We are all aware of the roster issues the Miami Heat will have this year. They failed to locate a person to take P.J. As the starting power forward, Tucker plays. Dewayne Dedmon was benched for most of the playoffs, but Miami still decided to re-sign him—possibly to use his salary in a trade at the halfway point of the season.
Miami’s roster was also lopsided, with too many guards and wrong choices at power forward and center. Some believed that Jimmy Butler at the four positions, surrounded by guys like Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, and Victor Oladipo, would be Miami’s finest starting lineup.
A month into the season, injuries have worsened these roster-building problems.
Oladipo, who was intended to fill Herro’s position from the previous year, has yet to appear in a single game this year. The Heat have been forced to play Dedmon for longer stints than they should have since neither has Omer Yurtseven. Last night, Toronto outrebounded Dedmon 42–23, while Dedmon failed to snag a single rebound. Last year, the Heat survived an extended Adebayo absence thanks to Dedmon, Yurtseven, and P.J. Tucker offered Adebayo’s varied abilities temporarily.
Watching Nikola Jovic perform above and beyond in his debut was pleasing. But if Jovic, a rookie at age 19, is Miami’s top choice for either a starting power forward or a backup five to Adebayo, something is amiss.
The fact that Tyler Herro has yet to play since November 4 is still unmentioned. The Heat won’t even have the glut in the backcourt if Herro is down for a prolonged period and after Oladipo already has an injury. Both on the outside and inside, they need more personnel.
Of course, Herro’s return will be somewhat helpful. Herro, however, cannot resolve the problems in the front court. Why the executives didn’t anticipate a trade for the Heat during the off-season is perplexing, given how badly the team needs one.