ميامي خيارات التجارة الحرارة

ميامي الحرارة & # x27؛ s 2018 نبا التجارة-- الموعد النهائي قائمة التسوق.
سواء كان ذلك لإنتاج أو اللاعبين، يجب أن لا تسوق مع معدة فارغة.
هذا (اعترف) تعذيب إيماءات البناء في اتجاه المشكلة ميامي الحرارة لديها عندما ينظرون في مهلة المحتملة الصفقات كما يقترب فبراير.
مع خزانة فارغة، وهناك الكثير من الاتجاهات التي يمكن أن نبلت في عدد قليل منها من شأنها أن تكون مفيدة لطموحات الامتياز طويلة المدى للعودة، بسرعة، إلى الخلاف.
ما هو مفيد للحرارة، على الرغم من ذلك، هو أن هذه المنظمة التي بشكل غير عادي ومنتعشة تركز على أهداف كبيرة.
وقد تحولت بات رايلي وشركتها اهتمامها بشكل صارم وكامل إلى فئة الوكيل الحر لعام 2018، حيث كان يمكن أن يكون كيفن دورانت وكريس بول ودويت هاورد وزمرة النجوم الأخرى والنجوم القريبة.
وقال مراسل الحرارة إيرا ويندرمان لمحطة إذاعة "سي بي اس" أن "بات رايلي وضعت كل شيء في عام 2018". "عام 2018 هو مثل له 2018. انه سيجلس، والتعامل مع النتائج والذهاب للنبأ كبير".
وبالتالي فإن الحرارة لا، على ما يبدو، تفعل أي شيء للتنازل عن سقف الغرفة التي حافظت ل أوفسيسون المتجهة إلى 2018-17. وهذا يشكل قيدا واضحا على قدرة الفريق على التسوق حول هذا الشتاء، ولكنه قد يكون مفيدا. ويمكن توضيح القيود.
في حين أن الحرارة لديها حفنة من مواقف الحاجة، هذه ليست الطريقة الصحيحة للتفكير في المعاملات التي قد تجعل في الشهر المقبل.
مشروع الحرارة في هذه المرحلة هو، أو ينبغي أن يكون، أكثر عن مسح مساحة إضافية سقف لهذا الصيف و 2018، في حين أن هبوط مثالي قطعة أو اثنين الذين قد تلتصق على المدى الطويل وتكون عضوا في بطل الحرارة المقبل.
فما التحركات التي يمكن أن تقدمها ميامي؟ عدة، في الواقع. ونحن سوف نلقي نظرة على ثلاثة، المدرجة من قبل رهانات هذه الخطوة. قرص طفيف، صفقة رشيقة وقنبلة.
وكان لول دينغ جيدة في ميامي، مما يعني أن هناك فرصة جيدة للحرارة تتحرك جرا. ووقع السودانيون على صفقة لمدة 20 مليون دولار مع الحرارة بعد مغادرة ليبرون جيمس المدينة، وتراجع موسم 2018-14 لدنغ تركه دون أي عقود العقد على المدى الطويل.
لكنه لعب طريقه إلى محادثة الموعد النهائي مع إطلاق النار ممتاز له 57.4 نسبة اطلاق النار الحقيقية هي المهنية عالية والصخور الصلبة الدفاع.
وقد سألت غريزليز بالفعل عن الأمام، وعلى الرغم من رفض ميامي لهم، ومن المرجح أن تتبع المزيد من العروض.
فريق واحد يجعل قليلا من الشعور كشريك تجاري هو لوس انجليس ليكرز. ويذكر أن الليكرز كانوا طويلين في دنغ، ولديهم عودة محتملة قوية إلى حد ما في الأردن هيل.
في هيل، فإن الحرارة الحصول على انتعاش ديناميكية من شأنها أن تقطع شوطا طويلا نحو حل مشكلة ارتدادها منذ فترة طويلة. بير بوكسكوريجيكس، وقال انه متوسط ​​اثنين من المتابعات لكل لعبة أفضل من مركز متوسط ​​لكل 48 دقيقة. وكان أيضا ضعف إنتاجية بمعدل 5 في المواسم الثلاثة السابقة.
هناك أيضا هذا: في حين دنغ لديه خيار لاعب ل 10 مليون $ في 2018-16، هيل لديه خيار فريق 9 مليون $. الحرارة يمكن أن نلقي نظرة على هيل وربما إحضاره مرة أخرى، أو رفض خيار لتحرير المزيد من النقود ربما لجعل تشغيل في جيمي بتلر أو كاوهي ليونارد هذا الصيف. هيل يعطيهم المرونة - واليقين - أن دنغ لا.
هذه الخطوة لن تكون لعبة مغير، لكنها ستكون خطوة تدريجية في الاتجاه الصحيح. الفرق الذكية تأخذ تلك.
مايكل كارتر وليامز لاعب كرة سلة غريب.
وقال انه لا يمكن اطلاق النار لعق بعد 100 مباراة في حياته المهنية المؤيدة، ونسبة هدفه الميداني هو 39.8-لكنه يمتلك مجموعة مهارة غير عادية وقيمة. يدير الكلمة مثل الغزال، متابعات ولها الغرائز النادرة ورؤية المحكمة.
في 6'6 "، الحرس نقطة طويلة بما فيه الكفاية طويلة للحصول على ذراعيه في الممرات المارة المعارضين. إنه مليء بالإمكانيات التي تنفجر بشكل دوري في خطوط إحصائية مثل قنبلة 18/16/10 التي أسقطها على دالاس مافيريكس في 29 نوفمبر / تشرين الثاني. هناك الكثير هناك.
ومع ذلك، فيلادلفيا على استعداد لنقله. وستكون هذه تجارة صعبة لتسهيل - ويرجع ذلك جزئيا إلى أن ميامي لا تخلو من مسودات المواهب والمهارات المرتفعة التي يبدو أن سيكسيرس راغبين فيها، ولكن من المحتمل أن تؤدي مسو إلى حل مشكلة ميامي الشائكة عند هذه النقطة مع إعطاء الفريق نسبة عالية على مستوى المستوى لمحاولة الخروج في نظام سبولسترا ل.
وهناك تجارة للحصول على كارتر وليامز سيكون معقدا، ومن شأنه أن يلغي إمكانية صفقة دنغ المذكورة آنفا. ولكن الصفقة الثلاثية التالية تسحب وفقا لآلة التداول نبا إسبن.
اكتساب الحرارة: مايكل كارتر وليامز وستيف ناش سيكسرز يكتسبان: يوليوس راندل ليكرز يكتسب: K. J. ماكدانيلز، شباز نابيير ولول دينغ.
انها لقطة طويلة أن ليكرز التخلي عن راندل في وقت مبكر جدا، لكنها ستكون الحصول على عائد قوي معقول للاعب العديد من المقيمين لديهم مخاوف بشأن. والحرارة ربما الحصول على الحرس نقطة من المستقبل.
سنقوم بتعمق في هذا في قطعة الأسبوع المقبل، ولكن كريس بوش ليست استثمارا ذكيا ل ميامي هيت في الوقت الحالي. فريق في موقف ميامي - واحد بعد عامين من الخلاف - لديها القليل من الاستخدام لرجل كبير في وقت قريب أن يكون 31 عاما على عقد الوحش الذي لا انتعاش.
