A look back at the surprising 2016-2017 Miami Heat

The Miami Warmth offseason of 2016 was bleak. Soon after an outstanding playoff run exactly where the Warmth took the Raptors to seven online games in the Eastern Meeting Semi-Finals items did not go as planned. In an effort to woo absolutely free agent Kevin Durant the Warmth isolated and ultimately misplaced franchise icon, Dwyane Wade.

Other crucial customers of the 2016 playoff run also still left which include Joe Johnson and Luol Deng. The Heat brass went to operate ideal away to discipline a aggressive group buying Dion Waiters, James Johnson, and Wayne Ellington. On paper, this did not look like a aggressive staff, and truthfully for the to start with fifty percent of the NBA year, they didn’t enjoy like a person.

But some gamers would emerge and become crucial parts on a distinctive staff that would go on a 30-11 run to end the time. Diego and I get a seem again on this unforgettable season and the players that created it wonderful.

What have been your ideas on the initially fifty percent of this year?

DQ: The initially half of the time was annoying, no doubt. The season was meant to be a reset, with then 2nd-year gamers Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson possessing the space to make errors. But a ton of rising pains ensued, like with some inefficient Dion Waiters capturing nights.

Apart from a career night time from Winslow from the Los Angeles Lakers just ahead of the holidays — a night time that integrated Shaquille O’Neal’s jersey retirement — the initially fifty percent of the period seemed about as bleak as the 15-earn time in 2006-07.

BD: I was worried. Dwyane Wade had been on the Miami Heat for most of my existence and it felt like a piece was lacking. To commence a season 11-30 right after a great postseason operate was definitely disheartening. I remember covering a video game towards the Thunder during Russell Westbrook’s MVP run and I believe I described it as what it felt like to get dunked on. I won’t lie, I considered this would be a lottery time. But there had been flashes. Goran Dragic appeared excellent out there, Josh Richardson was seriously building and James Johnson genuinely started off to present flashes and a pleasant rapport with Tyler Johnson. It’s simple to fail to remember that “The Brothers Johnson” was a real matter and on quite a few t-shirts in the Heat shop. On the other hand, even with a few shiny times, I didn’t assume what was coming in the next fifty percent of the year.

How did you experience about the 2nd 50 {7bd4f8489c979da4b715306cdb8a13e98951750d7fc99eeed6f95e9f258a10eb} of the period?

BD: It felt surreal. This crew was dead in the h2o and practically out of nowhere they ended up a actual menace. I keep in mind viewing the recreation in opposition to Houston on January 17th, and observing something click. Just like that the Warmth would go forward and string alongside one another 13 wins in a row. It was extraordinary but seemed like a flash in the pan of a forgotten period. Then in March, Miami defeat Cleveland 2 times in a row and playoffs appeared like they could basically be in sight. The hunt for the last seed was exhilarating, specially when Josh Richardson returned. When Brooklyn didn’t commence their starters in their last video game and sealed Miami’s fate, it stung. Dwyane Wade was in the playoffs, but in a Bulls uniform and one particular of the most popular groups in the NBA was at household finishing the year 41-41. Nevertheless, even though to some, it remains a missing and overlooked workforce, this band of misfits manufactured for an amazingly entertaining season.

DQ: As it took place, I was excited to adhere to the Heat flip their time all-around. The band of castoffs who gelled jointly in the next 50 percent of the year — Waiters, James Johnson, Hassan Whiteside, Wayne Ellington— reminded me of the late-time 2009-10 run. Only this time, Miami did not have a peak Wade to steer the ship.

In the course of the Massive Three period, the Heat bought at ease and lost quite a few game titles they should not have dropped. During the 2nd 50 {7bd4f8489c979da4b715306cdb8a13e98951750d7fc99eeed6f95e9f258a10eb} of the 2016-17 year, Miami regularly performed earlier mentioned their stage of talent and defeat the finest groups in the league mainly because they performed together.

What was your most loved section of the season?

DQ: My beloved part of the year was seeing Waiters strike the sport-winning 3 in excess of the Golden Point out Warriors a single night time, and 48 hrs later on hitting one more clutch 3 over the Brooklyn Nets. At that time, Miami was still 16-30 on the year but experienced received five straight game titles. It appeared like the commence of anything particular, and it was.

BD: To me, it was the playoff race. Even when Dion Waiters went down, it seemed like Miami had a genuine opportunity to slip in. They gained four of the very last five video games and James Johnson, Goran Dragic, and Hassan Whiteside all played at an elite stage. The Heat’s slow start out eventually expense them a playoff berth, but which is not to say that they didn’t combat. The resilience they showed put Warmth Tradition on full show and it was a enjoyment to check out.

Which gamers stunned you the most?

BD: I’d have to say Goran Dragic. Goran seriously became Miami’s key offensive cog in that season averaging 20.3 factors, 5.8 helps and 3.8 rebounds. Goran was the Heat’s clear leader on the ground each and every activity and he was mostly tough starting up 73 game titles. This was a enormous leap for Goran after taking part in a second choice to Dwyane Wade his first 12 months and a half in Miami he actually loaded the scoring void for Miami. Goran would be named an All-Star in 2017-2018, but if not for Miami’s atrocious file prior to the All-Star split I’d argue he should been a single in 2016-2017.

DQ: Dragic willed the Warmth to so quite a few victories all through the 30-11 operate, forming the “7/11” duo with Waiters that was all too fleeting. James Johnson went from getting a journeyman into a dynamic point ahead who confirmed flashes of Lamar Odom’s and LeBron James’ instances with the Heat.

I lived in Washington, DC at the time, and I went to an April Miami game at the Wizards that observed Johnson make the go-forward basket with seconds left to continue to keep the Heat’s playoff chances alive.

Are there gamers you pass up?

DQ: With out a question, James Johnson. I was unfortunate at how Johnson’s tenure finished with Miami — his dismissal from coaching camp in 2019, barely ever participating in prior to obtaining traded in February 2020. His initially yr with the Warmth is a single of my most loved seasons of any Miami participant — a guy who performed challenging defense, served as the enforcer and motored Miami’s offense.

BD: Like Diego I also pass up James Johnson. He often performed with a ton of coronary heart and actually renewed his profession in Miami. His exit from the Warmth was upsetting, as I nonetheless think he could have contributed in 2019. I’m generally hoping for a JJ reunion each deadline, it is simple to overlook that he was deemed a captain on these Heat squads and for a lengthy time he bled Warmth Society. I’ll always recall his perform down the extend as the Warmth competed for a playoff berth.

The place does this period rank in Warmth record?

BD: It’s tricky to say exactly where this Heat year ranks as Miami didn’t truly make the playoffs. When they did the period right after, it still was not as excellent as this season in my eyes. I’d say it ranks as the second very best of the post Massive-3 period guiding previous season’s Finals run from a pure entertaining viewpoint. I truly considered this Warmth crew could conquer anybody down the stretch, that’s how I felt in the Bubble Playoffs as well people inner thoughts never arrive along that frequently, but they do feel excellent as a supporter.

DQ: Mainly because it did not end in a playoff berth, it doesn’t rank up there with the 2003-04 period (Wade and Udonis Haslem’s rookie yr, with Lamar Odom and Eddie Jones as veterans) or the 2008-09 period (Wade’s MVP-caliber time). But it’s absolutely in the best 50 percent of Warmth seasons, and in advance of the most modern two playoff sweeps — last year and the 2006-07 yr.

And as a aspect note, although the Heat supposedly “missed out on a golden opportunity to tank,” Miami’s trip to the lottery for the reason that of a tiebreaker in the long run finished in drafting Bam Adebayo. That counts for a thing.