Fansided

NBA Free Agency Winners: 7 teams that will make deep playoff runs

By Josh Hill

Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the score board during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 3, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; A view of the NBA Finals logo on the score board during practice prior to the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 8
Next
Jan 21, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the first half of the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

Miami Heat. 7. player. 110. <span style=. Southeast Division. Eastern Conference

Last season was a nasty hangover year for the Miami Heat. They lost LeBron James and never fully were able to recover in free agency. This year was almost the same disaster with losing Dwyane Wade, but that was avoided by Pat Riley — a move that helps the Miami Big 3 remain intact.

The Heat are like a band that lost its lead singer and is now cycling through bandmates to find the right flow. Luol Deng wasn’t the answer but is a decent member of the supporting cast and Hassan Whiteside is returning with a fire in his belly. The biggest signing for the Heat was bringing back guard Goran Dragic. Even in the LeBron era, the Heat struggled to find a consistent point guard.

Norris Cole, Mario Chalmers and others tried to step into the role but couldn’t and even Shabazz Napier struggled to be a leader. Dragic is the latest member of the Big 3 and he joins Wade and Chris Bosh in the Heat core. We didn’t see a full season of Bosh-Wade-Dragic thanks to Dragic not coming over until a midseason trade and blood clots in Bosh’s lung ending his season early.

A full season of that Big 3 coupled with supporting cast members like Deng, Whiteside and others means the Heat could have a bounce back year that could end up pitting them against the Cavaliers in the Conference Finals.

More from Miami Heat

Home/Miami Heat