Miami Heat: Starting lineup locks, fringe, and potential break-ins
Fringe options for the starting lineup
Backcourt: Kendrick Nunn, Tyler Herro, Goran Dragic
Last season the Heat went through the regular season with Goran Dragic on the bench, starting rookie Kendrick Nunn to keep the minutes load lower for Dragic. Nunn played unexpectedly well, and the team could look to keep the rotation similar and massage Dragic through the regular season.
The reality is that Dragic is the better player, and he started 16 of his 17 games in the postseason. He is a strong fit with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo and a much more dynamic offensive player, even if he gives a little back on the defensive end. Whoever starts, Dragic should finish games over Nunn.
The wild card starter here is Tyler Herro. The rising sophomore is an electric athlete and can hit shots from seemingly anywhere, including while falling down or bouncing off of bigs in the lane. He is a rising star for the Heat, and while last season they preferred a rotation with Herro playing heavy minutes off of the bench, they could go for upside and slot him in as a starter if he forces their hand through strong play.
Frontcourt: Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard
Who slots in around them is a more open question, especially since the Heat tend to approach the regular season differently than the playoffs. Last year the team moved Adebayo to the 5 for the entirety of the postseason. Does the team do that again, or leave him at the 4 to weather the season? Given the Heat’s abbreviated offseason, it may lean more towards a cautious approach.
The most likely is that they once again start Meyers Leonard at center to bang with opposing pivots. The Heat paid a premium at $9.8 million to return this season, and that could indicate they plan to start him for the regular season once again. He spaces the floor and has good size for a center, even if he is hardly a rim protector.
Miami could also lock in to try and secure a higher seed in a more competitive Eastern Conference. Their best lineups will likely feature a forward who can defend opposing power forwards and hit 3-pointers. Last season that player was Jae Crowder; they replaced him with Maurice Harkless this offseason. Harkless could eventually gain a place among the starters if he proves himself capable of doing both the defending and the shooting.