3 observations on Miami Heat from the early part of the season

1. The pressing need for an additional big

Considering the start to the season for Bam Adebayo, the idea of the Miami Heat needing reinforcements down low may seem to be a stretch.

But it’s been evident through the first nine games this season that an additional interior presence is very much needed. While the departure of Hassan Whiteside in an overall sense was an incredible relief for the players and coaching staff alike, one thing Whiteside certainly brought to the table was his ability to protect the rim and rebound at a high level.

So although Adebayo has demonstrated the ability to defend almost every position on the floor, this has often left the interior exposed. Thus far, the other prime options to man the middle have been Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk.

While Leonard is a 7-foot, 260-pound monster, his lack of true lateral quickness and athleticism can leave him exposed when facing the elite big men in the paint. And while Olynyk is 6’11”, he’s far more suited to a perimeter role at both ends of the floor.

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A clear example of this issue thus far has been the opposition scoring rate in the restricted area. Whereas the Heat allowed the opposition at a 58.7 percent clip in the restricted area last season, which ranked second in the league, they are allowing their opponents to shoot at a 64.1 percent clip this season, which ranks 23rd overall.

A prime example of this is their most recent loss to the Lakers, whereby the Heat gave up 55 points in the paint despite holding the Lakers to just eight free throw attempts for the game.

So while the Miami Heat have done a terrific job this far in a number of areas, shoring up their defensive structure down low should be high on their priority list. With team president Pat Riley never one to die wondering, a mid-season move can certainly not be counted out as the Heat look to cement their place among the leaders in the standings.