2 Biggest Issues Miami Heat Must Address at the 2015 Trade Deadline
The 2014-15 NBA season has been a difficult one for the Miami Heat.
A team considered by many entering the season to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference finds itself with just a 19-24 record through 43 games, the seventh-best record in a terrible conference.
But if there's one thing Pat Riley made clear when talking to reporters Thursday, it's that this team is not ready to wave the white flag on the season and remains committed to winning now.
Fortunately for Riley and the Heat, the trade deadline is approaching, giving them a prime opportunity to make some improvements to their squad.
Let's take a look at the specific areas the Heat most need to improve in to give themselves a shot at turning this trying season around.
Backup Shooting Guard
The Heat's biggest roster flaw at the start of the season was the same as it is today: The team does not have a legitimate backup shooting guard behind Dwyane Wade.
Currently, the Heat's reserve shooting guard options are Mario Chalmers, who is also the team's starting point guard, rookie James Ennis and Danny Granger.
That simply won't cut it. Chalmers is obviously out of position at the 2, and that's never ideal. Ennis is still very raw as a player and fits better as an end-of-the-rotation guy than a true backup 2 at this point. And Granger simply looks washed up at this point of his career.
The Heat's backup shooting guard situation is especially dire when considering Wade's injury history.
Miami needs to be prepared for situations in which Wade must sit out a game here and there or for the realistic possibility that he suffers a major injury. Right now, Miami is anything but prepared.
It's fair to say the Heat can't afford to exit the trade deadline without adding a backup shooting guard if they are serious about trying to win this season.
Point Guard
The Heat have three point guards on their roster. Unfortunately for them, none of them have played all that well.
Norris Cole began the season as the team's starting point guard. Unsurprisingly, he showed that he doesn't have the ability to be a team's main floor general and was ultimately relegated to bench duty. He's averaging 6.3 points on just 38.9 percent shooting from the floor and 24.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc with 3.4 assists per game.
Chalmers replaced Cole in the starting lineup but hasn't exactly taken advantage of the opportunity. After a strong start to the season, Chalmers has underachieved and frankly hasn't looked like a starting-caliber point guard, either. His efficiency numbers (39.8% FG, 27.6% 3PT) certainly aren't that much better than Cole's.
Lastly, there's rookie Shabazz Napier. He's had his moments, but he's undoubtedly been a disappointment. One would have expected him to be much more polished at this point, considering he's 23 years old and spent four years in college, but the most noteworthy aspect of his first pro season is that he's had multiple stints in the D-League. He's averaging 5.5 points (39.6% FG, 37.0% 3PT), 2.2 assists and 1.7 turnovers, and he has a 9.50 PER.
The Heat need more from this position, and if these guys don't step it up as the deadline approaches, Miami absolutely should consider bringing someone in from the outside.
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