Heat set to cool down?

The Heat have been an overachieving underdog in recent years. They have made multiple deep runs into the playoffs and a couple of trips to the NBA finals. Jimmy Butler has been a huge catalyst for this, as he has embodied the Heat Culture with a young supporting cast.

Erik Spoelstra‘s coaching prowess has finally received the recognition it deserved for years, along with the team's success. This success has been possible even with rosters that aren’t as pretty on paper as other top teams around the league. Spoelstra and the Heat have made a name for their selves in the talent development department; Spoelstra also has a knack for getting the most out of his players, as many have been phenomenal in a Heat uniform and went on to not produce quite so well after signing more lucrative contracts with other teams.

There is one considerable concern for the Miami Heat despite all of their success and development- Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler has been known to take it easy during the regular season and turn it on in the postseason, thus creating Playoff Jimmy (with some of the most impressive playoff performances in history). While this has worked for the Heat in recent years, as he does not impede the team's play style or gameplan while doing so, the concern is his health. When Playoff Jimmy is activated, that usually comes with a large amount of minutes and 100% effort in those minutes.

Jimmy Butler is 34 years old and has a history of injuries, with an MCL sprain sidelining him for this most recent postseason. Will this continue? He has a large contract where he’s on pace to make $113 million in the next two years. Pat Riley has to decide whether he feels their leader of recent seasons’ future contributions will be worth such a hefty contract. Paying Jimmy this much money would limit the talent they can sign or trade for otherwise while having a player who may not be available when you need him most.

The Heat has promising prospects with Bam, Herro, Jovic, and Jaquez Jr. Bam has stepped up into a pivotal role in leading the team. At the same time, Herro has been consistent on offense, although still searching for a permanent place between starting or coming off of the bench. Nikola Jovic is still young but has a vast skill set. He is developing and polishing his game daily, and he seems to improve with each appearance on the floor. Jaime Jaquez Jr. came in as a rookie who plays like a veteran; with a great rookie season, he only looks to improve and could also take on a leading role for Miami in the future.

All of this leaves fans to wonder whether or not the Heat will fall back due to possible injuries to Jimmy Butler, as no other player has proven they can consistently lead the team. While Spo has done an incredible job improving upon talent, it’s very possible that the Heat will fall back due to a lack of star power and leadership. Do the Heat regress? Or do they continue to exceed expectations?