Previewing the Miami Heat for the 2022-23 NBA season

DK Nation will be going through all 30 teams ahead of the season, looking at how the roster shapes up for the 2022-23 campaign. Here we take a look at the Miami Heat, who hope to eventually catch some breaks in their relentless pursuit of another championship.

Miami Heat 2022-23 Outlook

Key additions: Nikola Jovic

Miami also brought back Victor Oladipo and Caleb Martin, but Jovic could come along quickly in this environment and be an immediate contributor. The rookie has some solid skills and despite having some bad moments in Summer League, there’s enough to entice you about his potential in the NBA.

Key departures: PJ Tucker

It’s never easy to lose a starter, especially one who can shoot the triple well and play tough defense. However, Tucker was also getting up there in age and the Heat weren’t going to pay top dollar to keep him. Miami has the pieces to make up for Tucker’s presence but that remains a question mark for this group.

Season expectations

The Heat expect to win championships. That’s been Pat Riley’s goal since taking over as president of basketball operations, and he constantly makes moves with that goal in mind. The expectation is to be in contention for a title, and the Heat should meet that expectation this season.

Projected starting lineup

Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo should be locks for the starting lineup. Max Strus fits well with this group and could be a starter but Oladipo and Tyler Herro are in the mix as well. Martin has a path to a starting spot if the Heat go small. We’ll get more clarity on this in the preseason.

Fantasy basketball player to watch: Tyler Herro

The reigning Sixth Man of the Year publicly said he wants to be a starter this season, although Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra probably don’t see it that way. Herro has shown improvement every season and likely has one more leap to make. He’s not going to be a superstar but he can be a reliable fantasy player even if his role on the team fluctuates.