The Miami Heat have shocked the NBA world by making the NBA Finals despite the playoff absence of Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo. Miami has had a long path to the Finals, having to deal with two play-in games to even make the playoffs and getting a first-round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo. Miami defeated the Bucks in five games, which led to the firing of coach Mike Budenholzer. In the second round, the Heat had to deal with the New York Knicks, and Jimmy Butler proved to be the difference-maker as he led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals.
- Starters
- Gabe Vincent – Signed In January 2020 (Undrafted Player)
- Max Strus – Signed In 2020 (Undrafted Player)
- Jimmy Butler – Sign & Trade In 2020
- Caleb Martin – Signed In 2021 (Undrafted Player)
- Bam Adebayo – Drafted No. 14 Overall In The 2017 NBA Draft
- Bench
- Kyle Lowry – Sign & Trade In 2021
- Tyler Herro – Drafted No. 13 Overall In The 2019 NBA Draft
- Victor Oladipo – Acquired Via Trade In 2022
- Duncan Robinson – Signed In 2019 (Undrafted Player)
- Haywood Highsmith – Signed In 2022 (Undrafted Player)
- Jamal Cain – Signed In 2023 (Undrafted Player)
- Kevin Love – Signed In 2023 (Buyout Market)
- Nikola Jovic – Drafted No. 27 Overall In The 2022 NBA Draft
- Cody Zeller – Signed In 2023 (Buyout Market)
- Omer Yurtseven – Signed In 2022 (Undrafted Player)
- Udonis Haslem – Signed In 2004 (Undrafted Player)
- Orlando Robinson – Signed In 2023 (Undrafted Player)
Against a heavily favored Celtics team, Miami was dominant the first three games to go up 3-0, only to lose the next three games before dominating Game 7 at TD Garden. Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, and Bam Adebayo were the key contributors in that series, and head coach Erik Spoelstra was the man behind the scenes. No doubt, the 2022-23 Miami Heat have shown the most heart and determination in the playoffs so far, and they never played as if they were underdogs. Many expected the Heat to get swept in the first round of the playoffs and not make the NBA Finals.
As the 8th seed in the East, Miami has maximized the talents of every player on their team. It would be incredible to see how the Heat have managed to collect their players from the draft, trading block, and buyout market and create one of the most determined rosters of all time. Despite being somewhat disrespected and ignored coming into the playoffs, everybody knows to respect the Heat because they will be coming for the favored Denver Nuggets in a surprising Finals showdown. Despite being the underdogs, Miami might actually have a chance to become the most unexpected champions in NBA history.
Here is how the Miami Heat got all of the players currently on the roster, and quite frankly, we must trust in the ultimate “Godfather” known as Pat Riley. The man is easily an NBA legend because he has had arguably the most success as a player and executive since he has played a role in an incredible 25% of all Finals appearances. Along with Riley, the Heat’s ownership has played a significant role in building a title-contending team and most of the players have actually flown under the radar as undrafted players and free agents.
Starters
Gabe Vincent – Signed In January 2020 (Undrafted Player)
On January 8, 2020, the Miami Heat announced that they had signed Gabe Vincent to a two-way contract that nobody thought much of. He made his NBA debut against the Orlando Magic on January 29 although most of the player’s development came in the G League. Vincent was showing signs of prime as he averaged 20.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 2.3 APG in 31 G League appearances.
Gabe Vincent would then go on to win the Most Improved Player award in the G-League and was actually on the Finals roster that reached the 2020 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. Finally, in 2021, Vincent joined the Heat for the NBA Summer League and later signed a standard contract with the Heat. From becoming a standout player in the G-League to a starting point guard for the team making the Finals, Vincent was an incredible pickup.
Max Strus – Signed In 2020 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Max Strus was named to the Boston Celtics Summer League team before signing a two-way contract. However, Strus was eventually cut shortly before the start of the regular season. Strus would go on to sign a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls before heading to the G-League where he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and bone bruise on his left knee in an NBA G-League game for Windy City Bulls. His career with the Bulls would be over shortly after.
