The Miami Heat are at a position that they have not been in for 13 years. For the first time since 2003, the team will be without Dwyane Wade. Their franchise star took his talents to his hometown of Chicago after contract negotiations broke down.
The Heat are an intriguing team moving forward. With Hassan Whiteside back and Goran Dragic leading the offense, the team could still be pretty good. However, they have little depth, little spacing, and many questions.
Chief among the questions surrounding the Heat is the health of Chris Bosh. The power forward has now effectively lost two seasons due to blood clots.
If Bosh returns, the Heat still have a solid team in place. The combination of Dragic, Bosh, and Whiteside is a formidable one even without much depth. But if Bosh is unable to plays, the Heat may not be very competitive next season.
Nevertheless, the Heat are always interesting. Bosh’s return, Whiteside’s growth, and the development of young talent in Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow is enough reason to keep track of this team.
The Miami Heat’s official 2016-2017 schedule shows them opening up the season on the road. They’ll visit the Orlando Magic in a battle for Florida’s best on October 26th, a battle that is finally truly up for grabs.
The Heat will be at home for Christmas this season for the first time in a long time.
Miami will play host to Dwyane Wade and the Chicago Bulls on November 10th, the first time Wade will visit American Airlines Arena since leaving the team this summer. Wade’s former Miami partner in crime LeBron James will visit the Heat for the first time this season on March 4th.
