Miami Heat: 7 biggest questions as training camp approaches

The Miami Heat enter the 2024-25 season off back-to-back play-in bouts. A fresh start is mere days away, as the team heads off to training camp beginning Oct. 1 in the Bahamas with their first preseason game on Oct. 8. As training camp is vastly approaching, what are a few key questions heading into the new campaign? Let’s examine!

1. How do Robinson, Rozier and Jovic look off injury?

Of course, injuries that occurred late last season or the offseason will be a primary talking point throughout the summer. Duncan Robinson (left facet syndrome), Terry Rozier (back) and Nikola Jovic (ankle/foot) were three of the Heat’s most important players at different points throughout the 2023-24 season, which complicated matters even more. The former two had their seasons curtailed, while Jovic got injured during an offseason workout over a month before the 2024 Paris Olympics. There is still the question of whether or not Jovic will be healthy enough to partake in training camp, which I’m sure the organization will be extra cautious about. The best-case scenario is all three players are healthy and look promising, but we won’t truly know until the time comes.

2. What will the starting 5 look like?

Earlier this month, it was reported that Miami has only two guaranteed starters heading into the new season: Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. No Terry Rozier; no Tyler Herro; no Nikola Jovic; no Jaime Jaquez Jr.; no Haywood Highsmith. It’s up for competition, which brings the best out of competitors. Iron sharpens iron. We may not get a better grasp until the end of preseason, but training camp will be a good first data point for who’s the frontrunner (even though the closing lineup, arguably more fluid, is more important).

3. How are Kel’el Ware, Pelle Larsson, Keshad Johnson acclimating?

The last time we saw the Heat rookies was in Summer League, where the team went 8-1 across nine combined games, including 6-0 in Las Vegas. Ware made first-team All-Summer League and was arguably the top player in the Sin City; Larsson, a perfect glue guy and complementary guard, knocked down the team’s championship-clinching shot; and Johnson showcased why he looked every part of a #HEATCulture™ guy. How are Ware, Larsson and Johnson acclimating against bigger, more physical and athletic intrasquad competition? There’s a learning curve attributed to pro basketball, especially from a scheme (defensively) and physicality perspective with the Heat. Not all of these players will be in the same spot–figuratively or literally–but I am interested to hear the reports about each player acclimates themselves within this context.

4. Is Dru Smith’s two-way spot up for competition?

The Miami Heat used up all three of their two-way spots this offseason. Keshad Johnson, who’s the frontrunner to be converted by the time 2025 rolls around, has one; Josh Christopher parlayed his outstanding end to Summer League with one (over Zyon Pullin); Dru Smith, coming off a serious knee injury suffered last November, possesses the final one. The latter’s two-way is the one that’s the most likely up for grabs, considering the organization has sign-and-waived him a handful of times already. If his–or someone else’s–two-way is up for grabs, competing for it will be Pullin, Isaiah Stevens and newly-signed Nassir Little.

5. Can the Heat fix their bottom-third offense?

While each of their best players has continued to grow, individually, over time, the Miami Heat has been a bottom-10 offense in each of the last two seasons. They have relied on more self-creation, less movement (ball and player) with less rim pressure over the last two seasons. They are also far less efficient at the rim when they can generate those attempts, exacerbating the struggles in the halfcourt offensively. Butler and Adebayo have improved their 3-point frequency, but they’re not taking enough attempts to be considered consistent “spacers” nor is it enough to open up the rest of the floor for their peers. Will they continue to expand their range, or will that same problem persist. The Heat’s three-best players, for the most part, operate in the same areas of the floor in non-efficient areas, creating redundancy. That’s a math problem that Erik Spoelstra needs to solve if this team wants avoid another play-in bid.

6. How do Heat solve point-of-attack defense issues?

Miami lost one of its best point-of-attack defenders last season in Delon Wright, who Spo hardly utilized. Caleb Martin also moved up north to Philadelphia, even though he’s coming off a down year defensively. Miami was lucky enough to retain Highsmith, but have consistently lacked point-of-attack defense elsewhere. Thus, a bigger burden is placed on Adebayo, one of the league’s best defenders, and Butler, who, at his peak, is a generational off-ball defender with sturdy individual defense. No matter what, the guard rotation will have shortcomings defensively. The Heat have a strong collection of team defenders–Butler, Adebayo, Highsmith, Jaquez, Jovic, (Larsson), etc.–but how will they figure out the point-of-attack issue that’s plagued throughout Butler’s tenure?

7. How motivated is Jimmy Butler?

Butler didn’t sign an extension with Miami this offseason, nor committed to signing an extension with any other team if he was traded there. He’s coming off arguably the most serious knee injury of his career and is entering his age-35 season with the ability to hit free agency next offseason, should he opt out of his $52.4 million season. Last year, Butler had a down season (relative to his standard) with Miami. He will be eligible for one last big payday next offseason, so how motiviated will he be to play at an All-NBA caliber level while hopefully staying healthy?

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