Max Strus’ fortunes changed as soon as the Miami Heat came knocking. On November 30, 2020, Strus signed a training camp contract with the Miami Heat and later joined the Heat for the NBA Summer League before signing a two-year contract worth $3.5 million to remain with the team. Similar to Gabe Vincent, Strus had to make a name for himself in the G-League before proving himself to be the sharpshooter that the Miami Heat needed. No doubt, Strus has been a spectacular pickup by the Miami Heat and the proof is their Finals appearance this year.
Jimmy Butler – Sign & Trade In 2020
Jimmy Butler was not supposed to be regarded as one of the top-ten players in the world. He has worked to get to where he is, and all the credit goes to him. Butler was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls and averaged only 8.5 MPG in his rookie campaign. However, Butler’s dedication to being a stout defender led him to get more minutes and he ended up winning Most Improved Player in the 2014-15 NBA season while making his first All-Star Team.
After two more All-Star appearances, Butler joined the up-and-coming Minnesota Timberwolves team that had Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Unfortunately, that proved to be a disastrous decision because Butler did not see eye-to-eye with Towns and Wiggins and that led to an ugly exit. With rumors coming out about Butler’s “team killer attitude, the Philadelphia 76rs took a gamble and traded for him as they made the Eastern Conference Finals in the same season before a Kawhi Leonard game-winner in Game 7 ended that stint.
After speculation about where Butler would end up and the rumors of being a “team killer” continuing to sprout, the player opted to sign for a no-nonsense organization led by Pat Riley, and the rest is history. Butler made the All-Star Team in the 2019-20 season and he led the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in a losing effort against the Los Angeles Lakers. Butler also led the Heat to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year before making the Finals again this season. Butler’s growth from the No. 30 overall pick to a legitimate superstar has been tremendous, and the Miami Heat have benefited most from the player’s presence on both ends of the court.
Caleb Martin – Signed In 2021 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Caleb Martin signed with the Charlotte Hornets on July 31, 2019. He joined his brother Cody, who was selected in the second round of the draft. Caleb ended up agreeing to a multi-year deal with the Hornets, but he did end up in the NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. Following the 2020-21 NBA season, Martin was waived by the Hornets before signing with the Miami Heat on a two-way contract, also sharing time with the G-League. Finally, on February 15, 2022, the Heat converted Martin’s contract to a standard deal because his two-way play and versatility made him a very solid option to start as a small-ball power forward.
Despite being of thin frame, Martin played incredibly hard, and he ended up re-signing with the Heat on a 3-year, $20 million deal. Despite being cut in the NBA a few years prior, Martin has played like a bonafide star in the playoffs this season. His true value has come in the Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics, dropping 26 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a 103–84 win, helping the Heat advance to their second NBA Finals appearance in four years while also coming one vote short of winning Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Bam Adebayo – Drafted No. 14 Overall In The 2017 NBA Draft
Unlike the rest of Miami’s starting lineup, Bam Adebayo was somewhat expected to become a very good player. Adebayo was selected with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Miami Heat and had the first two seasons playing under 25 MPG and appearing as a backup big man. By his third season, following the Heat’s decision to trade Hassan Whiteside, Bam took on greater responsibilities in his first season as a starter and was named to his first NBA All-Star Game.
Bam also won the NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge competition and started showing his elite two-way impact in the paint. Adebayo would also go on to make four All-Defensive Team appearances and make his second All-Star Team this season with the Heat. Normally, the No. 14 overall pick isn’t exactly supposed to be a life-changer but a good player. However, Bam Adebayo convinced Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra that he is capable of becoming a starting center which is why the Heat decided to part ways with Hassan Whiteside. As the team’s second-best player, Bam has been invaluable to the Heat’s contending status over the past few seasons.
Bench
Kyle Lowry – Sign & Trade In 2021
Kyle Lowry has had a heck of a career that has taken many turns. Lowry was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 24th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft. He appeared in only 10 games as a rookie before suffering a broken wrist and having his season ended. Lowry was then traded to the Houston Rockets, having only two seasons posting at least 10 PPG before getting moved to the Toronto Raptors, where he would go on to make six All-Star Teams and actually win an NBA title as the starting point guard.
