After an interesting shake-up in the Eastern Conference that involved many players moving elsewhere, should the Miami Heat be a threat in the East?

Who would have thought that in a span of one year, the Miami Heat would miss the playoffs but now suddenly they could be in strong consideration to being among the top teams in the conference? There is a reason that became a possibility in such a short period of time. The man in charge, the right man for the job, the man who is known as the “Godfather” is the reason why there is no tanking in the city of Miami.

This isn’t the same Miami Heat team we just witnessed missing the playoffs nor is this the same Eastern Conference, thanks to a seismic power shift with Kawhi Leonard leaving the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors and moving to the Los Angeles Clippers, among other major transactions. You could say this was as a result of a chaotic off-season that involved countless moves and some that were league-changing moves.

Because of this off-season, some magic from Pat Riley, and a little bit of luck here and there, the question stands – should the Miami Heat be considered a threat in the conference?

The answer to that isn’t that simple. There are many factors that may lead to the Heat being a top team in the East. Let’s start with the main reason for this rejuvenation in South Beach, the newcomer to the Miami Heat, Jimmy Butler.