Preseason NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia 76ers look like Eastern Elite

18. Miami Heat

Much like the Dallas Mavericks, the Miami Heats 2018-2019 NBA season will largely be remembered as Dwyane Wade‘s farewell tour from the league, but unlike Mark Cuban’s squad, the Heat are in the East, and therefore have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs once more.

Though their roster is filled with a number of overpaid role players, the team does have talent, and can conceivably ride that into another winning season.

What more could Wade ask for in his 15th season?

Maybe a trade for Jimmy Butler to vault the team into serious contention. Couldn’t hurt, right?

With virtually no way of adding a max-level star outside of making a trade, going all in on a move for Bulter is likely the only way the Heat can vault themselves out of the middle of the pack towards the top of the Eastern Conference, but it also could also sink the team moving forward in Butler decides to move on in free agency, or once again struggles to get along with his teammates.

As a team stuck around .500, it’ll be interesting to see what happens with the Heat in 2018, and if they can find a way to move forward, as opposed to continuing to inch closer and closer to NBA irrelevance.