Cote: The stand pat Miami Heat must keep up as aggressive NBA East improves all around it | Opinion

As the new champion in town celebrates the view at the top of the world — a team from the tropics owning ice hockey — it invites what has become of the one franchise in South Florida that stood for winning, owned that down here, for a long time.

The Miami Heat was all we had, it seemed. That team’s NBA championships in 2006, 2012, and ‘13 were the only parades seen around here in the past two decades, until the Florida Panthers lifted that first Stanley Cup.

The Heat hasn’t gone anywhere. Five consecutive playoff seasons and reaching but falling short in the NBA Finals in 2023 and 2020 do not on the face of it signal demise, or even decline. A great coach in Erik Spoelstra and whatever the magic of Heat Culture is all but assures this ream will compete every year.

Yet the Heat is in trouble.

Against the high standard set for itself, this is a team that has stalled, stood pat, while around it the Eastern Conference has gotten appreciably, aggressively stronger.

The reality hit like a hard slap to the face when the bitter rival Boston Celtics owned the conference and convincingly won the championship last season — a team with a core in its prime, one built and poised to front the East for the foreseeable future.

Two other slaps have hit more recently as NBA free agency commences.

The finally arrived New York Knicks trading for versatile swingman Mikal Bridges, a 19.6 points-per-game scorer with defensive chops, and retaining OG Anunoby.

And the strong Philadelphia 76ers adding veteran free agent forward Paul George, still a perpetual All-Star at 34, and extending rising young star Tyrese Maxey long-term to form a potent nucleus with Joel Embiid.

The Knicks are giving up a ton to Brooklyn for Bridges, including four unprotected first-round picks. It might not be a smart trade long-view, but it undeniably makes the Knicks better now to try to take what Boston has.

Likewise Philly signing an aging George is a move for right now, signaling the Sixers see a window that won’t stay open long.

So should Miami, with Jimmy Butler turning 35 in September, but the Heat has financial constraints limiting it in free agency and, barring a major trade, seems unlikely to have substantially improved roster this coming season.

Failing to close a deal for Damian Lillard a year, after he had begged a trade here, continues a hurtful echo.

Miami was smart to recently lock up center Bam Adebayo with a three-year, $166 million extension. He’s a defensive force but needs added surrounding help offensively.

As for Butler, what I’ve said is truer than ever: Miami cannot contend in an improving East if Butler is your best player. Playoff Jimmy is great, when healthy, but Regular-Season Jimmy has not topped 64 games played with the Heat. That concerns club president Pat Riley, and should.

The Butler-Bam-Tyler Herro nucleus is fine, but not enough. Hasn’t been yet, and likely won’t be in an improved East. And so Miami -- not by regression but largely by inaction -- has fallen to mid-pack in its conference.

Champion Boston, the improved Knicks, Milwaukee with Giannis Antetekuonmpo and an improved Philly all rank above the Heat at the moment.

You could easily argue that Indiana, Orlando, Cleveland and maybe Atlanta do, too.

Miami the past two seasons has eked into the playoffs via the play-in tournament, and that’s about where the Heat sits now. On the far edge.

The club now fights to compete not only in the East, but in its own improving home market.

A quickie state-of for South Florida’s Big Six sports teams, in order of how thrilled fans should be today:

1. Florida Panthers: Arrow straight up and rising: Reigning NHL Stanley Cup champs and all the key guys back including newly re-signed goals leader Sam Reinhart.

2. Inter Miami: Arrow straight up for now: Lionel Messi has flipped everything and has team favored to win its first MLS Cup this season. Enjoy him while you can.

3. Miami Dolphins: Arrow up but wavering: For all the upturn of past couple years, club still seeks its first playoff win since 2000 and is dragging feet on extending Tua Tagovailoa long term.

4. Miami Heat: Arrow up but tilting down: Five straight playoff seasons, so can’t be too harsh. But club has fallen to mid-pack in an aggressively improving East.

5. Hurricanes football: Arrow sideways but leaning up: Mario Cristobal keeps scoring in recruiting and transfer portal (like QB Cam Ward), but UM is 12-13 in his two years. Time to produce. Big.

6. Miami Marlins: Arrow straight down: In midst of an awful season in which batting champ Luis Arraez was traded, and an owner who continues to not spend. The fans who are left should be up in arms.

The Heat’s ranking is especially sobering because this is the model franchise that has accounted for most of the winning in South Florida the past two decades.

But now that team sees the Celtics reign, sees the Knicks and 76ers improve, and sees the Bucks still formidable -- while Miami seems stuck.

The Heat mus find a way out, and up.