If this season goes poorly, it could lead to an internal examination of the Heat’s longest-tenured pairing, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
In an offseason mailbag, Winderman says that the entire organization, including head coach Erik Spoelstra, understands that the team’s performance the last two years, which landed them at 10th and 8th, respectively, in the standings, is not to the franchise’s lofty standards.
Jimmy Butler‘s impact on those outcomes can’t be overlooked, but Winderman also says, “This very much could be the make-or-break season for the Tyler Herro–Bam Adebayo duo.”
Herro had a career year last season, averaging personal highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) while making his first All-Star team, but that coincided with Adebayo posting his lowest scoring year since the 2019/20 season. Most importantly, it didn’t lead the team to wins.
Winderman notes in the mailbag that the trade for Norman Powell was a win-now move designed to bring in more reliable offense, and that there will be expectations for the team to show signs of growth in the first full season of the post-Butler era.
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Nikola Jovic understands the risk for the Heat in Jovic’s participation in EuroBasket for his home country of Serbia, and is grateful for both the opportunity and the guidance from former Miami guard Goran Dragic, writes Winderman. “You’re letting someone play for their country, paying them a lot of money, and they’re important to you,” Jovic said. “An injury would definitely be a setback for them. But, by chance, and to my great fortune, I’m part of the Miami team that had Goran Dragic.” The Heat expressed that Dragic always came back from international tournaments a better player, a pronouncement which gives him confidence in himself and his development. Jovic is expected to command a large role with the Serbian team, which won the bronze medal at the 2023 World Cup, and he hopes that will help him solidify a more consistent role with the Heat. “This way, I enter the new NBA season already in game rhythm. I just keep going,” he said.
Also set to participate in EuroBasket is Heat shooting guard Pelle Larsson, who will represent Sweden not long after playing for Miami in Summer League. Winderman isn’t worried about the workload for Larsson, especially since the team let him out of his summer duties four days early to join Team Sweden. He adds that rather than being nervous about the grind of going from Summer League to EuroBasket to training camp, the Heat are excited to see what the 24-year-old can do as a leading man in the games.
Simone Fontecchio has arrived in Folgaria, in northern Italy, to join the Italian EuroBasket squad, writes Michele Nespoli of Sportando. However, he will be unable to start training with them until Wednesday, July 30, as stipulated by the NBA’s regulations in regards to FIBA competition. Fontecchio has chosen to report to the team early to be in closer communication with them, as he did in 2023.