The Miami Heat have been quiet this summer, with Alec Burks the only player to join Erik Spoelstra’s roster. However, the franchise did lose Caleb Martin, who played a big role in the team’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals, just one year after losing Max Strus and Gabe Vincent.
The Heat have been relatively thin at the guard position, which is why they traded for Terry Rozier at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Rozier has experience playing as both an on-ball and off-ball guard, which should allow him to thrive next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
During a recent episode of “The Pat Bev Podcast,” former NBA guard Patrick Beverley pinpointed Miami’s guard position as the potential x-factor for the upcoming season. He noted how Rozier could solve Spoelstra’s issues, but right now, we haven’t seen enough to know that for sure.
“The point-guard play is the problem,” Beverley said. “The point-guard play for the Miami Heat is the x-factor. You’re trying to get the correct guard that fits with Jimmy Butler, because you know Jimmy Butler is going to have the ball all the time. Terry Rozier, he just got there last year … Max Strus left, Gabe Vincent left, these are all point guards … You need another guard, ball-handler that can get you anywhere from 10 to 14 points a game.”
The Heat lack a plethora of elite shooters off the bench; as such, they’re not expected to run a drive-and-kick-heavy offense — they ranked 16th in drives per game last season and 18th the season before.
Instead, Spoelstra needs his guards to be adept at creating off the dribble, either for themselves or others around them. He also needs his guards to be adequate screeners and cutters to help manipulate the defense and create opportunities for Butler in the lane or the restricted area.
As such, Miami needs a guard rotation that can fit within its system and produce at a high level. If Rozier is able to stay healthy and has put his neck issues behind him, Spoelstra’s starting unit should have some extra zing to begin the new season. Burks is a respected veteran around the league and could prove a shrewd offseason addition.
Nevertheless, if the Heat are going to have any success in the coming season, they must figure out how to get the best out of their guards while also operating without elite floor spacing. Spoelstra may have his work cut out for him.
