As the Miami Heat prepare to take on a strong Eastern Conference, they look to do that with a fully healthy lineup filled with stars that could make some noise and silence the doubters. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would speak about the roster heading into the season and specfically the expectations of four players playing together.
Miami is heading into its sixth year filled with their own “Big Three” of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro, and with the inclusion of Terry Rozier from last season, those are the clear stars they are hoping to bring them success. Spoelstra would say Monday during the team's media day that he is eager to see how those four players look like when on the same floor.
“Two things,” Spoelstra said. “One, we haven’t done what we set out to do. That’s the most important thing. How does anything get stale if you haven’t accomplished what you want to accomplish?
“Secondly, we haven’t had what we want to look at,” Spoelstra continued. “The group has had no chance to even get to that point. We’re still looking for the innocent climb with a lot of these guys. I’m not going to give you headlines about starting lineups or rotation or anything like that. But I am definitely intentional about seeing what Terry, Tyler, Jimmy, Bam looks like. I’m not talking about who’s going to be fifth or whatever. But we need to get those guys out on the wood and see how that group can really complement each other and really lift this whole group up.”
Erik Spoelstra talks about wanting to see how players like Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Terry Rozier together. “The group has had no chance to get to that point, we’re still looking for the climb…” #HeatCulture
Jimmy Butler on Heat lineup with the four main stars
While the team expects it to be better this year, the Heat have dealt with a plethora of injuries the past few years, but more so in 2023 where they ranked towards the top of the league in missed games and had over 30 different starting lineups. There was a lack of consistency in fans getting to see how a four-man lineup with Butler, Adebayo, Herro, and Rozier would play like.
Looking at the possible expectations, if all four can stay healthy plus a solid bench and arguably the best head coach in the NBA in Spoelstra, this upcoming season could be fruitful. Butler would reassure ClutchPoints about the much-anticipated four-man group Monday saying they will “figure out a way to get it done.”
“Yes, but I mean, I've seen these guys play for years,” Butler said. “I've been in the league for some years now. All we had to do is get out there on the court and everything will take care of yourself. I always say, when you get four or five, however many good basketball players out there, they always figure out a way to get it done. We're no different, and the other team, they're no different. If you get four or five really good players out there, they’ll be ok.”
Asked Jimmy Butler about if he’s excited to finally get to see the full capabilities of himself, Bam, Herro, and Rozier on the same floor. “Yes, but I’ve seen these guys play for years…all we gotta do is get on the court and let everything take care of itself…” #HeatCulture
Heat's Bam Adebayo on goals, Tyler Herro on tandem with Terry Rozier
While there is no doubt hype, they will be led by Adebayo who is entering his second season as the Heat's captain. His goal is simple for himself along with the three others which is to “be healthy and win ball games.”
“To be healthy. For all of us to be healthy and win ultimately,” Adebayo said. “That's the that's the biggest goal for all of us. We all have that in mind. So for us, going through the ups and downs that we've been through a lot of these seasons. Terry getting here last year, going through what he went through, we just all…just want to be healthy and win ball games.”
Looking at Herro and Rozier, there has been speculation amongst fans about if four stars of that caliber should be in a starting lineup and that one of the guards should be relegated to the bench. While Herro spoke of his role with the Heat, he would see a bright partnership with Rozier if both are in the lineup together.
“I mean, I think it can work tremendously. We're both, I would say a little bit smaller guards, but we're fast, we can both shoot the ball, we can play make, our games are similar in that way on the offensive end. I think the biggest thing is just trying to come up with different collaborating ways of how we can share the ball with each other. And a big part too I think I'll play off the ball a little bit more this year than I have in the past. I've worked on that all summer. I still can handle the ball and get into pick and rolls, but really being effective off the ball in that starting five lineup, if that is the lineup.”
Heat's Terry Rozier ready to make impact after neck injury
Rozier himself said he is “super excited” for this upcoming season to be with the big three in Miami as he cited to ClutchPoints that there is “unfinished business” with how the season ended. He would miss the final 11 games of the season due to an issue with Rozier's neck and is close to being a full participant in practice.
At any rate, the Heat are looking to bounce back after finishing at the eighth seed for the second straight season and losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs without Butler and Rozier. They are in the midst of training camp in the Bahamas where they prepare for the preseason opener on Oct. 8 against the Charlotte Hornets and the start of the regular season facing the Orlando Magic on Oct. 23.