Lowry was picked up by the Miami Heat last year, and despite being 35 years old, the point guard’s shooting ability, perimeter defense, and championship experience would be critical to the team’s ability to progress deep in the postseason. Lowry averaged 13.4 PPG and 7.5 APG in the regular season last year but could not move the needle for the Heat as they lost in the first round of the playoffs. This year, Lowry averaged 11.2 PPG and 5.1 APG, and despite showing his age, the veteran has had an important role as a backup in the 2023 Playoffs. His clutch shot-making and experience will be pivotal for the Heat to potentially clinch a championship this season.
Tyler Herro – Drafted No. 13 Overall In The 2019 NBA Draft
On June 20, 2019, Herro was selected by the Miami Heat with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. The scoring guard would go on to average 13.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 2.2 APG on 42.8% FG, 38.9% 3-PT FG, and 87.0% FT. Herro would make the All-Rookie Team, and many knew that the player would eventually become an important part of Miami’s core. Herro showed improvements in his second season, posting 15.1 PPG and 5.0 RPG before winning the Sixth Man of the Year award in the 2022 season. Last season, Herro posted 20.7 PPG on 39.9% shooting from three.
Once again, Herro proved his worth as a scorer for the Heat by posting 20.1 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.2 APG on 43.9% FG, 37.8% 3-PT FG, and 93.4% FT. The scorer only appeared in 67 games dealing with injuries and has only played one game in the playoffs as he tries to recover from a wrist injury. Miami will need Herro to come back by Game 3 to give the team a fighting chance, and if he does, Denver has to worry about another scorer who won’t back down from a challenge.
Victor Oladipo – Acquired Via Trade In 2022
Victor Oladipo has not made much of an impact with the Miami Heat because the guard and former All-Star has dealt with significant injuries that are robbing the player from getting on the court. Oladipo was taken No. 2 overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2013 NBA Draft, making the All-Rookie Team and lasting three seasons with the franchise. Oladipo would blossom into an All-Star and All-Defensive performer with the Indiana Pacers in the 2017-18 season.
As great as Oladipo was with the Pacers, injuries ended the player’s prime, as he has played under 45 games for four straight seasons. The Miami Heat took a low-risk, high-reward gamble on Oladipo in the 2020-21 NBA season, but the player has played only 4, 8, and 20 games, respectively, in his run with the Heat. While not his fault that he can’t play, Oladipo’s character would have certainly been a positive factor in the locker room during the playoffs.
Duncan Robinson – Signed In 2019 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, Duncan Robinson signed an NBA Summer League contract with the Miami Heat before eventually agreeing to a two-way contract with the Miami Heat and Sioux Falls Skyforce on July 10, 2018. Robinson’s breakout season came in the 2019-20 season when he averaged 13.5 PPG on 44.6% shooting from three as many started realizing what a deadly shooter he was. The following season, Robinson averaged 13.1 PPG on 40.8% shooting from three, and he became somewhat of an untouchable commodity for the Heat franchise.
Even after falling out of favor with Spoelstra over the past two seasons, averaging under 26 MPG per season, he has come back into the lineup in this year’s playoffs by playing 17.9 MPG and posting 9.3 PPG on 44.6% shooting from three. Duncan’s ability to come off screens, shoot over defenders, and constantly move without the ball has made the player extremely important for this season’s Heat. As the best pure shooter on the team, Robinson will be needed in the Finals series against the Denver Nuggets.
Haywood Highsmith – Signed In 2022 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA Draft, Highsmith signed with the Delaware Blue Coats of the NBA G League before signing a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2019 season. Highsmith appeared in five games for the Sixers, posting only 1.8 PPG on 8.0 MPG. The 6’7” forward would spend the next three years bouncing around playing basketball internationally and with the G-League before finding a new home with the Miami Heat in the 2022 season.
Highsmith appeared in 19 games with the Heat last year, averaging 2.3 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 8.6 MPG. This season, the forward has appeared in 54 games with 11 starts while playing 17.9 MPG and averaging 4.4 PPG and 3.5 RPG on 33.9% shooting from three. Highsmith is mainly a high-energy forward who will be needed in limited spurts against the Nuggets and is another player who was picked up as an undrafted player.
