It has been a wild NBA Playoffs thus far, with upsets and thrilling endings throughout. As the Miami Heat got bounced early out of the first round, they have ample time to reflect on ways to improve this roster. And there may be no better time to make a big offseason splash than right now.

In what turned out to be a potential league-altering series, the New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs on Friday night.

Earlier in the series, Boston superstar Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles. There’s no official timetable for his return, but the expectation is that he could miss the entire 2025-26 season.

(Regardless of the rivalry between Miami and Boston over the years, you have to feel for Tatum. A potential career-altering injury that highlights one of the worst parts of professional sports.)

Also this week, the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers were defeated by the Indiana Pacers in five games. They no longer seem like a juggernaut.

The top two teams in the East have both underperformed in this year’s postseason. Boston has the second-highest payroll in the league, and a major roster shakeup is expected with that core. Tatum’s unfortunate injury means the Celtics likely won’t be competing for a title next season.

The East is wide open, and the Heat need to take advantage of that this summer.

Outside of the Cavs’ and Celtics’ struggles, the Milwaukee Bucks are another team expected to undergo serious changes. Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tear earlier in the playoffs and will miss a full calendar year.

Even worse for the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is “open minded” about being traded to a new team for the first time in his career, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The East is quickly evolving, as the Pacers and Knicks seem to be rising. The days of the conference going through the Heat, Bucks and Celtics appear to be long gone. But that doesn’t mean Miami can’t get back into these conversations in the very near future.

The Heat are well-positioned to get involved in a star acquisition in the coming months.  They will have several expiring contracts, impactful players and young prospects to dangle in trade talks. They can trade up to three first-round picks and potential pick swaps in deals.

Pat Riley confirmed that changes are coming in his end of season presser, and made it a point to note that he would be open to managing an aging star again.

It’s easy to point to Kevin Durant, who fits that description.

There has been mutual interest between Durant and Miami for years now. Acquiring the future Hall of Famer’s services is much more realistic than getting involved in a potential Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.

Are the Heat a KD away from emerging as legitimate contenders? Possibly, but some other corresponding moves may be needed, such as re-signing Davion Mitchell and bringing in a couple of impactful rotation players.

However, the blueprint is right there. The East is suddenly wide open— and Riley and the Heat need to act accordingly.