The Big Lead

Miami Heat don't have 'a very good roster,' says TNT analyst

By Joe Lago

Dec 12, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and forward Jimmy Butler (22) talk in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) and forward Jimmy Butler (22) talk in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
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Stan Van Gundy is not afraid to say what's on his mind, and his honesty and frankness are why he's one of the best NBA analysts around.

Van Gundy did not sugarcoat his thoughts about one of his former teams — the Miami Heat — during a TNT conference call on Tuesday,

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Asked about the Heat riding with their core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, Van Gundy did not see the point in running it back despite the trio leading Miami on a surprise run to the 2023 NBA Finals.

“I really don’t understand what’s going on there,” Van Gundy told reporters. “They’re really a win-now team, which I respect, and they haven’t given, put a roster around there that has a chance. I think they got lulled into a false sense of security by the run to the Finals two years ago.

“And it was a great run, but they didn’t have a great team, and they didn’t have a great year. That’s not a very good roster. To me, that’s a play-in roster again."

Van Gundy questioned the 35-year-old Butler's ability to stay healthy and the Heat's overall talent, which "doesn't stack up" with the Eastern Conference's top teams, namely the defending champion Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. The latter two clubs made significant roster upgrades in the offseason.

Sportsbooks agree with Van Gundy's stance on Miami not being a contender. The Heat have the 15th-best odds to win the 2025 NBA Finals, according to DraftKings (+4500) and FanDuel (+5000).

"They seem like a team to me that has been reliant on Erik Spoelstra working miracles," Van Gundy said of the Heat's excellent head coach. "You can only do that so much. They can make a deal in season of course, but at this point, it would be foolish to say they’re a contender.”

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