All of a sudden, the Miami Heat look very different from the capped out squad we saw end last season. Gone are Josh Richardson and Hassan Whiteside, and in their places are Jimmy Butler and Meyers Leonard via blockbuster trades, as well as first round draft pick Tyler Herro and second round pick KZ Okpala, and along with them a surprising sense of optimism.
After all, we know what last year’s team could do, falling short of the NBA playoffs in the Eastern Conference as the most expensive team ever to miss the playoffs, but this one is certainly less of a known commodity.