Q: Ira, with whale hunting nearing extinction due to all the changes the NBA has made the past few years, will the Heat pivot and fully commit to building an elite team from the draft? It would seem that this year’s class is the best in over a decade, deep with talent. So, instead of lining up picks looking for a whale, might a trade of Tyler Herro, Norman Powell and anyone not named Bam Adebayo for another first round pick (Top 10 at least) be a better plan? – Brian, Fort Lauderdale.
A: The lesson the Heat learned at the NBA trading deadline two weeks ago is that veteran players with contract uncertainty no longer fetch first-round picks, with such picks at this year’s deadline instead going for players locked into the fiscal security of rookie-scale deals. And remember, with the trading deadline having passed, Norman Powell can no longer be traded ahead of his free agency, with the same for Andrew Wiggins if he opts out. So, at the moment, it’s not as if the Heat have the capital to secure another first-round pick. As for the value of Tyler Herro, first he has to get back onto the court. As for dealing away any future first-rounders, it is imperative to first see if the NBA makes any adjustments with the lottery.
Q: Health will be key. If we can get healthy and have our strongest five on the court (including Tyler Herro and Kel’el Ware), I think going 15-11 is very possible. As far as the other teams? “Keep the main thing the main thing” as Erik Spoelstra says, “and control what we control.” – Klif.
A: This was in response to the piece on the Heat’s chances to escape the play-in bracket and finish with a top-six seed. But such a 15-11 Heat projection factored in both the 76ers and Magic playing no better than .500 ball the rest of the way. Basically, if any of the current seeds above the Heat play with any level of success the balance of the regular season, then it’s beginning to look a lot like play-in in every single way.
Q: Myron Gardner is definitely Heat culture and very shifty. – Michael.
A: And what Wednesday’s move by the Heat did is again show that if you put in the time in the team’s developmental program, the possibility of being rewarded is real. It’s the same they did for Caleb Martin and countless others who maximized two-way contracts to the degree of earning standard deals. Of course, with the Heat it comes with the caveat of continuing that development.