ولكن واشنطن ويزاردز قد. و ويز على حافة الخلاف في الشرق الضعيف، وأنها لاعب تأثير بعيدا عن القدرة على الفوز الآن.
بوش، لجميع التزاماته، هو خبير في خلق تباعد الهجومية، المدافع المحيط قوية ولديه قليلا من الخبرة دفع فرق النجوم رصع على القمة. انه نكران الذات بما يكفي ليكون كل ما يحتاجه ويزاردز ليكون.
وفي الوقت نفسه، وفقا لآلة التجارة إسبن، يمكن أن تهبط نيني وأوتو بورتر. سيكون نيني في التجارة لجعل رواتب خط يصل وعقد له نفاد، مريح، الحق قبل صيف عام 2018 عندما تكون الحرارة تستعد لجعل النبأ.
في الوقت نفسه، كان بورتر يكافح من أجل العثور على قدميه في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين، ولكن البالغ من العمر 21 عاما لا يزال 20 شهرا فقط إزالة من كونه اللاعب الثالث المحدد في مشروع الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين 2018. الحرارة قد تكون قادرة على العثور على شيء هناك.
كما أنها قد تحصل على فرصة لاستخدام مشروع اختيار الخاصة بهم. أما ميامي فكانت في الجولة الأولى التي تدين بها فيلي، عبر كليفلاند، إذا اختارت في أي مكان بين 11 و 30 عاما. ولكن إذا انتهت في المراكز العشرة الأولى، فإن اختيار ميامي هو.
هذا يحفز سريعة وسهلة في وقت متأخر من الموسم وظيفة دبابات لإعادة تخزين خزائن الحرارة المستنفدة مع المزيد من المواهب الشابة. الانتقال من بوش لن يكون خطوة شعبية، ولكن قد يكون الحق.

إكس-غمز تقييم مارلينز & # 39؛ خيارات التجارة | ميامي هيرالد.
الرياضة الطنانة.
باري جاكسون يجلب لك آخر الأخبار و شذرات من جنوب فلوريدا الرياضة العالم.
باري جاكسون.
إكس-غمز تقييم خيارات التجارة مارلينز.
باري جاكسون.
أكتوبر 07، 2017 10:20 بيإم.
أوبداتد أكتوبر 07، 2017 10:28 بيإم.
مع مجموعة بروس شيرمان / ديريك جيتر مارلينز الملكية التي من المتوقع أن تقلل الرواتب، طلبنا التماس من اثنين من المديرين العامين السابقين (جنرال موتورز السابقين جنرال موتورز جيم بودن والروكيز السابق غم دان أودود) على ما بعض من كبار اللاعبين يمكن أن القيادة في الصفقات:
• لاعب جيانكارلو ستانتون. انه يستحق 25 مليون $ الموسم المقبل وبين 25 مليون $ و 32 مليون $ كل من ال 10 المقبلة.
ولديه شرط عدم التبادل التجاري (ولكن من المتوقع أن يتنازل عنه إذا تعامل مع أحد المتنافسين) ولديه خيار عدم المشاركة بعد عام 2020، والذي يبدو من غير المرجح أن يمارس إلا إذا كان غير عادي في عام 2019.
يعتقد مارلينز أنهم سوف يكون واحد خاطفة العدوانية هذا الشتاء (العمالقة) وربما الآخرين، مثل الكاردينالات.
لا يفوتون قصة محلية.
اشترك اليوم للحصول على نسخة تجريبية مجانية لمدة 30 يوما من الوصول الرقمي غير المحدود.
"أعتقد أنهم سوف يجدون شخص سوف يأخذ معظم العقد. أنا أكره أن أقول كل شيء لأنه في كل مفاوضات، عليك أن تدفعه بعض "، وقال بودن، الذي يعمل لراديو سيريوس شم. "هناك ما يكفي من فرق السوق الكبيرة التي سوف تأخذ أكثر من ذلك.
"السؤال الأكبر هو أنه سوف يتنازل عنه لا التجارة؟ لا أستطيع أن أرى له التنازل عنه أي تجارة للذهاب الى فيلادلفيا. سيئة كما سان فرانسيسكو هو، لماذا تذهب إلى هناك وليس الفوز؟ ألقي نظرة على المراوغين ولديهم الكثير من المال يخرجون من كتبهم. ربما الملائكة. لكن الملائكة والعمالقة لديهم نظم زراعية رقيقة، فماذا ستعود مارلينز من هذين النظامين؟
"يجب أن تكون قادرا على الحصول على حزمة من ثلاثة احتمالات جيدة بالنسبة له. إذا كنت مارلينز، فإنك لا تحصل على قيمة متساوية إذا كان الفريق الآخر هو "دفع معظم العقد.
وقال بودن "مع المراوغين، ما أعتقد أنه سيكون منصفا [لاعب] ياسيل بويغ ومستوى متوسط ​​المستوى واحتمال كبير منافس ولكن ليس أعلى قمة لها [اثنين من آفاق نصب]. بويغ هو غلوفر الذهب هذا العام، سيكون المفضل في سوق مثل ميامي. بويغ، كريستيان ييليتش، مارسيل أوزونا سيكون ملعبا جيدا ".
أودود يأخذ: "فيلي هو النادي واحد مع وافر المالية للتجارة ل ستانتون، ولكن أنا لست متأكدا من انه سوف يقبل التجارة هناك. وقال انه سيعيد آفاق الراقية لأنه فريد من نوعه. ربما سوف تحصل لاعبين الدوري الرئيسي مرة أخرى ل ستانتون ولكن من شأنه أن يكون من الصعب نوعا ما القيام به. "
• لاعب مارسيل أوزونا. مؤهلة للحصول على وكالة مجانية بعد عام 2019. هو مؤهل للتحكيم هذا الشتاء وبسبب قيادة أكثر بكثير في العامين المقبلين من له 3.5 مليون $ راتب في عام 2017.
وقال بودن: "ستحصل على عائد أفضل لأوزونا من ستانتون لأنك لا داعي للقلق بشأن قضية المال". "بالإضافة إلى ذلك، فإنه لا يستطيع التحكم في مصيره [لأنه لا يوجد لديه شرط عدم التجارة]. وستشارك الفرق مع أوزونا. ستكون هناك حرب عطاءات مفتوحة. حرب العطاءات المفتوحة يحصل لك أكثر من واحدة مغلقة. انه لاعب عظيم. "
• لاعب كريستيان ييليش. لديها عقد معقول جدا، بقيمة 7 ملايين دولار، 9.7 مليون $، 12.5 مليون $، 14 مليون $ و 15 مليون $ (خيار فريق) على مدى السنوات الخمس المقبلة.
بودن: "أنت تبدو فريق مثل المالكة؛ سيكون لديهم المال لقضاء ولكن قد لا تكون قادرة على إنفاق ما "الخفافيش وكيل الخاصة بهم سوف قيادة، بما في ذلك اريك هوسمر. "هناك أشخاص يريدون أن يكون ليليش زاوية إطلاق أفضل. وقال انه يمكن أن يفوز عنوان الضرب في اليوم. لا يزال لاعب نجم. سوف تحصل على عائد كبير له بلا شك. "
أودود: "من كل لاعبيهم، وأود أن أقول ييليش هو رقم 1 في القيمة التجارية. [كاتشر] J. T. ريلوتو أيضا الحصول على طن من اللعب. "
• قائد ثالث مارتن برادو. سيكون من الصعب جدا للتداول، لأنه كان بسبب 13.5 $ و 15 مليون $ في الموسمين المقبلين، ضرب .250، هو 33 وغاب عن كل 37 مباراة بسبب الاصابة هذا الموسم.
