After losing in the NBA Finals last season for the second time in four years, the Miami Heat clearly needed an infusion of offensive firepower, and to that end, they went after Damian Lillard.
Lillard was also seriously interested in the Heat, and when he asked the Portland Trail Blazers to trade him, he even made it clear that the Heat were the only team he wanted to be sent to.
Ultimately, he went to the Milwaukee Bucks, and after Portland made Jrue Holiday, whom the Bucks traded to get Lillard, available via trade, the Heat missed out on him as well, as he was sent to the Boston Celtics.
It all seemed like a huge gut punch for the Heat and their fans, but star forward Jimmy Butler professed a sense of level-headed confidence when asked about Miami’s inability to make a big move, per ClutchPoints.
“There’s no chip on my shoulder, but I can’t speak for everyone else. We’re a good basketball team. People gear up to beat us.”
Jimmy Butler on the Heat’s mentality after failing to make a big move during the offseason 🗣
(via @ZachWeinberger) pic.twitter.com/sI88twBKWr
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 4, 2023
Miami will go into the new season with virtually the same core they had last season, and it could prove to be a problem for them.
While their postseason run was inspiring, they were the NBA’s lowest-scoring team in the regular season and the only team to average under 110 points a game.
In their NBA Finals loss to the Denver Nuggets, they mustered 95 points or fewer four times in five games.
Butler recently turned 34 years of age, but he is still seemingly on top of his game, and as usual, guard Tyler Herro and big man Bam Adebayo will provide some offensive support.
But it likely won’t be nearly enough with the additions the Bucks and Celtics have made, not to mention the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns will be much-improved.
