The Miami Heat went much further than predicted, but they couldn’t stop Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler and company, however, proved to have what it takes to contend.
Erik Spoelstra‘s team proved it should never be counted out, taking down the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics after clinching the 8th seed in the Play-In Tournament.
However, to end the season like this still feels bittersweet considering how far they’ve come. While their playoff journey proves they have to look for another star, it looks like the Heat already tried to upgrade their roster at the February deadline.
Rumor: Heat tried to land Kyrie Irving in February
“They’re going to explore, see what the star market is like out there,” NBA Insider Shams Charania said on Run It Back of FanDuel TV. “Just to give you a glimpse of what they looked at over the past couple of months, they made an offer to the Nets for Kyrie Irving at the deadline right before he got traded to the Mavericks.
“But that just gives you an idea that there’s been some level of understanding. They’re trying to get Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo another piece that can take the load off.”
This suggests the Heat already felt they lacked another star around Butler and Bam Adebayo. Kyrie Irving would have been a very interesting addition, but there’s no time to think about the past. This offseason, Pat Riley needs to get another player of his caliber to maximize his team’s championship window.