"غير قابلة للتداول؛ سيكون عليك أن تأكل المال لتداوله ". "أنت أفضل حالا من اللعب له نصف العام، وتجارة له في مهلة التجارة عندما يكون له بعض القيمة."
• ديدمان غوردون. انه يستحق 10.5 مليون دولار، 13 مليون $ و 13.5 مليون دولار في المواسم الثلاثة المقبلة، مع خيار النادي 14 مليون $ (أو 1 مليون $ الاستحواذ) في عام 2021.
"إنه عقد قابل للتداول. انه حصل على قيمة كبيرة "، وقال بودن. "انه في المحادثة مع ييليش. انظروا إلى سجل الأشبال مع دكستر فاولر الذي كان يقود العام الماضي وهذا العام دون ضربة القيادة. دي غوردون هو صانع الفرق. وقال انه سيكون للأشبال. كم عدد المضايقين الرصاصية بروبيبيكال هناك؟ انه مدافع عظيم، يمكن أن يؤدي الدوري في قواعد مسروقة ".
يعارض أودود: "لا أعتقد أنك سوف تحصل على طن مرة أخرى ل غوردون بسبب العقد. إذا نظرتم إلى مجموعته اللعبة، له على نسبة قاعدة هو [فقط] موافق. ما لم يكن دي أن يكون 0.320 الضارب أو أعلى، أن العقد لا تبدو جيدة ".
بلغ 308 هذا الموسم، وقاد البيسبول مع 60 سرقة.
• دان سترايلي: ضارب بشكل جيد بشكل جيد هذا الموسم (10-9، 4.26 إيرا) وله قيمة لأنه تحت سيطرة الفريق خلال موسم 2020. التحكيم مؤهلة وسوف تحصل على زيادة من 552،000 $.
وقال بودن انه سيكون مفتوحا لتداوله، وإذا كان مارلينز وقال انه سيجعل نوع الدقيق من التجارة ريدز أدلى مع مارلينز الشتاء الماضي - سترايلي لنصب احتمال لويس كاستيلو (الذي كان 3-7 مع 3.12 لالحمر وأعجب الجميع).
وقال بودن "كنت ترغب في جعل تجارة كاستيلو في الاتجاه المعاكس". "إذا فعل ريدز ذلك، لماذا لا يمكن مارلينز [هذا الشتاء]؟ أريد النجاح على المدى البعيد حتى هدفي هو بناء دوران البداية التي يفوز على المدى الطويل وأغتنم أي من هذه الأصول وتحويلها إلى دوران في المستقبل.
"لذلك أنا لا أعتقد أن هناك أي شخص يمكنك أن تقول أنك لن تتاجر. لديك للاستماع على أي شخص. إذا كنت تحدى اقتصاديا مثل هم، كنت تبحث عن اللاعبين غير المكلفة وغير المكلفة التي ليست مؤهلة للتحكيم حتى الآن. "
• من المستحيل أن التجارة: وي ين تشن، بسبب 18 مليون $، و 20 مليون $ و 22 مليون $ المواسم الثلاثة المقبلة والخروج من موسمين تعاني من إصابة، وإدينسون فولكيز، الذي يجب أن تدفع 13 مليون $ الموسم المقبل ولكن يمكن أن تفوت كل من 2018 بعد جراحة تومي جون.
• من الصعب جدا التجارة: المسكنون جونيتشي تازاوا (5.69 إيرا و 7 مليون دولار الموسم المقبل في السنة الأخيرة من الصفقة) أو براد زيغلر (ضارية بشكل أفضل عندما تكون هناك حاجة ليكون أقرب في وقت متأخر من الموسم، ولكن نظرا 9 مليون $ في السنة النهائية من الصفقة في 2018).
وقال بودن "ان هذه المرتبات، اذا لم تكن تملكها على كتبك، ستدفع ليليتش واوزونا". "هذا هو السخافة" إعطاء تلك العقود في الشتاء الماضي.
• في حين أنه سيكون من المستغرب على ما يبدو إذا مارلينز التجارة ريالموتو أو جوستين بور - كلاهما لا تزال رخيصة جدا - لا يمكن استبعاده إذا كان مارلينز يمكن الحصول على العديد من آفاق أعلى إما.
من المستبعد جدا ميامي الصفقات كايل باركلو أو خوسيه أورينا.
ديريك ديتريش لا تزال بأسعار معقولة جدا ويمكن أن تكون هناك حاجة كما العادية إذا تم تداول لاعب، على الرغم من دون ماتينغلي يحب له أكثر كنسخ احتياطي الذي يلعب كثيرا. كان أودود بعض الأشياء الأخرى المثيرة للاهتمام أن نقول أننا سوف تعمل في عمود في الأسابيع المقبلة.
أشرطة فيديو.
فيديوهات اكثر.
النادل يتحدث عن إعادة التوقيع مع الحرارة.
ميامي ديس ويترز، 25 عاما، وقعت صفقة لمدة أربع سنوات 52 مليون $ للبقاء في ميامي وتحدث عن ذلك السبت 8 يوليو 2017 في لعبة الكرة اللينة المشاهير في جامعة باري.

خيارات التجارة الحرارية في ميامي
قد تتداول ميامي هيت مع ماريو تشالمرز أو شاباز نابيير أو كريس أندرسون، عندما يحاولون القيام بتحركات مجانية للوكيل، حيث قام الفريق بجلب غوران دراغيك على صفقة كحد أقصى، ومن المحتمل أن يوقع دويان ويد في وكالة حرة ويأتي هذا كما جي باريا يمكن أن يكون هدفا للفريق جنبا إلى جنب مع لو وليامز متجهة إلى فصل الصيف.
كان للحرارة عدد من الأولويات في بداية وكالة حرة، بما في ذلك التوقيع مرة أخرى دراجيك والبدء في العمل على اتفاق مع واد. قام كل من واد و دراغيك باختيارهما من صفقةهما، وكانت ميامي مهتمة بإحضار اللاعبين لاعادة الموسم المقبل. وفقا ل أدريان فوجناروسكي من ياهو الرياضة، وافق دراجيك على صفقة لمدة خمس سنوات بقيمة 90 مليون دولار ولديه خيار لاعب بعد السنة الرابعة. كما يذكر ووج ان ميامي وادى "يتقدمان فى محادثات" حول عقد يمكن ان يكون لعدة سنوات.
ورفض ويد عدم تمكن الجانبين من التوصل الى اتفاق بشأن صفقة جديدة، والآن مع دراجيك وقعت، واد لديه فرصة لحبر عقد جديد. ويدعى ويد يدرس لقاء مع فرق وفي وقت سابق في أوفسيسون أفيد أن ليكرز كان الفائدة. لكن دراجيك وقع على أقل من المال الذي كان يحتاج إليه وياهو سبورتس ذكرت أن دراجيك قال لبات رايلي انه يريد توقيع صفقة لمساعدة الفريق على الحفاظ على واد. ويبدو أن هذا هو احتمال جيد الآن، ويأتي بعد ويد كان موسم قوي في حين بلغ متوسط ​​20 نقطة في المباراة ل ميامي.
