Six national analysts size up the Miami Heat. And NBA, Heat media changes

Six network analysts sized up the Heat after last season’s 53-29 season and appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals:

▪ Jeff Van Gundy, when I asked him on an ABC/ESPN conference call on Thursday about where the Heat ranks in his Eastern hierarchy: “So much of it is health. To me, Kyle Lowry has to bounce back with a really good year. Jimmy Butler has to play more games [he missed 25 last season]. Tyler Herro has to play better and it looks like they’re committed to him starting.

“Duncan Robinson had an OK year but he can play better, shoot better. They have plenty of places where they can improve from within. I’m sure they will be incredibly active up and through the trade deadline. They’re in the top; they have a chance. If you have a chance to come out of the East; they have a good chance, as good as these other teams. But health, like with other teams, has to be in their favor.”

Is Caleb Martin a good enough starting power forward?

“He’ll be different,” Jeff Van Gundy said. “He’s going to be in the corner like Tucker. He’s not going to be as physical but he’s going to be more agile. He’s going to put the ball on the floor a little bit more. Can he match up with Giannis [Antetokounmpo]? Probably not. But they would probably have Bam Adebayo on him anyway.

“These positional things we’re used to aren’t as hard and fast. Can he be a starter in the league? A fifth starter? I think yes, but we’ll see. You never know when you’re trying something you haven’t done before on a longterm basis.”

▪ ABC/ESPN’s Mark Jackson, also on that Thursday call: “I would think they’re as dangerous as always. Obviously, you miss PJ Tucker. You miss the toughness, the edge, the defensive tenacity. A guy with the ability to defend one through five. You do miss some of that; I don’t want to downplay how important he was to that team.

“The onus is on other guys who didn’t play as particularly well as they had. They’re still as tough as ever. Shooting is there. And Jimmy Butler can put more pressure on himself to take some of the responsibility that PJ Tucker took defensively because he’s more than capable.”

▪ TNT’s Reggie Miller said Thursday that “the Celtics, Bucks, 76ers are head and shoulders [above the other Eastern teams]. Then you’ve got the Nets and Heat, that next tier, those two teams. If they’re healthy, they can beat any of those teams in a seven game series.

“If they want to make that next step and be one of those eight or nine teams that can absolutely win it, they’ve got to stay healthy. And Tyler Herro, who was a disappointment in the playoffs a year ago, has to improve. He got paid. Pay to play now. Bam Adebayo has to get better, Max Strus.

“Their strength is defense and three point shooting. They’ve got to evolve on those things. They play so hard, they’re always in jeopardy of being hurt and missing games.”

▪ Former NBA standout guard Jamal Crawford - who’s replacing Dwyane Wade in TNT’s Tuesday studio - told me the Heat is “in the four, five range [in the Eastern hierarchy]. I believe they’ll have a really good regular season, but I just don’t know playoff wise, when the game slows down, if they have enough guys that can make plays at the end of the game, especially as they advance.

“Boston has that, and the Nets may be the most dangerous with that as far as having shot-makers, guys who can dominate stretches of games. Seven game series, when it comes down to shot making and advancing, I’m not sure they’re better than the Milwaukees, the Nets of the world.”

(Wade, a minority owner in the Utah Jazz, left the broadcasting business to focus on other ventures.)

▪ ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins: “There are a lot of teams better than [Miami].” He said projecting 46 wins (against 36 losses) “is kind of high. The Heat can’t pass the Bucks and Celtics. The East is too loaded.”

▪ ESPN’s Jalen Rose: “It seems like the media and fans overlook the Heat. It’s good to see Kyle Lowry in better shape. Their goal should be to make to the NBA Finals. Their [ceiling] is one of the [top] teams in the East. The major key is Tyler Herro. They’re a contending team.”

NBA MEDIA NOTES

▪ One change with ESPN’s coverage, beyond new music and graphics: JJ Redick, a rookie hit last season, will get more game assignments. He will do some in a three-man booth with Richard Jefferson... Hubie Brown, who’s still at the top of his game at 89, will get 15 games this season.

▪ The Heat and Bally Sports Sun hired two Bally employees - Jeremy Tache and Marlins reporter Kelly Saco - to replace reporter/host Kristen Hewitt, who left the broadcasting interest. They’ll combine to get 20 game assignments, helping Will Manso with reporting and halftime hosting.

The Heat will hire a new radio analyst - to work with Jason Jackson - in the coming days to replace Ruth Riley-Hunter, who took an executive position in the Heat front office.

Jackson filled in for Eric Reid the past two preseason games, with Reid in the NBA’s health and safety protocol system.

▪ ESPN’s Israel Gutierrez, a former Miami Herald staffer, is launching a podcast with New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollom, who has done broadcasting work in the past. The CJ McCollom Show will drop Thursdays all season.

▪ Alejandro Solana will replace the dismissed Jonathan Zaslow as WQAM’s Heat pregame and postgame host. Solana will remain executive producer of the Marc Hochman/Channing Crowder Show. Tommy Tighe will continue hosting the network portion of the pregame and postgame shows.