Getty Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat reacts to an official during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder on August 12, 2020.
The Miami Heat only reported to training camp less than a week ago. The new players are still adjusting to Erik Spoelstra’s system, while the head coach figures out how to maximize their talents.
It’s a slow process and everyone understands that. Still, Spoelstra has to put a starting five out on the court for the preseason opener on Oct. 4 and try out a few different bench combinations. Consider it a test run for one of the most hyped Heat teams since LeBron James stormed South Beach.
Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry are the three linchpins – although Butler warned against calling them the Big Three – alongside Duncan Robinson and PJ Tucker in the first unit. The projected starting five has only spent five days practicing together, so their minutes – assuming they play at all – should be limited in the exhibition opener against the Atlanta Hawks.
“I was going in and looking at three or four different lineups,” Spoelstra told reporters on Oct. 1. “I just basically let those guys play through that and then we’ll look at some other things on Sunday [Oct. 3] and then the next practice day.”
From there, Spoelstra can tinker with Tyler Herro, Markieff Morris, Dewayne Dedmon, Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, KZ Okpala to lead the second unit. Miami will also give long looks to Omer Yurtseven, Marcus Garrett, Caleb Martin, Micah Potter, Javonte Smart, Dru Smith, and DJ Stewart. Remember, Garrett and Martin are playing on two-way contracts. He expects to shorten the bench down to a reliable 11-player rotation.
“I haven’t gotten there yet, but it will probably be a form of that,” Spoelstra said, “just to give those guys the best chance to get some continuity together.”
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Don’t Forget About Victor Oladipo
The preseason – and, really, the first half of the regular season – is a time when NBA coaches experiment and tweak their rotations. Nothing is set in stone until the All-Star break. Maybe. Spoelstra will use the coming weeks to evaluate the Heat roster and address any “gaping holes.”
“Well, you definitely need versatility and different ways to play,” Spoelstra said. “Nowadays to win in the playoffs, you can’t have gaping holes or a particular style that you can’t be effective with. So there are some things that I do want to look at, lineup-wise, and different combinations. We have a couple more weeks to look at things, and throughout the course of the season, that will naturally happen.”
The wild card in all this is Victor Oladipo. The two-time All-Star is rehabbing from a second surgery on his torn right quadriceps. Oladipo is out for the preseason but there’s hope he could return in December. If healthy, the 29-year-old combo guard would slide in as the primary backup behind Lowry.
Miami Gets Six Preseason Games
Miami kicks off its preseason slate on Oct. 4 against the Atlanta Hawks. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at FTX Arena. The Heat have five additional exhibition games: Oct. 7 at Houston Rockets, Oct. 8 at San Antonio Spurs, Oct. 11 versus Charlotte Hornets, Oct. 14 at Atlanta Hawks, Oct. 15 versus Boston Celtics.
🎥 all the lobs, dunks, euros, dimes and everything else you’ve been hearing about from yesterday’s Training Camp scrimmage