Looking at the Miami roster as it is, there are a ton of reasons why fans would be hopeful of a potential deep playoff run. With 10-time All-Star Chris Bosh (4yr/ $98.06M), three-time NBA Champion Dwyane Wade (1yr/ $20M), the "Dragon", Goran Dragic (5yr/ $85M), NBA sensation and 2k addict Hassan Whiteside (1yr/ $981K), and veteran swingman Luol Deng (1yr/ $10.1M), this squad looks surprisingly impressive for a team that refused to take the rebuilding route and instead built on their star pieces. To add on to this solid starting group, the recent acquisition of former Knicks star Amar'e Stoudemire (1yr/ $1.49M) and the steal of a draft in Justice Winslow makes an already solid bench a lot more versatile. There are, however, many issues that can come with this current Heat roster. Last season was unfortunately a perfect example of why some have the right to not gush over this team just yet, whether it was the blood-clot that Bosh suffered from or the sudden reality that Wade is no longer able to be consistent. But with that being said, the aforementioned issues are in the rear view mirror for the two star players. But will it last?
One of the obviously bigger pieces of this puzzle is Chris Bosh. While there isn't a whole lot to pull from last year's collapse, it's pretty easy to point out Bosh's 21.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game and see a level of play not seen from him since the death of his dreadlocks. Without a certain 4-time MVP being the cornerstone of this franchise, Bosh has shown, in the 44 games he played, that he hasn't missed a step and is fully capable of putting this team on his when his number gets called. A healthy Chris Bosh will give you exactly what's expected of him. The same can't be said when it comes to Miami Heat lifer Dwyane Wade. Now I don't have to tell anyone that Wade constantly shows flashes of his former self. That part is well documented. The reason why there's so much doubt on Wade is mainly because of his inability to play every game at this point in his injury-ridden career. The fact that he's still able to put up 21.5 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game shows how amazing of a player he truly is. The hope is that his health will allow him to continue this type of play this upcoming season.
The Dragon is also essential in this whole mix. Having slightly improved from his play last season after his trade from the Phoenix Suns, Dragic is doing what is expected out of him, although those assists could use some work. Regardless, posting 16.3 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds a game goes a long way to making this team better overall, even if it means that Goran's stats must suffer as a result. Let us not forget the astounding play of former D-League player Hassan Whiteside. With 11.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game, this young player has shown that he is now a formidable defender in the big man position which really goes a long way considering the current landscape of the guard-dominated NBA. With his blocking abilities as well as his capability to play center, Hassan will not only take a load off of Chris Bosh's back defensively but may also become a valuable player for years to come if Miami plays their cards right.
With Luol Deng's mix of scoring and defense along with a young 3-point shooter in Winslow coming off the bench for them, it's hard not to see this team make the playoffs this year if all goes well. Health is the key issue for this team and managing time will be the difference between a 4th or 5th seed playoff berth and a 37-45 record. It's up to Spoelstra and Pat Riley as to how this season will play out now that they have more solid backups at hand. One can only hope that last season's woes will not become a regular dilemma at American Airlines.
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