The Miami Heat’s 2022 NBA Postseason was ended in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Boston Celtics. Boston won Game 7 in South Beach, earning the right to face off against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals while the Heat is beginning preparations for their offseason.
What this offseason could entail for the Heat is anyone’s guess. There have been some rumblings that they can look to swing a blockbuster deal, bringing in another All-Star to elevate their sometimes stagnant offense to another level.
Pulling off a deal of that magnitude won’t be easy, as it would cost the Miami Heat multiple rotation players to pull off a deal. But, if it will help improve the team’s chances of winning a Larry O’Brien Trophy, Pat Riley will consider it.
Riley runs a tight ship that goes all the way up to ownership and down to head coach Erik Spoelstra. Everyone is held to the same standard in the organization and if you are unable to hold up your end of the deal, they will find someone else capable of doing so.
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One of the players who will be tested by that this offseason is Kyle Lowry. He was the team’s biggest acquisition in the 2021 offseason, as he was acquired from the Toronto Raptors in a sign-and-trade deal that Miami was docked a second-round pick after an investigation into tampering.
Kyle Lowry was looked at as the finishing piece of a championship-contending roster but did not produce for a majority of the postseason as he struggled to stay healthy. The Heat wants to avoid a repeat of that, as Riley got brutally honest about his weight and the plan this offseason for him.
“The bottom line with me and for me as far as hoping you can get the most out of a player…is that you have to be in world class shape, you just have to be.”
“He’s definitely gonna have to address that and it will be addressed.”
A healthy Lowry could have possibly pushed the Heat past the Celtics and into the NBA Finals. He showed just what he is capable of during Game 6 on the road in Boston when he scored 18 points with 10 assists to help Miami to a 111-103 victory to force Game 7.
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Hopefully, the Miami Heat and Kyle Lowry can figure something out and he is able to remain healthy for the 2022-23 season. Miami certainly hopes that is the case as moving him this offseason will prove difficult as he is entering Year 2 of a three-year deal that pays him just over $85 million.
