[ot-caption title=”The Miami Heat are beginning life without Dwayne Wade this season. Hassan Whiteside will lead the pack. (Issac Baldizon NBAE/Getty Images)”]

The NBA season is up and running as the Miami Heat begin their first season in 14 years without Dwyane Wade. With Chris Bosh done for the year, the Heat are onto life without any of the “Big Three”. The new look Miami Heat are led by Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic, Justice Winslow, and Josh Richardson.[spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Whiteside was the Heat’s biggest free agent signing as he resigned with a 4-year contract worth near $100 million. The Heat are also without Chris Bosh, the final piece of the Big Three, who failed his physical and whose “Heat career is probably over,” said Pat Riley. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

The Miami Heat have began this season with a 2-3 record. They started the year with a win on the road vs the Orlando Magic. They then lost their home opener to the Charlotte Hornets in a game in which at one point they were winning by 19 points. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Miami also lost to a very good Spurs team at home in which the game was close and only won at the end. The Heat went on to beat the Sacramento Kings at home before losing to the Toronto Raptors on the road.[spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

The Heat are in a transition phase, and they lack star-power. As mentioned before, life will be tough without Dwayne Wade and the Big 3 era is officially over. They’ll look to develop young talent in what will hopefully be a quick rebuild. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Season Prediction[spacer height=”5px” id=”3″]

I hate to sound like a pessimist when I say this but, the Miami Heat will not make the playoffs this season. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

It’s simple. The Eastern Conference has been improving over the past few years and the Miami Heat do not have the personnel to compete with teams such as Cleveland, Toronto, Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago.[spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

Besides the re-acquisition of Whiteside, the Miami Heat had arguably the worst off-season of all the NBA teams. It’s really hard to see this new look Miami team, which only retained 8 of its 15 players from last year, making the playoffs in this improved Eastern Conference. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]

The Heat are looking to build up but will not be going anywhere in 2016-17. [spacer height=”10px” id=”2″]