16. Miami Heat

By: Lucas Kochevar

        The Miami Heat were very close to the playoffs last year. They come back with a very strange team. They actually managed to keep a lot of players in free agency and they added players. The Heat have one of the most underrated players in Goran Dragic and they have one of the best young centers in the league in Hassan Whiteside. The Heat also have one of their young studs returning from injury. Justice Winslow was sidelined all of last season with a shoulder injury. Now he hopes to bring some great defense and an improved three pointer to this Heat team. The Heat also have an advantage in HC Erik Spoelstra, who is one of the best coaches in the NBA today. This is their projected starting lineup from me. 

PG: Goran Dragic
SG: Dion Waiters
SF: Justice Winslow
PF: Kelly Olynk
C: Hassan Whiteside

6th Man: James Johnson

        Goran Dragic is the PG and he should make a push for an all star spot in the weak East. He is still one of the best slashing guards in the league. He will be a solid rock for the Heat to rally around as a leader. His backup is Tyler Johnson, who is a supreme scorer. He will be a good spark off the bench. The SG is Dion Waiters. Waiters had a great season and it showed as he had a 4-year, 52 million dollar deal. Waiters is a professional bucket getter and will be a strong source of offense. The SF is Justice Winslow and he is a polar opposite to Waiters. James Johnson is his backup and the sixth man. Johnson played a big role as an emotional leader. He had a very good season for the team. Miami also just paid him to comeback. The PF is now Kelly Olynk. Olynk was signed from the Celtics and should play a role in floor spacing. Personally, I do not like the signing because they still have Hassan and at they have rookie center Bam Adebayo. The center is Whiteside and he will be another player that needs to step up as a leader. He has already proven himself as a stud player, now  he needs to show his maturity as a leader. The Heat should make a good push for the playoffs, but do not expect a whole lot from them.