Miami Heat Positional Season Preview: The Centers

Bam Adebayo is a power forward in the traditional sense, but he is the center of the Miami Heat. Bam Adebayo is the Miami Heat's culture bearer, captain, and is now Giannis Antetokounmpo's partner in crime. Bam Adebayo will help carry the Miami Heat's new look defense to the top of the NBA yet again, and now being paired with Antetokounmpo his offense should take another step to.

2. Nick Richards

It is no secret that the Miami Heat needed to bring in another big, and Nick Richards was the man they chose. Richards has been an NBA journey-man so to speak to start his career as Miami is now the 4th organization he will play for. Richards is more of a traditional center as he is a good rebounder, but he has some struggles at the cylinder. Richards likely won't play a huge role for the Miami Heat, but he is another capable body, adding some much-needed depth and size down low.

3. Vladisav Goldin

Vlad Goldin comes in as the only other true center on the Miami Heat's roster and holds one of Miami's three two-way deals. And look, Goldin is a simply a work in progress. He has the size, but he lacks the overall skills needed to play this game at a high level. Goldin's Summer League production showed both his potential and his limitations. While his size makes him an intriguing developmental option, his 41.9% shooting percentage was concerning for a 7-footer who does most of his work around the basket.

The Miami Heat don't have a traditional center in the sense that would start on NBA teams, but they have Bam Adebayo, and he slides right into that role for the Heat. While Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo will form a formidable front court duo, the players behind them will have to step up, including their forwards in Bobby Portis, and Nikola Jovic.

Erik Spoelstra has long been known to embrace the smaller lineups and Miami's depth has often played large part to that.

Ultimately, Miami's center position begins and ends with Bam Adebayo. Richards gives the Heat a more traditional option and much-needed insurance behind their star big man, while Goldin remains a developmental project. The biggest question is whether Miami's limited true center depth will become a problem over the course of an 82-game season.