وفقا لديفيد الدريدج في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين، الحرارة تبحث في جي باريا والحارس "يميل" نحو اتفاق مع ميامي. يقول برو كرة السلة نقاش أنه إذا كان ميامي يوقع باريا، فإن الفريق المرجح أن ننظر في التداول إما ماريو تشالمرز أو شباز نابيير، كما باريا من شأنه أن يعطي عمق الفريق في موقف الحراسة. كان الفريق سابقا يشتري تشالمرز وكريس أندرسن وفقا لرامونا شيلبورن وبريان ويندهورست من إسبن، ولكن الآن يمكن أن ننظر في تحريك أحد الحراس بدلا من ذلك.
وقد اتخذت ميامي خطا قويا مع واد، حيث ذكرت صحيفة ميامي هيرالد أن ويد يبحث عن صفقة لمدة ثلاث سنوات وحوالي 20 مليون دولار في الموسم الواحد. تريد ميامي بعض المرونة للمضي قدما، وأنها لا تريد أن تتعثر بسبب عقد سيئ لاعب يبلغ من العمر 33 عاما. يشعر ويد أنه قد أخذ أقل من المال من الفريق عدة مرات، والآن انه يبحث للحصول على بعض على النهاية الخلفية. ومن المرجح أن يعود ويد طالما مطالبه لا تحصل على مرتفعة جدا بالنسبة ميامي.
وفقا ل بت، كان باريا سابقا يبحث عن صفقة بقيمة 3 ملايين دولار والتي يمكن أن تكون في نطاق ميامي إذا تحركوا نابير أو شالمرز. أندرسن يأتي مع راتب 5 ملايين $ و تشالمرز في 4.3 مليون $، وكلاهما في السنة الأخيرة من عقودهم. ويمكن أن يساعد ذلك في الصفقات، حيث يمكن للفرق أن تكون أكثر استعدادا للحصول على صفقات تنتهي على أنواع أخرى من العقود. ومن المرجح أن يوقع وايد إذا قام الفريق بإجراء صفقة.
أخبار ذات صلة.
ني نيكس فري إدجنت الشائعات: أرون علامات أفلالو، روبن لوبيز، توبياس هاريس، غريغ مونرو إلى باكز، باتريك بيفرلي، جيريمي لين الأهداف؟
دويان ويد فري إدجنت الشائعات: ميامي الحرارة العودة على عقد سنة واحدة بعد كافالييرز، بولز، نيكس الأهداف؟
هيوستن روكتس الشائعات: ريكي روبيو الخيار التجاري دون باتريك بيفرلي العودة؟ لاماركوس ألدريدج وكيل الحرة الهدف.
دالاس رعاة البقر الشائعات: ديز براينت عقد عقد الخيار، جوزيف راندل، دارين مكفادن كاتب في معسكر التدريب؟
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ملب الأخبار والملاحظات.
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كولين كابيرنيك 'أكثر من فتح' إلى 49ers العودة.
&نسخ؛ 2017 تقرير العالم الرياضي. كل الحقوق محفوظة.

انخفاض الحرارة أقل من الضرائب مع اثنين من الصفقات، والحفاظ على البيض.
يقول إريك سبولسترا إن الموعد النهائي للتداول في مؤشر نبا للحرارة كان حول القدرة على التحلي بالمرونة مع الموظفين في التقدم.
يقول إريك سبولسترا إن الموعد النهائي للتداول في مؤشر نبا للحرارة كان حول القدرة على التحلي بالمرونة مع الموظفين في التقدم.
وجاءت النتيجة النهائية لتداولات يوم الخميس في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين في ميامي هيت بانها انخفضت تحت عتبة الضرائب الفاخرة واحتفظت بالمركز حسن ويتزيد.
وبعد زوج من الصفقات الصغيرة قبل الساعة الثالثة من بعد الظهر. الموعد النهائي، وصلت الحرارة الرئيس بات رايلي هدفه في الحصول على الحرارة من الضرائب الفاخرة العقابية، مما يتيح للفريق مرونة أكبر في مناورة الموظفين للمضي قدما.
على الرغم من ذلك، قد يكون البيان الأكبر قد تمسك على وايتسايد على الرغم من عدم وجود ضمانات تمكنه من الاحتفاظ بمركز منع التسرب الزئبقي في أوفسيسون كعامل حر.
& كوت؛ هذه أوقات مثيرة للاهتمام عندما تحصل على الموعد النهائي للتداول، & كوت؛ مدرب إريك سبولسترا كما كانت الحرارة استكمال المناورة. & كوت؛ نشعر أننا بحاجة إلى المرونة في القائمة أكثر من أي شيء الآن.
& كوت؛ أردنا الحصول على هذه المرونة. & كوت؛
تم الانتهاء من الطريق إلى تجنب الضرائب التي بدأت مع ميمي تشالمرز التجارة في وقت مبكر من الموسم إلى ممفيس غريزليز ثم تجارة يوم الثلاثاء من كريس أندرسن لممفيس مع صفقات الخميس التي أرسلت نادرا ما تستخدم السلطة إلى الأمام جارنيل ستوكيس إلى نيو أورليانز بيليكانز ومجرد حارس - Aquired بريان روبرتس إلى بورتلاند ترايل بلايزرز.
وتتوجه ميامي هيت الى جارنيل ستوكس الى نيو اورليانز بيليكانز وحراسة بريان روبرتس الى بورتلاند ترايل بليزرز، حيث تقل عن الضريبة الفائضة في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين في الموعد النهائي الخميس.
وتتوجه ميامي هيت الى جارنيل ستوكس الى نيو اورليانز بيليكانز وحراسة بريان روبرتس الى بورتلاند ترايل بليزرز، حيث تقل عن الضريبة الفائضة في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين في الموعد النهائي الخميس.
يذكر ان روبرتس، الذى تم الحصول عليه من ممفيس فى تجارة اندرسن يوم الثلاثاء، انهى اول ممارسة له فقط مع الحرارة بعد ظهر اليوم ولم يظهر فى مباراة مع الفريق.
تم إرسال ستوكس إلى بيليكانس مع 700،000 $ نقدا، وهو ما يزيد على تغطية رصيد راتبه لهذا الموسم، لاختيار 2018 الجولة الثانية اختيار محمية بشدة أن الالتزام تقريبا سوف يتم إخماد دون أن يتم إرسالها من أي وقت مضى.
تم إرسال روبرتس إلى تريل بليزرز جنبا إلى جنب مع اختيار الجولة الثانية 2021 في مقابل الاعتبارات النقدية.
نتيجة لهذه التحركات، الحرارة الآن قد تناولت كل من مسودات الجولة الثانية يختار من خلال 2021.
ومن المحتمل ان تتبع الصفقات الاضافية بحلول الساعة الثالثة من بعد الظهر. قام مدرب فريق ميامي هيت إريك سبولسترا يوم الأربعاء بتصوير كريس أندرسن يوم الثلاثاء إلى ممفيس غريزليز بهدف تعزيز فريقه الخلفي المختصر.
"شعرنا أننا بحاجة إلى تعزيز قليلا.
