Evaluating the Miami Heat’s biggest needs entering free agency

After acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, the next few weeks will be quite important for the Miami Heat.

With nearly 24 hours until the start of free agency, they enter with presumably 10 players rostered, including rookie Ryan Conwell, who hasn’t officially signed his new deal yet.

With less than $20 million to work with, given that the Heat will be hard-capped below the first apron, what are their three biggest needs? Let’s examine!

Extra 3-point shooting:

Miami finished T-11 in 3-point percentage with the 18th-highest 3-point attempt rate last year. However, over half (52.7 percent) of its 3-point production last year is either 1.) a free agent or 2.) in Milwaukee as a result of the Antetokounmpo blockbuster.

Neither Adebayo, who shot just 31.8 percent from 3-point range last year, nor Antetokounmpo are natural floor spacers, even though both have been willing to let it fly from deep. Despite shooting a career-best 41.4 percent from distance, Andrew Wiggins doesn’t generate much gravity.

Davion Mitchell and Bobby Portis are the only other two players on the Heat roster who netted at least 33.0 percent from deep last year (min. 100 3PA). Over time, I think Pelle Larsson will rise to a league-average clip, and I think Myron Gardner will maintain good efficiency on more volume. I’m also a believer in both Nikola Jovic and Dru Smith positively regressing back to the mean.

That doesn’t solve the issue, though. That’s a lot of if’s instead of certainties around their new-look frontcourt.

Reliable ballhandling and shot creation:

As much as Davion Mitchell’s improved as a passer and playmaker, Miami’s offense still lacked consistent guard play a year ago — even though it was improved from years past.

Now, without Kasparas Jakucionis, whose on-ball reps last year were sparse, Mitchell is the second-most reliable ballhandler behind Antetokounmpo. Larsson, Smith and Adebayo are also capable ballhandlers. But Smith isn’t a good table-setter, Larsson is more of a secondary ballhandler and the more the Heat lessen off Adebayo’s load, the better (in the short and long-term).

As a result, more of an onus will be on Andrew Wiggins, another poor self-creator, and Jovic, whose ballhandling has plateaued. Thus, the Heat desperately need more ballhandling and, more importantly, shot creation. You can’t have enough of either, especially as Antetokounmpo insurance.

More size in the frontcourt:

Bobby Portis is a great start. In a limited bench role, the 11-year veteran will provided a much-needed boost behind Adebayo now that Kel’el Ware is no longer in town.

But the Heat will still need more size — preferably size can stretch the floor, such as Jock Landale or Sandro Mamukelashvili. Although the latter may be out of the Heat’s price range with their limited flexibility post-Wiggins extension.

Nevertheless, the league is sizing up. Miami hasn’t operated with much functional size the last several seasons. Antetokounmpo, Adebayo and Portis aren’t bad options, but more will be required to get over the mountaintop.

What do you think the Miami Heat’s biggest needs are? Let us know in the comments!

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