Tag Archive for: Miami Heat

Kendrick Nunn: “Putting in Non-Stop Work”

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Kendrick Nunn spoke with media as well on Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve been putting in non-stop work.”

The specific improvements that he’s been trying to make this off-season have been his catch and shoot game. He mentioned that he’s “trying to improve in areas that I will be needed most for my team.” And he’s of the mindset that will be off the ball.

He is still focused on his point guard qualities, since he said he’s “learning how to be a lead guard and a play-maker.” He followed that mentioning that the main job of a guard is to be an on-court leader.

He was very excited to have his mentor Goran Dragic return for this season, saying “He leads by example, that’s one thing I’ve learned from Goran, how hard he works.”

Another improvement that he’s been focused on is his body. He reiterated that staying in shape is the most important thing since you’re always playing at your highest level. He mentioned that he dropped 8 to 10 pounds, but “got that back once I started working out.”

Obviously he caught Covid before heading into the bubble, which can clearly take a toll on your body. When speaking about Covid, he said “Obviously it’s a contagious virus, and you can catch it again after catching it once.” He then follows that saying “I’ve had it previously but I’m scared to catch it again.”

The Covid precautions will clearly make this season very unique, but Kendrick Nunn and the rest of the team seem to be ready. As Kendrick said about going to the championship, “We’re just looking to do that again, and get better and win it all.”

Lastly, and in my opinion most importantly, Kendrick Nunn mentioned the fact that “Guys are gonna be fighting for their spot come training camp.” This is something I’ve been mentioning quite a lot, since Kendrick Nunn is possibly the fifth guard on the roster.

Training camp will be like a mini showcase for Miami, since even though this team is one, every player is fighting for themselves to prove their worth.

Precious Achiuwa: “Do Whatever it Takes to Win”

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Precious Achiuwa spoke with media this morning after the first day of individual workouts.

“Do whatever it takes to win.” That seemed to be his primary focus when speaking about this Heat team, since it was repeated over and over.

That might be something he heard from Jimmy Butler once he got drafted, since Precious mentioned they spoke following the draft. Precious said, “He told me at the end of the day the goal is winning. And I want to win.”

Although Jimmy reached out to him, Tyler Herro seems to be the guy that speaks to him the most. They’ve obviously been working out together lately, but Precious mentioned it’s “Something we’re gonna do for a very long time, why not start off early.”

That quote may put some things in a different perspective, since some may want to constantly package their youth in a trade, while Precious and Tyler are looking to make this thing permanent.

Something else that was reiterated throughout the media session was his love for Miami heat basketball, even before he was drafted. “I love to watch winning basketball. I love to watch people play hard and that is Heat basketball.”

Precious Achiuwa clearly has to go through a unique path before starting this NBA season, due to the absence of Summer League, but he’s pretty confident that he is ready.

Miami’s role for him is a separate question, but he’s a guy that seems to have everybody in that locker room and organization excited.

Miami Heat Sign Max Strus

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The Miami Heat just signed Max Strus, which pretty much showed that a roster can never have too much shooting.

Greg Sylvander reported in the past that Miami had interest in him, which isn’t surprising since Miami always ends up getting the guys they want, no matter how long it takes.

For starters, he’s a great offensive player which is mostly headlined by shooting. The attribute that comes up most with Strus is his shooting on the move off of screens. And well, Miami’s dribble hand-offs will clearly work in his favor.

He also has good size which means he can put smaller guys in the post when needed, which leads to him getting to the free throw line. And the last thing you want to do is put him on the free throw line, since he shot 96% from the stripe in the G-League.

He has obvious scoring abilities, after he averaged 20 points a game in his last year at DePaul, knocking down 3 triples a game on 36% shooting.

And college wasn’t the only place he put that on display, since he averaged 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game in the G-League, before tearing his ACL.

Adversity is the word that best describes Max Strus, since instead of trying to make that next jump in his game to get on an NBA roster, the long process of rehab had to begin.

But now he seems to be back and better than ever, since he was cleared for contact about a month ago.

His story before getting signed by Miami also seems a bit familiar. Playing Dll before heading to DePaul for two years. A good shooter who went undrafted. And now signed by Miami.

There’s a reason these stories always end up on Miami’s roster. It’s because they love guys who have something to prove, and Max Strus has something to prove.

And most importantly, there’s no better development group to trust than the Miami Heat.

Max Strus, welcome to Miami.

The Meyers Leonard Return: Running it Back

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“Whatever role I’m put in, I’m gonna do it and I’m gonna do it well.”

That’s what Meyers Leonard told media last week about his role heading into next season.

As training camp is set to begin tomorrow, there will be a lot of interesting changes that will be made. For one, Moe Harkless and Avery Bradley trying to mesh with the team, while Jae Crowder and Derrick Jones Jr have parted ways.

