Miami Heat with an eclectic roster to open ’23-24 NBA season

MIAMI — It is rare for a team coming off a trip to the NBA Finals to have more questions than answers at the end of the next preseason, and yet there, just days before their regular-season opener, is where the Miami Heat seemingly stand.

Even the final cuts opened eyes, the team’s concern at point guard to such a degree that the final standard roster spot awarded went to Dru Smith over Jamal Cain, despite Cain having the decidedly stronger preseason.

Beyond those machinations, are the injury concerns with Haywood Highsmith (knee), Josh Richardson (foot) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) leaving a robust perimeter rotation potentially significantly less robust for Wednesday night’s opener against the Detroit Pistons at Kaseya Center?

Will five players who never played together start on opening night?

It certainly is looking that way, with Kevin Love, Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo solely playing as starters during a preseason that Jimmy Butler sat out.

By the time Love joined the Heat last season, Lowry was playing as a reserve, then Herro was lost for the postseason in the playoff opener, then Butler missed the preseason.

It means if Love, Herro, Adebyo, Butler and Lowry have never played together outside of practice.

Did Kyle Lowry get his way by expecting to be a starter?

Seemingly by default, with no true camp competition.

While Josh Richardson played some at the point before being hurt, it’s as if Erik Spoelstra went out of his way not to cast Herro at the point, keeping that focus on scoring.

Still, at 37 only so much should be expected from Lowry, whose 31.2 minutes per game last season seemed too much.

That could be among the reasons the Heat prioritized Smith, even with his uneven preseason.

As it is, it will be interesting to see the approach with Lowry during this opening week, which includes three games in four days. By Saturday, is Lowry given the night off in Minnesota, even with Spoelstra insisting the Heat do not load manage?

So Butler will go from nothing to all?

Even though he sat out all five exhibitions, Butler has been taking regular turns during scrimmages at training camp and then on the practice court.

Still, the last time Butler did not play during the preseason, in the pandemic-shortened 2020 offseason, he wound up missing the third and fourth games with an ankle sprain.

How will the rotation shake out initially?

Injuries will have plenty to do with that.

For now, beyond the aforementioned starting five, expect, in some order, for Caleb Martin, Josh Richardson, Thomas Bryant and Duncan Robinson to be the first four off the bench. Highsmith likely would have figured into that math if healthy.

Even if healthy, playing time was not a given for Jaquez and well might not be there for Nikola Jovic.

What could change that calculus is the busy early schedule, with three games in the season’s first four days and four in the first six. That will be worth keeping an eye on, with Lowry 37, Love 35 and Butler 34.

Did the final cuts go as forecast?

The names? Yes. The formatics, not necessarily.

Again, Smith over Cain for the final standard roster seems more positional than based on merit.

Also, if there wasn’t such a keen eye on the punitive luxury tax, the Heat were positioned to carry a 15th player on a standard deal. That could have at least provided a roster reprieve for Justin Champagnie, which could have provided insurance if Richardson is not ready for the start of the season, even with the MRI on his foot coming back clean.

In addition, if operating at the 15-player limit under standard contracts, it would allow the Heat to have each two-way player on the active roster 50 games each. With 14, those three cannot be active for more than a combined 90 games.

Are there expectations for those on the fringe?

Seemingly so.

A strong closing effort to the preseason by R.J. Hampton could have him in contention for playing time on the nights when wings are injured or given time off. Hampton’s two-way deal stands as a bargain contract along with that of Cain.

As for Cole Swider and his two-way contract, his nights on the active roster could come down to when other shooters (such as Herro, Lowry, Robinson) are unavailable.

With 17 players under contract and 15 allowed in uniform on game nights, the Heat, with Highsmith and (likely) Jaquez sidelined, could have all three two-way players (Hampton, Cain, Swider) active on opening night. That, however,  would cut into the number of games they otherwise could play. It is possible the Heat therefore dress fewer than 15 against Detroit.

Can this team score?

The Heat finished 25th in the league in offensive rating last season and lost Gabe Vincent and Max Strus. Plus, the primary offense from the team’s three leading scorers in Herro, Butler and Adebayo comes from two-point range, further increasing the challenge.

That’s where Damian Lillard would have helped.

Can this team defend?

The Heat placed ninth in defensive rating last season, but now appears poised to feature a starting lineup with Lowry, Herro and Love, further upping the defensive ante on Butler and Adebayo.

That’s where Jrue Holiday would have helped.

There is, however, the possibility of lockdown closing lineups featuring Adebayo, Butler, Martin, Highsmith and Richardson.