Miami Heat’s roster change provides opportunity to pivot

MIAMI – The sense could either be of loss or renewal when the Miami Heat assemble for Monday’s media day at Kaseya Center and then Tuesday’s start of training camp at Florida Atlantic University.

Of the 17 players who ended last season on the roster that advanced to the NBA Finals, six are gone.

But of the core that elevated Erik Spoelstra’s team to such heights, many of the prime components remain.

So more of the same?

Or something different?

Based on how last season went, the compromise would be a little of both – the Heat going from a somewhat dreary 44-38 regular season to playoff-series victories over the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, before falling 4-1in the championship round to the Denver Nuggets.

About the only given is that the makeover will not be severe, after the Heat were severely rebuked on the trade market, with Damian Lillard’s request to be traded from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Heat instead leaving him dealt to the Bucks.

So back it is to Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro as leading men. And in support remain playoff contributors Caleb Martin, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Haywood Highsmith.

But with the arrival of a punitive new level of the NBA’s luxury tax that now impacts roster construction, and in the wake of patience that did not pay off in the form of Lillard, the degree of loss is considerable.

Leaving in free agency were playoff starters Max Strus and Gabe Vincent, as well as Cody Zeller and Omer Yurtseven.

Dealt away was Victor Oladipo.

And off to retirement after a 20-year-run in Heat colors heads Udonis Haslem.