Another thing is that there will be increased roles for the young guys including a possible starting job for Tyler Herro, plus getting Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala acquainted with the team.

There seems to be so much uncertainty surrounding the rotation, but there’s a good chance we see a similar starting front-court from last season.

Bam Adebayo and Meyers Leonard headlined the front-court last season, and were a big reason that starting lineup was one of the most effective in the league.

The perimeter shooting from Meyers gives Bam the space he needs to work the offense, which usually occurs at the free throw line extended.

And the thing that stands out the most defensively with Meyers is the comfortability factor, since his vocal on-court attributes help everybody out on the floor.

Once again, that is something big for the young guys on the roster, since having a free safety in the back calling out screens and plays can truly help a player’s confidence.

“Watching what Jimmy did…It made me feel like I could run through a wall in all of my off-season training. And I have.”

That statement from Meyers sums up this Heat team. A big advantage Miami has over other teams is their chemistry on and off the floor, but mostly since they all drive each other to be better.

And that chemistry can possibly continue with a very similar starting lineup, except they get to sprinkle in some more depth throughout the game, which will be very important this season.

Meyers is looking to come back stronger than ever after recovering from his ankle injury, and this team knows he will be ready to make an impact on day one.

Miami’s Building A Team for Erik Spoelstra

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There have been many roads that the Miami Heat have gone down with Erik Spoelstra running the show.

Big threes. Wild locker rooms. Wild personalities.

But now, he finally has his perfect group.

For starters, it’s obvious that Jimmy Butler is the perfect leader for a team that Erik Spoelstra is coaching, while Bam Adebayo is the perfect centerpiece going forward. But most importantly, the entire roster is forming to his exact liking.

That is because of a bunch of reasons, mostly headlined by versatility and depth. He has the perfect mixture of everything you would want: Veterans and Youth, Offensive talents and Defensive talents. It’s clear he has options.

Many teams in the past have seemed to be built for a specific player, but finally he has his team. His ideal team.

This season will allow Spo to be the most creative he’s been in his career. For one, teams will need to adjust and be creative as they were in the bubble, since this season will be like no other.

Everything seems to be up in the air with the rotation. Does he start a second year Tyler Herro or a veteran Avery Bradley? Do the power forward minutes go to veteran Moe Harkless or rookie Precious Achiuwa?

And honestly, he might have to go to it all, but at some point decisions will have to be made. Spo’s initial evaluation on the roster later in the season will no doubt be the correct one, since he’s been doing it for years.

Lastly, he finally has a bunch of dogs to coach, so he doesn’t have to worry about a lack of effort or intensity. There have been some instances over the past few years where he’s had some players that did not have that same mentality. But once again, he knows his lead dog has the mental toughness that he’s been waiting for, and now it’s time to be unleashed.

Erik Spoelstra solidified his coaching status after the incredible finals run this past year, but he’s not finished. He has a group of guys that fit perfectly, and he’s looking to do much more than just making it to the Finals.

Position-Less Basketball: Miami Heat Paving the Way

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There are a couple of different things that make Miami much different than other teams. The one I’ve mentioned quite a few times is their depth, but there might be something else.

Position-less basketball is clearly the way the league is turning to, since many teams don’t have true bigs or true point guards.

And well, the Miami Heat see the way that the league is going.

For starters, Bam Adebayo is the textbook definition of position-less basketball, since he can be the primary ball-handler on the floor at times. He’s not a traditional big, since he doesn’t go to work in the post, while only standing 6 foot 9 inches.

But every center wants to be the ball-handling and play-making center nowadays, since every big in the draft said they wanted to be like Bam.

Tyler Herro can be another representation of turning the tide, since he was labeled as a catch and shoot guy coming out of college. And now he might be the starting point guard in his second season.

He’s definitely earned that, since he improved his passing abilities tremendously before entering the bubble. But even though he has the attributes, he’s not the traditional point guard. And that’s exactly how Miami likes it.

Since they have such a deep bench this year, that means Erik Spoelstra will have a plethora of different lineups to try out, mostly because he can insert any of his players in any position.

When heading into free agency, I kept mentioning that Miami will be going after one mutual attribute. Versatility.

And they got that, adding one of the best defenders, in Avery Bradley, while also picking up a lengthy wing, in Moe Harkless, who can guard multiple positions.

Giving a top coach in the NBA this much flexibility is absolutely genius, and it also impacts many of their young guys who struggle on the defensive end.

While other teams in the East are scrambling to get better, Miami has found a bunch of counters, and they will all be beneficial in this very unique NBA season.

