The Miami Heat came within one game, or rather one wide-open Jimmy Butler 3-pointer that just wouldn’t fall, of a second NBA Finals appearance in three seasons.
Despite being so close to the pinnacle, the Heat aren’t expected to be among the top contenders in the Eastern Conference for next year.
As of June 23, Miami was given just the 10th-best odds to come out on top at the conclusion of the 2022-23 NBA season according to the BetOnline sportsbooks. That put them behind the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Brooklyn Nets in the East. Surprisingly, the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets were also tagged with better odds to win the title than the Heat.
This is likely due to the fact that instead of finding ways to improve on their roster from last season, Miami President Pat Riley has to focus on simply not regressing this summer. The Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman reports that they are doing just that:
Should the Heat lose out on Tucker, the team, according to an NBA source, is considering either a trade for former Heat power forward Jae Crowder, who is entering the final year of a contract that pays $10.2 million next season with the Phoenix Suns, or a possible free-agent move for Indiana Pacers forward TJ Warren.
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Either option would be a viable alternative for what Tucker provided in Miami, and TJ Warren could even turn out to be an upgrade if he returns to his pre-injury form. Acquiring Jae Crowder would require a trade with the Phoenix Suns.
Victor Oladipo played an important role in the Heat’s postseason run and will likely be seeking both more money and a larger role. PJ Tucker is hitting free agency is expected to command a three-year/$30 million offer from the Philadelphia 76ers.
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Miami is reportedly willing to offer PJ Tucker three years of guaranteed money despite his advanced age, but they can’t come close to matching Philly’s combination of both contract length and total amount. In the end, unless Tucker decides to take a current hometown discount to run it back, the Miami Heat need to be preparing for his departure in free agency.
