Q: Erik Spoelstra is talking up Vlad Goldin again. What is he seeing that we’re not? – Andy.
A: First of all, he is seeing practice, with those sessions, beyond closing drills, closed to the media. But he also is seeing hope, because any degree of productivity from Vlad could ease the Heat’s cap situation to a degree. For example, if Vlad proves good enough, even on his two-way contact, to stand as the third-string center, then the Heat could give second thought to guaranteeing Nick Richards’ contract, with Nick’s full-season deal becoming fully guaranteed on opening night. Instead, the Heat could fill that roster spot with a player with a deal that doesn’t become guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date of Jan. 10. Another option could be Nick pushing back his guarantee date. Last year, the Heat saw enough from Vlad to waive Precious Achiuwa at the end of camp, rather than guaranteeing Precious for the season. For a team hard up against a hard cap, salary flexibility still could matter. That doesn’t mean it will come down to Vlad vs. Nick, just that Goldin could be part of such calculus. On the other hand, a case could be made for Vlad having to fight to simply keep his two-way deal.
Q: Ira, what do you want to see most during the preseason? I can’t wait to see Giannis Antetokounmpo? – Sarge.
A: Actually, while there is plenty to be said about the first looks at Giannis Antetokounmpo, there also is plenty to be said about saving his legs for the 82-game grind and then the postseason to follow. What will be of greatest interest otherwise is shot creation and who on the perimeter can add a degree of creativity to what is expected to be a power-based attack with Giannis and Bam Adebayo. All of that said, also do not overstate the preseason when it comes to potential breakout moments from Ryan Conwell, Tre Donaldson or the Heat’s other youthful scorers. As with summer league, the only true reads are when the stakes are elevated. At the moment, there are no stakes.
Q: I’m all in for Pelle Larsson at point guard. – Paolo.
A: And there should be a decent dose of that the remainder of the preseason, as Dru Smith pushes through another injury. The question here is whether the handle is tight enough, with Pelle showing even during World Cup qualifying with the Swedish national team that he can be turnover prone. Pelle advancing the ball might not be in the Heat’s best interests, but it also is worth a look when the scores don’t matter.