ومن المحتمل ان تتبع الصفقات الاضافية بحلول الساعة الثالثة من بعد الظهر. قام مدرب فريق ميامي هيت إريك سبولسترا يوم الأربعاء بتصوير كريس أندرسن يوم الثلاثاء إلى ممفيس غريزليز بهدف تعزيز فريقه الخلفي المختصر.
"شعرنا أننا بحاجة إلى تعزيز قليلا.
مع تداول تشالمرز، أندرسن، ستوكس، روبرتس و سابقا زوران دراجيك و شباز نابيير منذ أوفسسون عام 2018، خفضت الحرارة مبلغ 11 مليون دولار المطلوب من رواتبهم للإسقاط دون الضريبة.
مع التحركات يوم الخميس، فتحت الحرارة اثنين من بقع القائمة التي الآن إما يمكن ملؤها مع اللاعبين على عقود لمدة 10 أيام أو عن طريق الحصول على اللاعبين اشترت من قبل فرق أخرى قبل 1 مارس الموعد النهائي للحصول على أهلية التأهل.
ولأن الحرارة تبقى على أعتاب إعادة دخول الضريبة الفخمة 2018-16، والتي لا يتم حسابها حتى نهاية الموسم، فإنها لن تكون قادرة على ملء فورا كل من بقائمة القوائم المتاحة لبقية الموسم.
وكان الانخفاض تحت الضرائب الفخمة نهجا يتطلع إلى الأمام ويضع بشكل أفضل وكالة الحرارة لعام 2018 مجانا، ويفتح إمكانيات مع معاملات تسجيل وتجارة واستثناءات في سقف الراتب.
ويصبح السؤال التالي كم من مساحة الحد الأقصى للراتب المتوفرة في هيت، والتي يتوقع أن تزيد عن 37 مليون دولار، سيكون الفريق مستعدا للالتزام ب ويتزيد. لأنه لا يحمل حقوق الطيور، مع موسمين فقط مع الحرارة، أي عقد حرارة جديد للبيتزيد يجب أن تكون مبنية قبالة من سقف الفضاء.
قبل ساعة واحدة فقط من التعامل مع روبرتس، تحدث سبولسترا عن قدرة روبرتس على توفير الحرارة مع اطلاق النار الخارجي الذي تمس الحاجة إليه، وكذلك توفير عمق في نقطة حارس، مع تايلر جونسون ربما لتفويت ميزان الموسم بعد جراحة الكتف الأخيرة.
في أعقاب تجارة روبرتس، تبقى الحرارة مع غوران دراجيك فقط و بينو أودريه كخيارات في الحرس نقطة.
كانت الحرارة نشطة على الهواتف قبل الموعد النهائي، مع العديد من التقارير التي تشير إلى اهتمام بالتعامل مع جوش ماكروبرتس، الذي يحمل عقده خارج الوكالة الحرة هذا الصيف. فمن الممكن إعادة النظر في الحرارة التجارة ماكروبرتس في أوفسيسون، قبل بداية يوليو 1 من وكالة حرة.
ستوكس، الذي هو على انتهاء العقد، وسوف يكون وكيل الحرة في أوفسيسون، تم الحصول عليها في نوفمبر من غريزليز في التجارة التي شحنت تشالمرز. كان ستوكس قد لعب بشكل متقلب مع الحرارة، وقضى معظم وقته مع الفريق التابع لجامعة نبا، فريق سيو فولز سكيفورس. شارك في الدوري D - الدوري كل النجوم لعبة السبت في تورونتو. مع النقد المدرجة في صفقة ستوكس، الحرارة هي على نحو فعال من المال لتشمل في الصفقات حتى يوليو تموز من العام المقبل تقويم الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين.
جاء الموعد النهائي وسط حالة عدم اليقين من الحرارة مع كريس بوش الذي يتعامل مع جلطات الدم للسنة الثانية على التوالي في استراحة آل-ستار وكان بعيدا عن الفريق.
تستأنف "هيت" جدولها اليوم الجمعة في ملعب فيليبس أرينا ضد أتلانتا هوكس، قبل أن تعود إلى مباراة ليلة السبت في ملعب أمريكان إيرلينس ضد واشنطن ويزاردز.

أسأل إيرا: هل الحرارة، ويتسايد يجب أن تنازلات على اللعب الاسلوب؟
حسن ويتزيد يناقش الحرارة الكبيرة الرجال التي دعا إلى حركة الكرة.
حسن ويتزيد يناقش الحرارة الكبيرة الرجال التي دعا إلى حركة الكرة.
س: لا يهمني ما يقوله أحد. لا يهمني الذي يضرب خطواتهم. هذا الفريق هو أفضل مع حسن ويتزيد من دونه. - كوني، جاكسونفيل.
ج: من ذلك ينبغي أن يكون هناك شك. لكن الحرارة قد خضعت لتغيير أسلوب اللعب في غياب حسن، وكان من الغريب ما إذا كانوا سيقابلونه في منتصف الطريق. انه بالتأكيد في انتصار يوم السبت في أورلاندو، عندما أغلق مع مهنة أربعة عالية المساعدة. منح، وكان قبالة مع ما يكفي من الطلقات له (4 من 11) ضد ماجيك أن هناك القليل من معنى لإجبار تغذية هذا المنصب. ولكن سيكون هناك أوقات عندما يفعل ذلك. وعندما الحرارة يجب. ما هي الحرارة لا يمكن أن نتوقع هو لمساعدة أربعة حسن يوم السبت ليصبح ثمانية. على الأرجح هي تسع نقاط له يوم السبت لتصبح 18 أو حتى 27. وليس كما لو أن حسن لم تثبت قيمته كاعب السلطة. إن الابتعاد عن تلك اللعبة سيكون أحمق. وهو جزء من ما يجعل الحرارة فريدة من نوعها. ولكن إذا كانت الحرارة تصر على الابتعاد عن ذلك، ثم ويتزيد سيكون بالتأكيد من الحق في التشكيك في مثل هذا النهج. وقد جعل إريك سبولسترا بصمته يلعب إلى نقاط القوة للاعبين. مع ويتزيد، وهذا العنصر بالفعل ثبت.
س: بيغس كثيرة جدا، لا يكفي أجنحة يبدو أن تكون على ما يرام، ومنع إصابة أخرى. ولكن ماذا يحدث عندما يملأ القائمة و إريك سبولسترا أن تجد وقت اللعب لأول مرة لجيمس جونسون وجوستيس وينسلو، في وقت لاحق ل رودني ماكغرودر؟ لا يمكن أن رمي شيء التقدم كله من الكيلتر؟ - ه.
ج: هذا يعتمد على متى وكيف جاستيس وينسلو وديون النوادل العودة (ربما حتى & كوت؛ إذا & كوت؛ لديون). يمكن القول إن الحجة (ولكن بالتأكيد ليست واحدة أن الموظفين التدريب من أي وقت مضى سوف تجعل علنا) أن تكون الحرارة أكثر مرونة دون هذين، من حركة الكرة ومنحى التهديف، إذا كان جوش ريتشاردسون، تايلر جونسون واين إلينغتون يلعبون في مستوى عال. إذا كان هذا حقا هو الجدارة، سيكون من المثير للاهتمام أن نرى كيف إيريك سبولسترا يعالج شيئا أقرب إلى قائمة كاملة. أنا لست قلقة بشأن جيمس جونسون و رودني ماكغرودر، لأن كلا منهما كانوا على استعداد لاعبين مكملين. نادرا ما يكون لديك الكثير من تلك. ولكن دقائق قصيرة يمكن أن تصبح قضية بالنسبة للاعبين الذين يتوقعون أكثر من ذلك.