 

Miami Heat’s Preseason Schedule Released

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It was just released that the NBA Preseason will begin on December 11th, which is exactly two weeks from today.

The Miami Heat won’t kick off their season until December 14th, which will be against the New Orleans Pelicans.

After Miami plays New Orleans at home, they will take a four hour bus ride up to Tampa, to face off against the Toronto Raptors.

They are trying to bundle up games to make it as safe as possible, and the preseason games clearly worked out well for Miami.

Obviously there’s not much to dive into with exact match-ups yet, but there are some things that will be interesting for Miami.

For one, these two games will be great for Precious Achiuwa to get some run, since he doesn’t have the luxury of getting acquainted in the NBA Summer League.

Jimmy Butler and crew will need to get some run at the start as well, since working their way back in slowly will be important after such a quick off-season turnaround.

We may see these first two preseason games as a showcase for Miami, since there are a bunch of guys who are unsure of their exact role.

We will see how it all plays out, but at least basketball officially returns in two weeks. And that might be a long two weeks for many people.

Kendrick Nunn: Bounce-Back or Bounce-Out

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Kendrick Nunn is probably one of the more intriguing players heading into this next season for the Miami Heat.

He had a solid rookie season, in which he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. But after a disappointing bubble stretch, he isn’t getting the same respect.

He had some personal issues and Covid when he was heading in, so it was obvious that basketball wasn’t the primary thing on his mind. Then he went from starting point guard to out of the rotation, so that clearly had to weigh on his mind as well.

But what stood out most, in my opinion, was the heart he showed in the NBA Finals when he got some minutes. There were many moments that Miami couldn’t get anything going, since they were without Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo, but Nunn stepped up and hit some shots like he did all season.

With all that said, it seems as if Nunn should go back to a similar role heading into his second season, but that’s not the case.

He will be the third guard coming off the bench, since Goran Dragic and Avery Bradley will clearly have a bigger role than Nunn. As I’ve mentioned though, depth will be key this season and Miami has it, but Nunn still won’t have a defined role in the rotation.

There’s still a chance he can get some free-lancing minutes and shine, but there just isn’t a clear opening in the rotation to insert Kendrick Nunn right now.

That means that Erik Spoelstra will experiment with him in the first half of the season, then Miami can consider flipping him at the deadline.

Once again, his offensive talent has shined many times, which means he should be getting minutes and trying to develop with a defined role in this league. But I’m not so sure Miami fits that criteria for him right now.

We will see what ends up happening this season, and if Nunn can show out for the Heat right away, then that’s a good problem to have if you’re Miami. But then it’s decision time for Erik Spoelstra and the coaching staff.

A Deep Dive into the Miami Heat’s Bench this Season

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Something I have mentioned quite a few times is that bench units will be crucial in the NBA next season. This will be a season that we have yet to see, since positive Covid tests could pop up at any time.

And for the Miami Heat, they had a much shorter off-season than others, which unfortunately could mean they will be more inclined to injury.

Either way, Miami’s bench will be a huge strength next season.

Going through the roster, they are filled with both veterans and youth, which will be interesting for Coach Erik Spoelstra since he will have quite a few avenues to choose.

Depth is something that isn’t so common among the rest of the East as of right now, especially if a team like Brooklyn trades away all of their assets for James Harden.

Anyways, here’s an advanced look into what the Miami Heat’s bench could look like next season, assuming the starting lineup is Herro/Bradley, Robinson, Butler, Adebayo, and Leonard. (And by the way, this is just speculation)

Goran Dragic:

Miami is very lucky to have a guy of Goran Dragic’s caliber coming off the bench, since it’s clear he’s a very quality starter. He showed that in the bubble for Miami, since they upgraded his role to starting point guard after he was Miami’s go to scorer in the playoffs. He told media about his role for next season, “If he needs me to come off the bench, I’ll come off the bench. If he wants me to start, I’ll start.” And I wouldn’t be surprised if they do the same thing as they did this past season, by starting him once the post-season begins.

Tyler Herro/ Avery Bradley:

As mentioned, there’s still uncertainty of what the starting lineup will look like, but I believe the final guard spot will be between Tyler Herro and Avery Bradley. That said, I think Tyler Herro starts by the beginning of the season, but Avery Bradley could be plugged in for him in certain match-ups. Either way, one of them will be on the bench, and will make huge contributions. Tyler Herro for offensive spark and Avery Bradley for a defensive spark, which once again will be situational. Putting either one of these guys next to Goran on a bench unit will be effective, which they will look to expose opposing team’s benches.

