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What We Can Expect With 5 Months Of Rest For Miami Heat

By Christopher Cruz

January 11, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) controls the ball against the defense of Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
January 11, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) controls the ball against the defense of Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan (6) during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami Heat have missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2007-08 season, which means that the last time they missed the playoffs, Shaquille O’Neal was trotting around South Beach. That being said, the Heat have to consider a few options for this offseason, as they receive the most rest that they have had in half a decade.

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This is especially true when you think about their four straight NBA Finals appearances. So what can they do this offseason?

The first thing that they need to is get Chris Bosh healthy, whatever that might entail. Bosh was the star of the show last season, and he wasn’t really able to play with Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic. Bosh had just been paid a pretty large contract, which will pay him over $22 million next season.

Bosh’s health will be the determining factor with everything that the Heat do because he is their workhorse. It was Bosh who was going to be able to make it through the season, not Dwyane Wade. Nobody could have predicted what happened with Bosh’s lung.

But now that the emergency has passed, the Heat need to work on getting Chris back into shape, and to getting him acquainted with teammates on the court.

The Heat have to then sign Goran Dragic as fast as possible. From Pat Riley‘s press conference, that is what management has been working on. This is what he said at the press conference:

Seems like he is serious, but you never know what Dragic will do. Signing him again will be the difference between a playoff team and a championship contender. Dragic raises the pace of the team, and he is able to get the team running again, which was something they could not do in the beginning of the season. Before Dragic came, the Heat were dead last in offensive pacing in the NBA.

A lot of injuries got in the way of what they wanted to accomplish, but they can achieve something great next season if he is able to re-sign.

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    • The Heat need to think hard about what type of player they want to pick up via the draft. I have written about how I think Sam Dekker would be a good addition, but there are other options. Stanley Johnson is being considered as an option, a player who is a swingman-type guy. He is 6-foot-7, and is athletic.

    The only problem is that I think that he goes before Miami picks, so it isn’t that smart to consider him. The guys who need to be looked at more is possibly Willie Caulie-Stein, who is coming off three years at the University of Kentucky, and is a huge body that might (hint hint) replace Hassan Whiteside should he go looking for greener pastures.

    There is also Myles Turner who is another player nearly 7-feet tall, and can replace Whiteside. There is potential in this draft, but the Heat can’t just look at potential, they need a guy who can come in and produce. Shabazz Napier had potential and he rode the bench all season.

    The Heat need to get Wade to run 30 miles a day. I’m just kidding …well, sort of. Wade needs to be in the best shape of his career. He has been able to coast a little bit, because he is still very much athletic and is incredibly crafty with the ball.

    But he gets exposed quite a bit on defense, and that is something that becomes a problem when you have to guard really good players on opposing teams, like Kyrie Irving or James Harden. Wade is nearing the end soon, and it would be really nice to see one last boost in his career, but it’ll never happen if he doesn’t work as hard as he possibly can this offseason.

    Next: LaMarcus Aldridge: Top 5 Free Agency Destinations

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