س: سوف التجمع مرة أخرى السحر تكون ركلة بدء الحرارة تحتاج؟ - اريك.
ج: كانت بداية ركلة سبعة انتصارات في 10 مباريات قبل خسارة الجمعة القبيحة للشبكات. الآن حان الوقت لمعرفة ما إذا كان يمكن أن يكون هناك اتساق طويلة، والتي لم يكن هناك حتى خلال مباراة السبت في مركز امواى، مع الحرارة الفظيعة في النصف الأول، مستوحاة في الشوط الثاني. وستكون هذه المباراة القادمة ثلاث مباريات حاسمة، مع تشغيل سبعة من ثمانية على الطريق، بما في ذلك الألعاب الصعبة ضد رابتورس، باكس وصواريخ، وغيرها. لقد حان الوقت لوضع موقف الآن.
س: نحن دفع مجموعة من اللاعبين غير متناسقة للعب باستمرار. هذا الفريق هو مجنون لمشاهدة ويحتاج حقنة شرجية. - توني.
A: أسطول في الواقع ليست صفة وأود أن تستخدم لوصف مسرحية الحرارة يوم الجمعة، ولكن أحصل على نقطة - لأنني قد حصلت بالفعل على نقطة. كان الأمل في خضم النجاح الذي سبقه إزاحة يوم الجمعة ضد الشباك هو أن جوش ريتشاردسون، تايلر جونسون وربما بعض اللاعبين الآخرين سوف يتحرك نحو شيء موثوق به باستمرار. بدلا من ذلك، كانت لحظة أخرى جعلتك تهز رأسك. من المحتمل أن يتنافس أحد لاعبي التصفيات في إحدى هذه المناسبات، لكن هذه هي المرة الخامسة التي تسجل فيها الحرارة 30 مباراة أو أكثر في هذا الموسم. ونحن لسنا حتى في منتصف السن بعد. نعم، كان هناك بالكاد استمرارية الاصطفاف، ولكن كان من المفترض أن يكون حيث & كوت؛ ثقافة & كوت؛ جزء من المعادلة دخلت المعادلة. فقط لم يفعل ذلك. مرة أخرى. حتى مع اقتراب حسن وايتسايد من الكل، فإننا ننتهي مع هذا. إذا كان فريق من أي وقت مضى في حاجة الى التطهير، فمن الحرارة الذهاب الى لعبة السبت في اورلاندو. انهم بحاجة الى مسح هذا من نظامهم مع العدة المناسبة.
س: لن أتعامل مع حسن وايتسايد لأي شيء آخر غير أفضل 15 لاعبا أو مختارات متعددة في الجولة الأولى، وهذا لا يحدث. ومع ذلك، أود أن التجارة غوران دراجيك، تايلر جونسون وجوستيس وينسلو للحصول على أفضل حارس نقطة مثل كيمبا ووكر، داميان ليلارد، الخ دراغيك هو الحصول على القديم ويمكننا أن نرى ذلك الآن. - ألين.
ج: في حين أنني أفضل لتجنب الأسئلة التجارية المضاربة، وسوف أعض على هذا لسببين. أولا، أنت على حق أنك لم تتمكن من الحصول على نوع الحزمة التي ذكرتها ل ويتزيد. وقد أكد اثنين من الكشافة الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين بالفعل أن بالنسبة لي. أما بالنسبة إلى دراجيك - الذي أعتقد أنه لا يزال لديه صعود كبير لهذا الفريق - لدي صعوبة في النظر في أي تجارة وسط حقيقة أن اثنين من المقبلات الجولة الأولى من الجولة الأولى هيت سوف تذهب إلى سونز ودفع لذلك فبراير 2018 التجارة. وأعتقد أن إدارة الحرارة يجب أن تجد صعوبة لا يصدق للمعدة دفع قبالة التجارة لاعب الذي لم يعد سيكون على القائمة. وكما هو عليه الآن، فإنه لا يزال يتعامل مع هذا الضحى المترهل.
س: إيرا، هل ترى الطريقة التي يلعبها شاباس نابيير في غياب داميان ليلارد وكيف كان يلعب قبل أن يصاب ليلارد؟ لا شيء مثل 20/20 بعد فوات الأوان، ولكن الآن سيكون الحرارة بدلا من غوران دراجيك، أو نابيير واثنين من الجولة الأولى خيارات الخيارات التي تخلى عن دراغيك؟ - جويل.
a: بعد النظر لا يمكن أن يكون أي مكان في الأمام-- التفكير الإدارة. (حتى مع ما قلته أعلاه حول هذين المشروعين يختار بسبب سونز). أولا، دعونا لا نبالغ في نابيير. في أحسن الأحوال، كان لديه بضع لحظات خلال هذه الفصول الأربعة الماضية. أما بالنسبة دراجيك، وتذكر أنه تم الحصول عليه في وقت كان الحرارة كريس بوش ودوين واد. وقد تم الحصول عليه كعجلة ثالثة بديلة في أعقاب رحيل ليبرون جيمس. الحرارة منذ ذلك الحين طلبت أكثر بكثير منه مما كان متوقعا، بل وأكثر من سونز المطلوبة عندما كان يلعب جنبا إلى جنب مع اريك بليدسو وإشيا توماس.
&خجول؛ س: رجل، نحن فلدي استقال الخيال التداول الجميع في انخفاض المد. حسن ويتزيد لديه لعبة سيئة؟ تجارة بوم! وايتسايد لديه لعبة جيدة؟ ليس ل جيانيس أنتيتوكونمبو وأنطوني ديفيس مجتمعة! هل هناك لاعب على القائمة لدينا قاعدة جماهيرية لم تحاول تفريغ في 45 يوما الماضية؟ - جيف.
ج: هذا هو السبب في الحاجة إلى منظور كما يركب فريق من الإصابات واختبارات تمتد من الجدول الزمني، مثل المدى الأخير الحرارة من 17 من 23 مباراة على الطريق. وفي حين أن الجدول الزمني يوازن في نهاية المطاف في نهاية المطاف، فإنه ليس حتى خلال الموسم. هذا هو السبب في هذا المنزلق، إذا جاز التعبير، هو في غاية الأهمية للحرارة، في خضم جولة من سبعة من ثمانية في المنزل، بالفعل 2-1 خلال، مع مباريات وينابل لمتابعة ضد شبكات، ماجيك، بيستونز، نيكس و موسيقى الجاز. في نهاية المطاف مصير الموسم بشكل جيد جدا يمكن ركوب على هذا المدى، لأن هناك منعطفا نحو الطريق بعد الأسبوع الأول من يناير كانون الثاني. إريك سبولسترا، بطبيعة الحال، تصر على النظر إليها لعبة واحدة في وقت واحد. ولكن هذا هو عند بناء الإنصاف في الترتيب، وتخزين ما يصل الى فصل الشتاء المقبل. وصلت الحرارة إلى النقطة التي يجب أن يكون هناك أكثر من علامة المياه العالية من مباراتين فوق 0.500. ويجب أن يكون هناك أكثر من مباراة واحدة من ثلاث مباريات متتالية، والتي يمكن أن تتطابق يوم الجمعة في المنزل ضد الشباك.