Jamal Cain – Signed In 2023 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Cain signed a Summer League deal with the Miami Heat before officially signing with the Heat on July 15, 2022. Later that year, Cain’s contract was converted into a two-way contract, allowing him to play with the Heat and its NBA G League affiliate, Sioux Falls Skyforce. In the 2023 regular season, Jamal Cain appeared in 18 games and averaged 5.4 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 13.3 MPG.
Kevin Love – Signed In 2023 (Buyout Market)
Yet another genius pickup by the Miami Heat, except this time, Love was a former All-Star who had an already established name and career. Love was taken No. 5 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft and eventually became an All-Star and Most Improved Player with the Minnesota Timberwolves. As a sharpshooter and dominant rebounder, Love was an extremely valuable player in the league which is why the Cleveland Cavaliers would trade their No. 1 overall pick for him to join LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Love remained with the Cavaliers from the 2014-15 season until the 2022-23 season before the Miami Heat picked him up in the buyout market. The 34-year-old big man has lost athleticism and is incapable of being a go-to scorer anymore, but his veteran leadership, outlet passes, and shooting ability means he will be heavily featured in the rotation in the NBA Finals. Love has averaged 6.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG on 36.8% shooting from three during the 2023 Playoffs, and as long as he can hover around those numbers, he will be very useful as a backup big-man option.
Nikola Jovic – Drafted No. 27 Overall In The 2022 NBA Draft
If Nikola Jovic ends up being anything close to Nikola Jokic, the Miami Heat will have an absolute gem. While their names are similar, the latter was given more of a chance to shine as Jokic played 80 games in his first season. Jovic is only 19 years old and is nowhere near his prime, so time will tell if the 6’10’’ big man will prove to be a starter someday. Jovic appeared in 15 games this season, posting 5.5 PPG and 2.1 RPG.
Jovic has the makings of a talented two-way big man who can shoot, pass, and dribble, but time will tell if he can fully develop. Since the Heat is in win-now mode and is featuring in the NBA Finals, Jovic will have to wait for his moment because a 19-year-old won’t feature much in the Finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Cody Zeller – Signed In 2023 (Buyout Market)
Cody Zeller was picked up in the buyout market in the 2022-23 season after the big man was waived by the Utah Jazz last year. The big man is not a star player by any means, but his size and athleticism at 6’11” and 240 lbs mean he will be a capable backup behind Bam Adebayo. Zeller appeared in 15 games with the Heat this season, posting 6.5 PPG and 4.3 RPG. The big man has a tendency to come in and gobble up a few rebounds and score some easy layups in limited minutes, so expect the Heat to utilize him in a matchup with Nikola Jokic at times.
Omer Yurtseven – Signed In 2022 (Undrafted Player)
After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft, Omer Yurtseven signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder before getting waived and later signed with the Miami Heat. The big man made his debut in the 2021-22 NBA season and ended up appearing in 56 total games at an average of 12.6 MPG. This season, Yurtseven averaged 4.4 PPG and 2.6 RPG in nine appearances and has averaged 2.3 MPG in the 2022-23 NBA Playoffs over six appearances. Yurtseven is yet another undrafted player on Miami’s bench.
Udonis Haslem – Signed In 2004 (Undrafted Player)
Mr. Miami Heat himself, Udonis Haslem, has completed 19 years in the NBA with the same franchise. Haslem is a three-time NBA champion as he started for the 2006-07 side led by Dwyane Wade and also played alongside Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. While Haslem’s minutes have decreased significantly over the years, his value comes in the locker room.
Haslem is a “bodyguard” on the court for his teammates and a legitimate coach in the locker room. The Miami Heat keep re-signing the big man season after season despite the fact he barely plays because of his knowledge of the game and of the Miami Heat culture. Out of all the players who have embraced Pat Riley’s attitude, Haslem is the living embodiment because he is no-nonsense and has been pivotal for the Heat’s team chemistry.
Orlando Robinson – Signed In 2023 (Undrafted Player)
Add another undrafted player to the list. Orlando Robinson was undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft and eventually signed with the Miami Heat. The big man later joined the Sioux Falls Skyforce roster for training camp and was signed to a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. The big man appeared in 31 games with the Heat in the regular season, posting 3.7 PPG and 4.1 RPG, and has yet to appear in the playoffs.
