- Chris Mannix thinks the Miami Heat will be the 10th seed in the East
- The analyst suggested that the team will take a step back without Gabe Vincent and Max Strus
- The Heat have notably been trying to get Damian Lillard
The Miami Heat made the NBA Finals during the 2022 playoffs, and there is no doubt that they could end up being a contender once again next season. They still have Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, and some solid role players such as Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry.
Even though they still have a good roster, the Heat did lose some key players from their Finals run. Gabe Vincent ended up signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he was not the only guard that the team lost. Max Strus joined the Cleveland Cavaliers on a four-year, $63 million deal via sign-and-trade. Some people have suggested that those losses could pose an issue for the franchise. NBA insider Chris Mannix suggested the Heat could take a major step back without Strus and Vincent, claiming that he has them as the 10th seed in the East currently.
“Let’s say the Heat do nothing else & they go into the season w/ the roster they currently have, are they even a playoff team? They lost their starting backcourt. In an 82-game season I’d probably have them penciled into 10th in the East right now”
“Let’s say the Heat do nothing else & they go into the season w/ the roster they currently have, are they even a playoff team? They lost their starting backcourt. In an 82-game season I’d probably have them penciled into 10th in the East right now”- @SIChrisMannix of @NBCSBoston pic.twitter.com/9HOJnIGPW9
— Dru (@dru_star) September 1, 2023
There is no doubt that this is a hot take, given the fact that the Miami Heat just made the Finals. With that being said, the team does need to make moves to make up for outgoing players. They might not finish as the No. 10 seed in the East, but they could definitely end up taking a step back.
The Miami Heat Are Trying To Trade For Damian Lillard
Though the Miami Heat have not made major moves thus far, it is not for lack of trying. The team is doing their best to acquire Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard, and it was previously revealed that the Heat are the only team that is seriously pursuing Lillard.
It is clear that the Trail Blazers don’t necessarily want to move Lillard to the Heat right now, as a trade would have been finalized if that were the case. It will be interesting to see if a move happens before the start of the 2023-24 season.
There is no doubt that Damian Lillard could help the Heat, particularly on the offensive end. The team only managed to surpass 100 points once in the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2, which they won 111-108. They need some sort of star-level talent to help them get over the top, whether it is Lillard or somebody else.
The Heat Could Sign Christian Wood
Big man Christian Wood remains a free agent, and he is definitely the sort of player who could help the Miami Heat with his offensive prowess. Last season with the Dallas Mavericks, Wood averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 37.6% from 3PT range. In fact, it was previously reported that Christian Wood is interested in a potential role with the Miami Heat.
In theory, Christian Wood is the perfect fit with Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt, which is why the Heat should explore getting him. On the veteran minimum, Wood is a steal for any team, and hopefully, the Heat can land him in the future.
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