س: سأأخذ روني سيكالي على حسن وايتسايد كل يوم، كما أعتقد أنه واحد من أكثر لاعبي الحرارة حرمانا في كل العصور، وذلك ببساطة بسبب الوقت الذي لعبه في تاريخ الحرارة، وحقيقة أننا في وقت لاحق، التقطت ألونزو مورنينج وشاكيل. -- تنهد.
ج: هذا، بالطبع، هو في إشارة إلى القوائم الأسبوعية لدينا من أفضل 10 لاعبين في كل موقف في الاحتفال من الموسم ال 30 الحرارة. القائمة الحالية في سونسنتينل سيكالي رابع في الموقف، وراء حداد في الأعلى، أونيل في رقم 2 ثم ويتزيد. وكانت مناقشة وايتسايد - سيكالي واحدة من بين الاصعب فى القائمة التى ستظهر فى صحيفة اليوم. وكان المنطق هو أنه في حين أننا لم نر حتى الآن الجسم بأكمله من ويتزيد في زي الحرارة، والسير الذاتية إلى هذه النقطة تتجه في اتجاه أعلى من ذلك من سيكالي. ولكن أوافق على أنني ربما باعت & كوت؛ سبين دكتور & كوت؛ قصيرة و بالتأكيد يمكن قبول التقليب هذا النظام.
س: إيرا، مع كل الإصابات وعدم وجود عمق الجناح، يجب على الحرارة النظر في إعادة ديريك وليامز؟ - غابرييل، لاكيلاند.
ج: بالتأكيد من المثير للاهتمام كيف كان ديريك أول لاعب دوران للحرارة في بداية الموسم الماضي، ثم ذهب للعب للعب كافالييرز كجزء من نهائيات الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين نهائيات. . . ثم اختفى. ولكن مع الحرارة التي تم تحميلها بالفعل في دوران السلطة، وأنا لا أرى حاجة في الموقف، ناهيك عن الوصول إلى لاعب تجاوزه بقية الدوري. إذا كان أي شيء، وخاصة مع ديون النوادل الآن ضعيفة، ويمكنني أن أرى الحاجة، إذا إضافة بالإضافة إلى أن يتم، ل بالهاندلر المخضرم وصانع الألعاب، على الرغم من أن الحرارة لا يبدو أن تؤخذ من قبل ديريك والتون الابن.
س: هناك سمة واحدة واضحة في لعبة بام أديبايو أن حسن ويتزيد لا يملك: معرفة متى يمر بدلا من إجبار النار. وإنني أتطلع إلى تطوير بام. - سيرجيو.
ج: ما، بالطبع، كان تدق على حسن منذ ظهوره. ولكن في بعض الأحيان هو ببساطة من هو لاعب. عندما ذهبت الكرة إلى الداخل ألونزو مورنينج، في معظم الأحيان لم يعود. على النقيض من ذلك، كان شاكيل أونيل أكثر بكثير من المارة الراغبين في الخروج من المنصب. لقد رأينا في هذه المباريات الثلاث الماضية كيف سجلت بام أربعة على الأقل من المساعدة في كل منها. هذا مجرد جزء من هو. لذلك يصبح السؤال لا إذا أضاف حسن عنصرا عابرا، ولكن بدلا من ذلك إذا كان يمكن أن تصبح فعالة بما فيه الكفاية أن الكرة لا تحتاج إلى العودة إلى الوراء. في كثير من الأحيان، فإن أفضل طريقة لبناء قائمة هو أن يكون لاعبين في نفس الموقف مع مجموعات المهارات المختلفة. هذا ما كانت الحرارة مع حسن، بام وكيلي أولينيك. ولكن عندما يتم إعدادك بهذه الطريقة، فإنه يمكن أن يعني اختيار اللاعبين على أساس الوضع، أكثر من على أساس الراتب أو توقعات اللعب الوقت. نهج هيت ثلاثة ل طويل (الذي أنا في عملية حقوق الطبع والنشر، حتى لا سرقة بات رايلي) يعمل فقط إذا كان هناك موقف الجميع مقابل واحد بين الرجال الكبار.
س: الحرارة تبدو جيدة مع كيلي أولينيك بدءا من السلطة إلى الأمام. - سامسون.
ج: أعتقد أنها طريقة، طريقة، طريقة مبكرة جدا لمثل هذا الحكم. مع العديد من تنوعا، رياضي صغير إلى الأمام، وأنا لن يستبعد جيمس جونسون بعد إعادة الظهور كقوة انطلاق الحرارة إلى الأمام، وخاصة مع كيلي تظهر هذه الكيمياء الجيدة مع بام أديبايو، والتي يمكن أن ينتهي بها كونك وحدة قوة الفريق الثاني الخاص بك. في الوقت الحالي، أعتقد أن الكثير من النجاح الدفاعي لمطابقات كيلي كقوة انطلاق إلى الأمام سيكون دالة على مدى سرعة حسن ويتزيد قادر على الوصول بمستوى ثان من الردع.
س: إيرا، لا يمكنك تناسب ربط مربع في حفرة مستديرة. حسن ويتزيد ليس الجواب للحرارة. انه ليس من نفس القالب مثل ألونزو مورنينغ، شاكيل اونيل أو بريان جرانت. لأن لدينا بام أديبايو وكيلي أولينيك، لن حسن لبول جورج العمل بشكل مستقيم ووضعنا في وضع جيد للوكالة حرة؟ - أدريان، بيمبروك باينز.
ج: الرعد لا حاجة لحسن، مع ستيفن ادامز بالفعل في المكان. هناك العديد من المكاتب الأمامية في الدوري الاميركي للمحترفين الذين يفضلون ستيفن كمركز لهم. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، الجميع يتراجع قليلا. انها ليست كما لو أن أولينيك أو أديبايو قد حققت ما وايتزيد في السنوات الأخيرة. و، إلى سؤالك، كان شاك أبعد من كونه & كوت؛ ثقافة الحرارة & كوت؛ مركز. هناك بالفعل المزيد من القبول من حسن.
س: لماذا لا تفعل الجراحة الآن مع ديون النوادل؟ هل هناك أي خطر لمزيد من الضرر أو الإفراط في زيادة الضغط على ساق أخرى؟ - دان.
ج: أنا لست طبيبا ولا ألعب أحدا في & كوت؛ أسك إيرا، & كوت؛ ولكني واثق، في ضوء استثماراتها البالغة قيمتها 52 مليون دولار، التي تبلغ مدتها أربع سنوات، بأن الحرارة لن تضع مزيدا من المخاطر على ذلك الاستثمار. إذا، ومع ذلك، لا يزال هناك يمكن أن يكون هناك أي استخدام ملموس من النوادل هذا الموسم، ثم لا يزال ينبغي أن يكون هناك متسع من الوقت لإجراء أوفسيسون، إذا لزم الأمر. ما أعتقد، حتى في هذه المرحلة المبكرة، هو أن كلا الجانبين يجب أن يوافق على أنه ليس هناك حاجة للنادلين لمواصلة مطاردة له 1.1 مليون $ مكافأة (أسهل بالنسبة لي أن أقول) للظهور في ما لا يقل عن 70 من الموسم 82 مباراة . He already has missed four, including the two for the birth of his daughter, and it appears likely that there will be several more missed during this absence. We could be at a point where the Heat will have to eventually map out a playing schedule for Dion, just as they had to at one point for Dwyane Wade, that offers a path of least resistance. But, more important than any of that, should be getting Waiters right for the final three seasons of his contract. As long as Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington stay healthy, and with Justise Winslow expected back sooner rather than later, the Heat should have enough in the interim.
