A complete look at the
Miami Heat's roster and top decision-makers as they prepare to open training camp Tuesday on the campus of Florida Atlantic University.
The front office
Micky Arison: The Heat owner, along with son and team CEO Nick Arison, have had plenty of pressing business to sort through this offseason. Resolving a public and contentious contract dispute with
Dwyane Wade rose to the ownership level before cooler heads prevailed. Now, the Arisons must ultimately decide whether a hefty potential repeater tax penalty is worth keeping this roster intact.
Pat Riley: Yes, the slick hair is completely gray, and the palatial estate in Malibu is waiting. But Riley, 70, insists he has still got plenty of fight in him to get this franchise back into title contention one last time. Having celebrated his 20th anniversary running the team, Riley could walk away right now satisfied with what he has done in Miami. But don't kid yourself. He wants his squad to take down LeBron first.
Erik Spoelstra: No one took more blame for how last season's 37-45 campaign fizzled than Spoelstra. Although Miami missed the playoffs, it got lucky in the draft, added a couple of productive veterans on the cheap and gets everyone back healthy. On top of that, Spoelstra got engaged. He's not committed to the hot seat just yet. But he also has yet to ever win a playoff series without access to
LeBron James.
The starting five
Goran Dragic: Arguably the Heat's best pure point guard since Tim Hardaway. Injuries that ravaged the roster over the second half of the season prevented Dragic from playing with those who would best complement him -- namely
Chris Bosh. The Heat invested two future first-round picks and $85 million this summer to secure Dragic. The stakes are high. So are the expectations to deliver at an All-NBA clip.
Dwyane Wade: It was ugly and petty for a while. But Wade ultimately got the respect and the payday he wanted. His one-year, $20 million contract puts the franchise's most decorated player in position to cash in again next summer if he delivers similar numbers from last season. Well, all except those 20 missed games. It's not a question of what he can do but rather how often he can get it done.
Luol Deng: Last season was almost unfair for Deng. He came to Miami expecting one role and ended up playing about six others. He was never comfortable in the system, largely due to the injuries that constantly shifted his responsibilities on a given night. But now, Deng is in a contract year and can settle into a role that showcases his abilities on both ends of the court in what amounts to a contract season.
Chris Bosh: After blood clots traveled to his lung in February, there was a time when Bosh wasn't certain he'd live, let alone play NBA basketball again. He has recovered mentally and physically from the scare that ended his 2014-15 season and is cleared for full basketball activities entering camp. Spoelstra always said Bosh was the Heat's most important player. That's more so the case now than ever.
Hassan Whiteside: If there was a silver lining to one of the most tumultuous seasons in franchise history, it was the development of Whiteside. Now, the talented 7-footer is dealing with something he has never faced in his NBA career: massive expectations. There's likely a $100-million contract waiting on Whiteside if he can duplicate his 10 points, 10 rebounds and 2.6 blocks from last season.
The key reserves
Mario Chalmers: Endured an entire offseason of speculation that he could be dealt to help alleviate a potential huge luxury-tax bill facing owner Micky Arison. But Chalmers has been nothing if not defiantly resilient throughout his seven-year career in Miami. His future with the Heat remains shaky, but he'll at least enter camp with a defined role -- something he lacked last season -- as Dragic's backup at the point.
Gerald Green: We know he can dunk. We know he can be a streaky 3-point shooter. But we also know Green has struggled with consistency. He's talented enough to be a major contributor but has also has had to earn his way back into the NBA from the D-League. At best, he's a solid backup for Wade. And he has reunited with Dragic after having his best season two years ago alongside him in Phoenix.
Justise Winslow: The Orlando stint of his NBA summer league was impressive. The Heat basically gave the No. 10 overall pick the playbook Wade and LeBron used and allowed Winslow to run the offense. But by the time the second phase of summer league started in Las Vegas, there were issues with conditioning and consistency. He won't be guaranteed anything on this veteran roster. But the upside is incredible.
Josh McRoberts: Just when the Heat were starting to figure out exactly what they had in the versatile power forward, he took a bad step in Phoenix and was lost to knee surgery in January. But McRoberts is cleared for camp, although Spoelstra insists he will be monitored closely along the way. It's almost like adding another first-round pick or a mid-level free agent all over again. He'll stick in this rotation.
Amar'e Stoudemire: Five years ago, Stoudemire was one of the first free agents the Heat met with during the summer that landed LeBron in Miami. Several injuries and a $100-million contract later, Stoudemire signed for the vet's minimum and is now a role player who adjusted to his new realities with Dallas last season after he was bought out by the Knicks. Anything he can give Miami is a bonus.
The other contributors
Josh Richardson: The rookie guard was a second-round pick, but the Heat had him slated as a first-round talent. He impressed the team enough in the summer league and with his offseason work ethic that a large portion of his contract was guaranteed over three years. If he continues to develop his defense and shooting, he could make Chalmers expendable and find his way into the rotation quickly.
Chris Andersen: Much like Chalmers, Birdman also had to hear his name among the trade rumors that involved the Heat potentially shedding salary. But also like Chalmers, Birdman was a key contributor during Miami's championship seasons as a role player. That counts for something. So don't expect the fan favorite to simply lay down and allow his minutes to be taken. That's not the Birdman way.
Udonis Haslem: Wade is the only other player on the roster to have contributed to all three of the Heat's championships. But Haslem might have seen his last days as a regular rotation player, considering the depth the team added in the frontcourt. Minutes will be hard to come by with Bosh, McRoberts, Whiteside, Stoudemire and Andersen likely ahead in the pecking order. But never count Haslem out.
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