The Spurs' Weird Offseason Is Setting Them Up for a Play-In Disaster
Miami's Mismatched Roster Might Actually Work
Look, everyone saw what the Miami Heat did last season. They limped into the playoffs as an eight seed with a 44-38 record, then Jimmy Butler turned into prime Michael Jordan for a month. Dropped 56 on the Bucks in Game 4, averaged 31.1 points in that series. It was incredible. And they almost won it all, taking Denver to five games in the Finals. The big question now is, can they run it back?
Thing is, they still have a bizarre roster. No big-name free agent signing to replace Gabe Vincent or Max Strus, who both bolted for bigger deals. Vincent signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers, and Strus got a four-year, $63 million contract from the Cavaliers. That’s a lot of shooting and playmaking to lose. And the Damian Lillard dream died a slow, painful death. So what’s left?
They’re banking on internal development from guys like Tyler Herro, who was limited to just 67 regular season games and missed the entire Finals. And Nikola Jovic, the 2022 first-rounder, is still raw. But here's my hot take: this Heat team, even without Lillard, is better than people think. Erik Spoelstra is a wizard, and Pat Riley knows how to find overlooked talent. They’ll be a top-six seed in the East, mark my words.
San Antonio’s Curious Case of the Missing Veterans
Now, let's talk about the San Antonio Spurs. They landed Victor Wembanyama, the generational talent everyone’s been drooling over since he was 15. The kid averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks in his rookie season, which is just absurd. He's a legitimate MVP candidate in a few years. But what are they doing around him?
They finished last season 22-60, dead last in the Western Conference. They picked up Zach Collins' extension, which is fine, he’s a solid big. But they didn't go out and grab a true veteran point guard or a wing who can consistently shoot 40% from deep. Keldon Johnson is a good scorer, averaged 21.7 points last year, but he’s not a primary playmaker. Jeremy Sochan, for all his defensive potential, is still figuring out his offensive game.
And that’s the problem. They’re relying on a bunch of young guys who haven't sniffed the playoffs to develop around a 20-year-old phenom. Devin Vassell is good, put up 19.5 points last year, but he needs help. They needed a steady hand, a guy who’s been there, done that. Instead, they’re just rolling the dice on raw talent. It feels like they're sacrificing a year of Wemby's prime to develop guys who might not be part of their long-term plan.
My bold prediction: The Heat will finish with a better record than the Spurs, even with Wemby. San Antonio misses the play-in entirely, and Miami secures home-court advantage in at least the first round.