The Best Miami Heat Season That Everyone Forgot About
The Miami Heat went through a very tough period in the post-LeBron James and pre-Jimmy Butler era, defined by overperforming teams that still ended up being very mediocre. The team didn’t get much production from their first-round picks and overlooked young talent, relying on guys seeking a second chance to prove they belonged. These aren’t seasons that necessarily bring back joyous memories for fans, and are often remembered for the amount of losing that was done instead of the few good moments that came from it. While the Heat aren’t too far from that level of mediocrity these days, most would agree that what we have today is preferable to the lack of any meaningful progress or potential from the teams of that era. There was an outlier during those years of purgatory, and it’s a season that many seem to have forgotten about. An outlier season that was so special that the Heat were just one game away from forcing LeBron to face his former team in the Eastern Conference Finals.
In 2015, the Heat were coming off a very poor showing in what was the first season of the post-LeBron James era. The team went 37-45 and looked like they were many pieces away from ever contending again. Chris Bosh missed a large chunk of the season with blood clots in his lungs, which would soon end his career the following season, serving as another major blow to the team's star power. The Heat’s first-round selection, Shabazz Napier, immediately looked like a regrettable decision, and wouldn’t be with the team after his rookie season, in a rare moment of regret and reflection from the front office. The team needed a lot of help, but with Dwyane Wade still putting up good numbers, and a young shot-blocking phenom in Hassan Whiteside breaking out, there was potential for something better.
In the draft, the Heat took Duke forward, Justise Winslow in the first round, in what would become another underwhelming selection, but he wasn’t a complete bust like Napier was. Winslow provided solid defensive help and served as a valuable defensive player with extreme explosiveness. The Heat didn’t make any moves that shocked the league, but signing Amar’e Stoudemire added a very influential and high-effort veteran to the team. Gerald Green was also a good addition to the team as a solid three-and-d player who can also absolutely tear up the rim whenever he gets the chance to dunk. The most important signing of them all was when Joe Johnson was seeking one more chance at redemption after clearing waivers with the Nets, and he took advantage of every opportunity he was given.
The new additions mixed with the established core of Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, Luol Deng, and Hassan Whiteside made something amazing. A lot of these guys were on contract years and were playing for their right to earn generational wealth in this league. The hunger and passion to show that they belonged showed in every game they played, and the team felt more cohesive than the final year with LeBron did. Making the playoffs as the third seed without making any major additions to a team that missed the playoffs the year prior is something that doesn’t happen to teams without a sturdy young core, which the Heat didn’t have. All they had were guys who knew they had one more chance to define their legacy, and it was very special to watch.
The Heat squeaked past the Charlotte Hornets in what was one of the most underrated playoff series I’ve ever watched. Almost every game in that seven-game series had audiences on the edge of their seat, and that Hornets team deserves a lot of praise for how solid they were that season as well. The Semifinals against the Toronto Raptors was just as thrilling, and if not for a blowout game seven, it would have gone down as one of the best series of the decade. The Heat showed heart throughout that series, just as they did all season, but were just outmatched enough talent-wise to lose a game seven in Toronto with the chance to face LeBron. The clash with LeBron and the Cavaliers is truly a huge what-if in basketball history. I don’t say that in the sense that the Heat would’ve beaten the Cavaliers because they were from where they needed to be to beat that team. The atmosphere and energy that the series would’ve had would be nothing short of sports magic. Miami was still licking the wounds that LeBron left, and without a doubt in my mind, would we have seen one of the most passionate Heat playoff crowds ever if LeBron were in town? That sadly lives as a what-if scenario, but one that was simply 48 minutes away from happening; however, what we did get was pretty magical.
The Heat never touched this level of success until five years later, when Jimmy Butler took the team to the finals in the bubble. Dwyane Wade would infamously have a falling out with Pat Riley, serving as a precursor to Butler’s falling out with the team this past season. Wade would sign with his hometown Chicago Bulls, where he would play one season before returning to Miami midway through the following season. Hassan Whiteside got a huge contract extension and played solid basketball for the team for a few more seasons. Luol Deng got one of the worst contracts in NBA history from the Los Angeles Lakers, and Joe Johnson would soon fade away from the spotlight after signing with the Utah Jazz. This season is nothing more than an outlier in a very forgettable time in Miami Heat history, but one that gave the fans something to be proud of, and for that, it will forever remain one of the most thrilling seasons that the team has ever produced.
