Are the Heat a top 3 team in the East now with Dragic? (when Bosh gets back)

[chambers]

Pat Riley is a basketball genius and he's pulled a move here that's going to make the Heat a force in the East for at least 3-4 more years.
Currently he's got

Dragic
Wade
Bosh
Whiteside
Deng

McRoberts
Chalmers
Napier

As Whiteside becomes a great pick and roll complement for Dragic and Bosh does the same.

If they can somehow make it to the playoffs with a healthy Wade. whilst assuming Chris Bosh comes back from his blood clots to 100% then these guys could be a serious threat with the right role playing bench.

I'd take that above line up over the Wizards in 7 games, assuming they're 100% healthy or at least everyone is one the court and Wade is 75%- We've got to assume that Whiteside will have improved even more.

Anyway, it sucks bad that Bosh went down, but thank god they caught it before it was too late.

They'll be able to sign Dragic, and he'll come off the books a year after Wade, by which time they'll be able to pay Whiteside, Dragic and Bosh and have cap room.

Pat Riley is a smooth motha.

[mr. dee]

Age and injury will be a factor.

- Bosh and Wade are year older and we are already seeing a decline from Wade.
- Deng, Bosh, Wade and Birdman now have history of injury. I'm not sure if they can play at least 90% of the season.
- Bosh is coming off injury by then. We don't know if he can return 100% healthy.

- Other teams might offer Whiteside a better deal.

[moiso]

Awesome roster.  Yes, Riley is a genius.  But I believe Bosh is out for the year so we won't see the Heat's full potential until next year. 

[Roy H.]

The talent is there, but it's hard to project. The Heat have largely underachieved this year.

[Who]

No, I don't think Miami are better than Chicago, Cleveland or Cleveland.

Then there is Washington and Toronto. So I'd say 4th-6th for Miami.

I am kinda dubious about how well the pieces fit together. I think Whiteside and Bosh still have a lot to prove as a big man pairing (as to how well they work together). As do Wade & Dragic as backcourt. Wade is a dodgy outside shooter. Deng is a below average outside shooter. Lot of pressure on Dragic as sole above average shooter on perimeter. Will Bosh have to spend all his time on perimeter spacing the floor for others? Will he have to sacrifice his game again? That is a big worry for me. I think Bosh will have to do so.

I am not wild about Bosh moving back to PF full time. Especially as he gets older and as his quickness continues to deteriorate. I am not sure he'll be able to maintain value as a scorer there.

I really want to see that team play together. I can't help but feel those players will all play better in 2 player combos than as a 5 man lineup. I am expecting diminished returns from all players here. Lots of question marks.

Whiteside is a big X factor. How productive will he be when Miami has all it's stars on the floor? Can he continue to improve his defense? How much better can he get?

Then there is Wade's health. How many games has he missed now this season? How many games is Wade going to miss in future seasons?

[Who]

Miami paid a heavy price for Dragic. One of those two 1st round picks they gave up was an unprotected pick in 2021.

I wonder if that is going to bite them on the ass down the road.

[GratefulCs]

Miami paid a heavy price for Dragic. One of those two 1st round picks they gave up was an unprotected pick in 2021.

I wonder if that is going to bite them on the ass down the road.

I'm sure riley didn't mind giving up a pick around the same year he'll be entering a retirement home (jk(sorta))

[Kuberski1]

Sad that Bosh is out, though as noted, very good they caught this now.  I was looking forward to see if the Heat could have challenged the Cavs in the East POs.  Not sure if the Bulls, Raps, or even the Hawks can really push the Cavs over a 7 game series.

[KGs Knee]

I am not wild about Bosh moving back to PF full time. Especially as he gets older and as his quickness continues to deteriorate. I am not sure he'll be able to maintain value as a scorer there.

I think Bosh is far more valuable at PF than at C. Miami's 2nd biggest issues this season, after injuries, has been their pathetically weak interior defense and rebounding. Bosh is weak interior defender, offers little rim-protection, and is merely an average rebounder. Bosh is a much more effective defender on the perimeter and in the PnR.

[Who]

I am not wild about Bosh moving back to PF full time. Especially as he gets older and as his quickness continues to deteriorate. I am not sure he'll be able to maintain value as a scorer there.

I think Bosh is far more valuable at PF than at C. Miami's 2nd biggest issues this season, after injuries, has been their pathetically weak interior defense and rebounding. Bosh is weak interior defender, offers little rim-protection, and is merely an average rebounder. Bosh is a much more effective defender on the perimeter and in the PnR.

I would like to see them put a quality PF alongside Bosh instead of a bunch of combo forwards. I think that exacerbates the issue. Bosh has had no big man talent alongside him in Miami while he has played the center position.

[Eddie20]

The "when" Bosh gets back is interesting. I read this and his return, at least for the foreseeable future, is ominous. Bosh won't be cleared to play while on blood thinners and he could be on them for the rest of his life. Plus, air travel is said to be not good for clotting, so why risk it if he's prone to them?




However, it’s standard to prescribe blood thinners for one year after a pulmonary embolism.
Bosh awaits a battery of tests on his blood and heart, including a stress test, before anyone can safely say he can play in the NBA, according to medical experts.