Miami Heat: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

The seats could get hot very quickly for these Miami Heat players if they don’t live up to their expectations in the 2019-2020 season.

After changing very little in the summer of 2018, the Miami Heat have been wheeling and dealing this offseason. Missing the playoffs last season left Miami eager to improve upon a roster that won just 39 games last season. With the key additions of All-Star forward Jimmy Butler and sharpshooting rookie guard Tyler Herro, Miami has higher hopes for a playoff run this upcoming season.

Their revamped roster has brought along higher expectations. The Heat aren’t aiming for another season of just 82 games; they’re targeting the playoffs. Falling short of the postseason would be an indisputable failure.

Everyone who sees the court for the Heat will be feeling more pressure. This team can’t be the slightly below-average team from last year. Being an above .500 team is an expectation. Every Heat player – even the newcomers – will face plenty of pressure to improve on the disappointment from last year.

There will also be pressure for reasons unique to each player. Some players are young and will be pushed to build on the potential they’ve shown to help this team secure a playoff spot. Some players are veterans with playoff experience that will be expected to lead the team to said playoff spot. Overall, the team will face the expectation of being a better team than last year’s Miami squad.

However, the pressure won’t be distributed evenly. Whether it be because of their role on the team or the potential they have shown, a few players will have more to prove this upcoming season than others. Miami isn’t expected to win the title, but there are still players that will face substantial pressure to perform well this year.