Q: Strangely, if it wasn’t for that cheap shot from LaMelo Ball, we probably wouldn’t have had the lottery pick and wouldn’t have been able to get Giannis Antetokounmpo. Worked out in the end. – Kevin.
A: This was in response to LaMelo Ball being dealt Thursday from the Hornets to the Timberwolves. And, yes, it was LaMelo’s uncalled flagrant foul that took Bam Adebayo out of the Heat’s play-in loss and kept Ball in the game to hit the game-winning shot in overtime. But even if the Heat won that night in Charlotte, they still had to win three nights later in Orlando. So it well could have been the No. 13 lottery seed, anyway. But, yes, without the No. 13 pick in Tuesday night’s first round it would have been more difficult for the Heat to round out the trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Q: Ira, is it still possible to alter the trade with Milwaukee? If the Heat do a sign-and-trade for Norman Powell and get back draft pick(s), can they be sent to the Bucks instead of Tyler or Kasparas Jakucionis? Of course, if Milwaukee agrees. – Howard.
A: Yes and no. The trade with the Bucks can be expanded to include other teams and possibly other players or picks. Such maneuvering could then potentially free the Heat from being hard-capped at the first tax apron (although still highly unlikely). But to your other point, the players included in the agreed-upon deal were included for cap-balancing purposes. Those elements of trades do not change, even when trades are expanded. But if the Heat were to, say, be able to offload the salary of Nikola Jovic and then another player, then it is possible that would be woven into the framework of the Milwaukee deal in place. What won’t change is Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis coming in and Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis going out.
Q: Ira, I read you almost everyday. Given the same opportunity in reverse, would Pat Riley have traded Bam Adebayo for the same plethora of picks we gave the Bucks and players? – Bob, Boynton Beach.
A: No, unless he was under the same duress as the Bucks., Although no one would have offered that for Bam Adebayo, either. But had the Heat not landed a star this offseason, then I think the Heat would have had to consider the trade possibilities with Bam, considering he is about to enter the first year of his extension. It would be hard to justify waiting until next year with a player earning $49.5 million this coming season.