Andre Iguodala:

Andre Iguodala is one of those players on Miami’s roster that hasn’t been discussed much during the off-season, but he will be a huge part of this team next season, especially after losing Jae Crowder. For starters, Andre will make a major impact just due to his veteran leadership for the young guys once again. Having guys like KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa trying to work their way in, Andre can really help with their development. But on the floor, it’s obvious he can still bring his strengths of defensive versatilities or offensive IQ. He is still a very quality basketball player who will continue to be a great reliever for Jimmy Butler when he exits the floor.

Moe Harkless:

Miami was very lucky to land a quality wing, in Moe Harkless, to replace Derrick Jones Jr. DJJ was much more of an upside guy, while Harkless is the definition of a solid role player. He gives Miami the perimeter defense that they were looking for, as well as an intriguing jumper. He’s a career 36% three point shooter, which was about what Jae Crowder was when he joined Miami. As Moe Harkless said in his media session, “It’s a perfect fit.” And I believe it is, since he will play whatever role that he is given, as well as representing that Miami Heat grit on the floor.

Kelly Olynyk:

Kelly Olynyk is another one of those players that hasn’t been discussed much throughout the off-season, only hearing his name when a potential trade seems to come up. Of course he’s the type of guy that can possibly get packaged in a deal before the deadline, but as of right now, he’s a quality back-up big for the Miami Heat. I believe he will be even more impactful if Tyler Herro ends up starting, since a bench lineup would lack a bit of shooting. Kelly is a bit streaky at times, but when he’s hitting from deep, it’s a huge plus for Miami. We will see how his role look this season, but I believe it will be pretty identical to the one from this past season.

Kendrick Nunn:

Kendrick Nunn is an interesting name to look at when going through the rotation. He was the starter for Miami this past year as a rookie, and absolutely thrived. He had such a great season that he ended up finishing second in rookie of the year voting. He did seem to struggle in the bubble, but there were a couple different reasons why that happened. And now when looking at Miami possibly playing Goran and Avery off the bench, he seems to be the odd man out as far as guards. He’s another player that could possibly get dealt by the deadline, but he also has a chance at coming back at the same level at which he played in his rookie year. And that would mean Erik Spoelstra has some decisions to make.

KZ Okpala/ Precious Achiuwa:

Finally, the two intriguing young prospects, KZ Okpala and Precious Achiuwa. The departure of Jae Crowder gives them yet another shimmer of chance to try and get some playing time. KZ Okpala, as I’ve mentioned, went through a similar Miami Heat process that we’ve seen before. Duncan Robinson went through the same process in his rookie season, two-way contract while bouncing back and forth from the G-League, and look how that turned out. Obviously there’s less openings as of right now, but Miami clearly sees something in him after not wanting to include him in any deals. Precious Achiuwa is another interesting name when looking at the rotation, since frankly we haven’t seen him play at this level. Not having the Summer League to adjust into the Pro level definitely hurts him as well, but if you’re going to trust any team with player development, it’s the Miami Heat. We will see how they elect to utilize their two emerging 21 year olds, since they each are full of potential.

Jimmy Butler: The Leader is Being Overlooked

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Many people have been so caught up with Giannis Antetokounmpo signings and Bradley Beal trades, that they seem to forget about the leader and star of this Heat team.

Jimmy Butler.

After an outstanding playoff run and finals performance, you’d think that he’d never be overlooked again. But well, it seems as if some have forgotten what he is capable of.

Of course, Miami could possibly pull off a trade at any moment, but ultimately Jimmy is the leader of this team right now, or even if a star lands in South Beach.

Jimmy Butler continually told people in the bubble that this team was going to do something special, and although people doubted, they did just that.

And now that people are possibly counting out Miami since they didn’t sign another star, he feels right at home. Doubt is what drives Jimmy Butler, and actually the entire Heat team.

He had a vision of what he wanted this Heat team to look like and it shaped out pretty perfectly for him. He wanted Goran Dragic back in a Heat uniform no matter what, and also wanted a gritty guard defender in Avery Bradley. And he got both.

He also got to keep his young gems in Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, and Duncan Robinson. Well, at least for now.

The point is that stars will find themselves in Miami sooner than later, but Miami already has their star. He proved that he can be the best player on the floor on any given night once the post-season begins, and doesn’t even need the ball in his hands to be productive.

Heat fans clearly know the importance and level of play from Jimmy Butler, but there seems to be a loss of appreciation due to trades and free agency rumors.

Miami already has their star. And they can still grab another one during the grind to another NBA title, but that’s Pat Riley and Andy Elisburg’s job, not Jimmy Butler’s.

Jimmy is going to go out there and compete no matter who is playing next to him. And right now he’s got a happy and paid Bam Adebayo, a hungry Tyler Herro, a bunch of role guys putting the work in, and many young players ready to prove themselves by making that next jump.

Jimmy Butler is ready to run it back. And whether you appreciate his star status on this team is up to you.