Orlando Magic must seek a plan and stick with it to right the ship
By Bill Johnson
Strong Organization: Miami Heat
The Miami Heat lost LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in the last three seasons. The bottom should have fallen out for the franchise, but it did not.
That is a testament to their leadership from the top. The organization has an identity of hard work, and that perseveres even as players come and go.
The Heat organization is well-known to be demanding on their players, requiring the utmost fitness levels. But they get results.
It is not surprising they missed the playoffs this year. Their roster is filled with NBA journeymen. Their max player, Hassan Whiteside, was in the D-League in 2014. Plus Miami’s lottery selection, Justise Winslow, was lost for the season due to a shoulder injury.
Despite everything being against the team, including an 11-30 start to the season. They kept playing, and they finished the season with 41 wins only missing the playoffs on a tiebreaker.
It is a testament to the entire organization that everyone stayed focused and kept playing hard. It would not have been surprising if the team just went through the motions, including management. It was probably in their best interest to lose considering they do not own their pick next year and would need this year’s Draft pick to restock some.
The Miami Heat win because they have a system. Players know what is expected of them, and if they do not deliver, they will not be around, let alone get playing time. It helps to have basketball royalty in Pat Riley running the show because his reputation speaks for itself.
The Heat have the type of culture the Magic are looking for. There is a definitive vision of how the team will play, and the players are accountable for living up to that vision.