With virtually the same roster returning for the upcoming season, here are three players facing the most pressure in 2018-19 for the Miami Heat.
The 2018 NBA offseason is close to winding up, and the Miami Heat have been virtually invisible.
Without any draft picks this summer, and with their salary cap bursting at the seams, the re-signing of veteran sharpshooter Wayne Ellington has been the most significant summer development to date.
So with their current cap inflexibility, and thus the increased difficulty to conjure player movement, the pressure to perform is certainly going to be felt for a few particular players on the current roster.
Granted, posting a 44-38 record culminating in a first round playoff exit was a commendable performance considering the volume of injuries suffered throughout the course of the season. Dion Waiters, Hassan Whiteside and Rodney McGruder all missed significant stretches of last season, with other players having to push through their own injuries in order to compensate for their absences.
Considering their delicate position, the growth and improvement of the Heat for the upcoming season is naturally going to have to come from within as they seek a return to the postseason.
With this in mind, here are the three players likely to face the most pressure as the Heat embark on their 2018-19 campaign.