirely devoid of landmines. Bosh has shown some signs of slowing down as of late and Wade's degradation was painfully apparent in the playoffs last season. Danny Granger isn't promising anything and Spoelstra will have to lean on two players who have never been in his system before in Deng and McRoberts.
Any time you lose a player like LeBron, it’s natural to expect a dip in performance, but the Heat still have a formidable squad and reasonable postseason expectations even after James’ exit. They have no fewer issues than Chicago or Brooklyn or Indiana, for example. Their chances of getting a top seed in the East should not be overlooked.
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