Miami Heat DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (personal) won't play in Monday's contest versus Detroit. The veteran averaged 8.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 34.4% shooting last season. However, he has yet to make his 2024-25 debut due to personal reasons. While Love isn't an everyday fantasy starter for most, his absence may open the door for more minutes for Haywood Highsmith and Thomas Bryant, although neither has done enough to find a spot in any fantasy lineup.

Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (personal) did not practice on Friday, and it's unclear if he will play on Saturday versus Charlotte. According to Adam Lichtenstein of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, It's not decided whether Love will travel with the team to Charlotte for the game. Love already sat out Wednesday's season opener against Orlando for personal reasons. It's been confirmed that Kel'el Ware (illness) will not be with the team, meaning Thomas Bryant and Nikola Jovic will be the only backup options behind starting center Bam Adebayo, should Love be unavailable. Matchups against the Hornets are typically good spots for centers. Houston's big man Alperen Sengun posted a huge line against them Wednesday night.

Golden State Warriors small forward Andrew Wiggins (illness) is expected to make his preseason debut in Tuesday's matchup against the Lakers. He has been battling an illness lately and will be limited to 15-20 minutes in the contest. Wigging is currently projected to kick off another campaign as Golden State's starting small forward, but there are a lot of fresh faces in town, all vying for playing time. Wiggins already saw his playing time drop in 2023-24, when he was limited to 27.0 minutes a night after averaging 30-plus minutes per game in each of his first nine NBA seasons. This, combined with shaky shooting, resulted in Wiggins averaging a career-low 13.2 points. He should be motivated to perform well in order to restore his value to the team.

Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler intends "to play as many games as possible" this season. "I don't need to put a number on the amount of games that I play," said Butler after Saturday's practice. "I know the more games that I play, the more opportunities that my squad has of winning. I do know that." There's no question Butler is one of the most talented players in the National Basketball Association. However, he's struggled to stay healthy, logging 65 games or fewer each season since 2016-17, his last with the Bulls. It's important to note the veteran is looking for a new contract, which may give him plenty of incentive to stay on the floor this season. But if he can remain healthy, Butler is at least a top-25 fantasy option.

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (groin) won't play in Tuesday's exhibition versus the Hornets. He's dealing with a strained groin, although he'll likely make an appearance during the preseason. Despite trade rumblings over the years, Herro remains on the roster. He averaged a career-high 20.8 points last season with 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The 24-year-old also shot 39.6% from deep, the second-best mark of his career. Unfortunately, Herro's defense is a liability, and his inability to stay healthy is an even bigger issue. However, if the 2019 No. 13 overall pick can at least stay healthy, he could exceed fantasy expectations this season. As far as Tuesday's contest is concerned, DFS managers could see more action from Pelle Larsson and Nassir Little, considering Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin) will also be sidelined for that one.