Familiar Heat roster, but changes expected entering training camp: ‘We’re ready for it’
New season, new Miami Heat? The roster hasn’t changed much since last season, but things are expected to look different.
With 14 players on standard contracts, the Heat entered its annual media day at FTX Arena on Monday with 13 players returning from last season’s season-ending roster that finished just one win short of the NBA Finals. That list includes Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Victor Oladipo, Caleb Martin, Tyler Herro, Dewayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Omer Yurtseven and Haywood Highsmith.
But on the eve of the Heat’s first training camp practice at Baha Mar in the Bahamas on Tuesday, players made it clear that the team is expected to take on a different look in some areas this season.
“I think there are going to be changes,” Butler said Monday morning, with coach Erik Spoelstra away from the team on media day because of the birth of his third child, Ruby Grace Spoelstra.
“I think everybody realizes their roles are going to change and we’re going to have to star in those roles, even if it is me playing the four. But I think we’re ready for it. Because we like each other here. Everybody wants everybody to be successful. We say it all the time, but we really do believe that.”
Playing Butler (6-7, 230 pounds) more minutes at power forward is one of the potential changes, with the departure of veteran P.J. Tucker leaving a hole at that position. Tucker, who served as the Heat’s starting power forward last season, is the only rotation player from last season’s roster who is not back after signing with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.
According to Basketball Reference, Butler logged about 32 percent of his minutes at power forward last season. He’ll likely need to at least match that number this season because of the team’s lack of depth at that position, but it’s not something Butler is thrilled about.
“I could play the four, yes,” Butler said with a grin. “If they absolutely need me to play the four, I could, yes. If they absolutely wanted to have a conversation about me playing the four, I could, yes. But I’m not playing the four.”
Martin (6-5, 205 pounds) is considered the front-runner to start at power forward in Tucker’s place to open the season.
If Martin does earn a starting spot, there’s a chance that he won’t be the only new face in the Heat’s starting lineup. Herro, who was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year last season, made it known early this offseason that he hopes to be a full-time starter this season, prompting Heat president Pat Riley to challenge Herro days later in June to “come to training camp and win [the starting job].”
But Herro, who started in just 33 of the 175 regular-season games he appeared in during his first three NBA seasons, softened his stance on Monday when he was asked about that topic at media day.
“I’m a team player,” Herro, 22, said. “Whatever Spo and our organization wants me to do, I’m willing to do. Obviously, I have my own personal goals. But at the end of the day, the team is always over what I want to do as an individual player. So whatever they want me to do, whatever role they think fits me best, that’s what I’ll do.”
If Herro does start, he would log more minutes alongside other ball-dominant players like Lowry, Butler and Adebayo. What adjustment would that require from Herro?
“I think the ball will be in my hands a little bit less to start the game,” Herro said. “Obviously, with Jimmy, Bam and Kyle out there, it’s different compared to last year when I had my own unit in the second unit. So just playing off of Jimmy and Bam in the first unit and becoming more of a catch-and-shoot guy or being able to attack off the catch instead of off the dribble. I think that will be an adjustment for me. But it’s stuff I’ve been working on all summer.”
As far as the looming deadline surrounding Herro’s potential contract extension with the Heat, he said Monday: “I’m going to let my agent take care of that.” The deadline for Herro and the Heat to strike a deal on an extension is Oct. 17 — the final day before the start of the regular season.
Another change the Heat is pushing for this season: A more aggressive Adebayo.
Adebayo, 25, said earlier this offseason that “the guys want the ball in my hands” and “they want me to score more.” In June, Riley set the bar at 15 shot attempts per game after Adebayo averaged 13 shots per game last season.
“Closer to 18 shots,” Adebayo said Monday when asked how many shots per game he wants to average this season. “I’m going to try to get it up this year. I feel like we’re a lot better team when I’m scoring the basketball.”
Just in the Eastern Conference finals last season, Adebayo’s aggressiveness in that department fluctuated with four shots attempts in Game 1, six shot attempts in Game 2, 22 shot attempts in Game 3, five shot attempts in Game 4, 15 shot attempts in Game 5, six shot attempts in Game 6 and 21 shot attempts in Game 7.
“I don’t think we have to get on Bam. Bam knows that,” Butler said when asked about pushing Adebayo to take on more of a scoring role. “We always say, what’s understood never has to be explained. We know he knows we want him to score more, we want him to be aggressive. He can do it and he’s going to. ... He always is and always will be the engine, the key part on both ends of the floor. So we’re going where Bam takes us.”
Last season, the Heat was close to accomplishing its goal but ultimately was eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. Most of last season’s roster is back, but it’s clear there will be some changes with the hope of taking another step forward.
“We’re back at square one, you know,” Butler said. “New season, new year and I’m excited. All the guys are excited. We’ll find a way to get done what we want to get done.”
This story was originally published September 26, 2022 at 12:53 PM.
