MIAMI _ The commitment this past week to Bam Adebayo was a formality, with no reason for the Heat to wait on picking up their 2020-21 team option, even with another month left to do so.
The commitment earlier in the offseason to Jimmy Butler could not have been more emphatic, from the four-year, $140 million contract to the acquisition price of Josh Richardson, a 2023 first-round pick and the expiring contract of Hassan Whiteside.
So just over two weeks before the Heat get started at training camp, you start with Adebayo and Butler as cornerstones of Erik Spoelstra's lineup. That part of the equation assuredly is locked in.
But then what? What about the remaining 60% of the first unit?
At first blush, it would appear to be a case of five players in a mix-and-match competition for three spots: Kelly Olynyk, Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow and James Johnson. Each started at least 20 games last season.
So how might the three-man-weave play out beyond Adebayo and Butler (assuming that it would be Tyler Herro and Derrick Jones Jr. rounding out a nine-man rotation)?
As it is, most of the potential experimentation is untested.
_ Olynyk-Waiters-Dragic: This essentially would be a case of picking up where the Heat left off last season, with Olynyk forging chemistry in the power rotation with Adebayo and Dragic's presence in the first five limited only by injury.
Two factors would be at play here:
First, Butler's position. According to Basketball-Reference, Butler played 80% of his minutes at small forward last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, but played 79% of his minutes the previous season at shooting guard with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Going back a season, when he was cast alongside Dwyane Wade with the Chicago Bulls, Butler played 93% of his minutes at small forward.
Of course, in Erik Spoelstra's system (and most NBA systems, which brings into question those percentages), the two wing positions are largely interchangeable.
Second, such an alignment comes down to whether the Heat want to put Justise Winslow on hold with that experimentation at point guard, where some of his best minutes came last season, and move a potential future franchise cornerstone back to the bench.
The three-man unit of Olynyk-Waiters-Dragic played 145 minutes together last season, with a net rating of minus-15.4.
_ Olynyk-Waiters-Winslow: This approach would get Winslow into the starting lineup and add size to the first unit. It also would give the Heat three interchangeable defensive components on the wing.
The question is whether, by being cast as a face of the franchise, Butler will have the ball in his hands to a degree where the benefits of Winslow's playmaking could be lost.
Beyond that, there is the issue of whether Dragic, other than being injured, has done anything to warrant losing a starting role.
The three-man unit of Olynyk-Waiters-Winslow played 341 minutes together last season, with a net rating of plus-5.9.
_ Winslow-Waiters-Dragic: Or you could have both Winslow and Dragic in the starting lineup, with Dragic as more of a spot-up shooting presence.
Dragic, himself, floated the idea as a means of extending his career after last season's injury-marred struggle.
The approach, however, could leave the Heat particularly undersized, at a time when there still is the issue of overcoming Whiteside's absence on the boards.
The three-man unit of Winslow-Waiters-Dragic did not play together last season.
_ Johnson-Winslow-Dragic: This is another way of getting both Winslow and Dragic in the starting lineup, while also creating a renewed opportunity for Johnson.
It would, however, move Waiters to the second unit, where Herro figures to play as somewhat of a volume shooter. Convincing Waiters the value of such a role could be the ultimate sales challenge for Spoelstra.
The three-man unit of Johnson-Winslow-Dragic did not play together last season.
_ Johnson-Winslow-Waiters: Another possibility with Johnson starting is to move Dragic's veteran presence to the second unit, where he could help create stability alongside Herro and Jones.
Yet while Winslow stepped up with his 3-point shot last season, spacing could become an issue alongside Adebayo, Butler and Johnson, if Johnson is unable to re-emerge as a 3-point threat.
The three-man unit of Johnson-Winslow-Waiters did not play together last season.
_ Johnson-Waiters-Dragic: This approach would also raise questions about size, but would also inject more shooting into the first unit.
Beyond that, a Winslow-Herro-Jones second unit could infuse youthful vitality during the dog days of the season.
The three-man unit of Johnson-Waiters-Dragic did not play together last season.
_ Olynyk-Winslow-Dragic: With Olynyk and Winslow at forward, it would maximize the potential beef of the first unit and should help on the boards. But Olynyk would need to thrive as a floor spacer.
The three-man-unit of Olynyk-Winslow-Dragic did not play together last season.