Q: Tuesday's performances was not Hassan Whiteside's fault, just part of reinstalling him into the team offense. -- Randall.
A: It is a different game with Hassan on the floor, and after his 13-game absence, the Heat are fortunate to have a pair of upcoming two-day breaks. But it also would have been helpful if he took note of how Bam Adebayo moved the ball in his absence, and how that makes this team better. Until he regains a semblance of his previous dominance, Hassan has to buy into more of the team style that had the Heat regaining their groove during the latter stages of his absence. As it was, the Heat were at their best with Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk on the floor during Tuesday's decisive stages.
Q: Does this mean Bam Adebayo will no longer get any minutes? I believe he's earned minutes at backup center -- Noble.
A: He has to get minutes. He's earned them. And the Heat have to learn to embrace a world where three of their better players are big men. Erik Spoelstra over the years has shown an ability to embrace his rosters, just as he did with alignments during the Big Three era. You win by utilizing your best players. At the moment, Hassan Whiteside, Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk are three of his best players. This is when you have to dictate, instead of allowing opponents to dictate.
Q: Goran Dragic and James Johnson are to be admired. Of course they also get paid quite a lot of money to play, not $24 million, but a lot of money anyway. -- Hanan, Tel Aviv.
A: This became quite the debating point over the Christmas break, whether shade was being thrown when James Johnson and Goran Dragic spoke Saturday of how important it was for them to push through injuries to return in the loss to the Pelicans, and of how Wayne Ellington made a point to note that the entire locker room thanked those two for their perseverance. Untold, was exactly what the feeling is toward Hassan Whiteside first saying he would not return until he is 100 percent and now being sidelined two weeks beyond the initial rehabilitation and conditioning projection for the bone bruise on his left knee.
Q: The Heat have to be better at home. -- Douglas.
A: Yes, they do. That means a no-excuse approach to these next two homes games, as well as the three that follow Saturday's game in Orlando. For as much as has been made about the Knicks' favorable, home-based schedule to start the season, to New York's credit it maximized that advantage. Now is the Heat's time to take advantage. There is no reason a team with playoff aspirations should lose at home to Orlando, Brooklyn, Detroit, New York and Utah. There needs to be a five-game home winning streak before the Heat leave the state again, or, at the very least, a home winning record, as opposed to the current 7-8.
Q: Do the Heat only keep their draft pick if it's in top seven? Or is it gone either way? If they keep it if it's a top-seven pick, would you see them "rest" their veterans at end of season if making the playoffs is a long shot or will Heat pride push them to an eighth seed but cause them to lose their pick? -- Jeffrey, Fort Lauderdale.
A: As a result of their 2018 trade for Goran Dragic, the Heat's first-round pick in the 2018 NBA draft goes to the Suns unless it is among the first seven selections, in which case the Heat's 2019 unconditional first-round pick would go to Phoenix, who also will receive the Heat's unconditional 2021 first-round selection to close out that transaction. However, I'm not sure falling just short of the playoffs would allow the Heat to reverse field quickly enough. Already, the Hawks, Nets, Magic, Hornets, Suns, Kings, Mavericks, Grizzlies and Clippers have the look of teams that could be truly awful. That's nine teams right there. So you're talking about the minimal odds of making a quantum leap from the bottom of the lottery into a top pick. The time for such a decision likely would have to come by the start of March, and I can't fathom this team giving up on six weeks of a season.
Q: Avid Heat fan here. I've been watching all their games on Fox Sports Sun and I feel like they are just missing that one extra guy as a 3-point threat. Yes we have Wayne Ellington, but when he is hot he is hot but when he is cold he is really cold. That's where either Luke Babbitt or Rodney McGruder would come in and offset that, like last year. -- Freddie, Fort Myers.
A: It's interesting, because there was a point where Erik Spoelstra would have been reluctant to play even one 3-point specialist, which is why James Jones often remained at the end of the bench. But the game is evolving and the winning team often is the one that performs better from deep. So now Wayne Ellington has become a rotation player. But I agree it has to be more than just one. I believe that's what the Heat thought they were getting in Kelly Olynyk, with his unique 7-foot ability convert 3-pointers. And when Kelly shoots, he has been effective. He just doesn't shoot as much as expected. For the Heat, it mostly has been ensemble 3-point shooting, but that often has Dion Waiters perhaps launching from deep when not best advised. I agree that Rodney McGruder could help in that area, and it appears that Derrick Walton Jr. has NBA 3-point range, as well. But, to your point, it would be interesting to see if Matt Williams Jr. could perhaps emerge as 3-point Plan B for the nights when Wayne is off.
Q: Ira, if this offseason Bam Adebayo can work on and develop a reliable outside shot, the Heat can be a scary team next season. Bam has great form on his foul shot as well as when he shoots before the games, so I don’t see any reason he can't develop that part of his game. He and Hassan Whiteside can provide a formidable front line both offensively and defensively. -- Joel.
A: Except I'm not sure there even is such a position as power forward in today's NBA, with many teams now utilizing scoring wings at that assignment. I believe as Bam becomes more complete, the question will not be whether he can play alongside Hassan Whiteside, but rather whether he can eventually emerge as Hassan's successor. That very well could be where this is headed.
Q: Are the Heat able to sign Derrick Walton Jr. to a regular NBA contract and keep him for the whole season? -- Joe.
A: Yes, teams, at any point, can convert a two-way contract into a standard NBA contract, provided they have an available spot on the 15-man roster. With Derrick already at 27 of his 45 allowable NBA days utilized, that decision soon will be at hand. I believe the Heat will slow play the situation until the Feb. 8 trading deadline and then likely move on from A. J. Hammons to sign one of their two-way players to a standard deal, likely will a team option for a second season.
Q: Ira, I think Dion Waiters is a great player and prior to him spraining his ankle I respected him for trying to play through pain. However, ankle sprains aren't anything to overlook, and have ruined guys such as Grant Hill and Derrick Rose. So why doesn't Waiters just shut it down and opt to have surgery on his ankle? I realize he gets a bonus for appearing in 70 games or more, but all the money in the world isn't worth him risking his chances of improvement and living up to his contract. -- Darryl, Fitzgerald, Ga.
A: Because if, as Erik Spoelstra said, the MRI showed no structural damage, then there isn't anything to repair. Of course, that doesn't answer whether the original sprain, that could have been handled surgically in the offseason, still doesn't need to be addressed. On one hand, Erik Spoelstra said this is a new injury, created by a misstep Friday. But he also said that it is not unusual for such injuries to become chronic with the same ankle. A player's first responsibility is to his body, but I agree that when you accept a $52 million contract, then you are also beholden, to a degree, to the team that made such a commitment. I would not expect to see Dion back before the turn of the calendar, if even then. The play of Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson, as well as the 3-point shooting of Wayne Ellington, save for Saturday's loss to the Pelicans, has left the Heat in a good place on the perimeter. As it is, I am wondering how the Heat are going to fit Justise Winslow back in when he returns from his knee issue.
Q: What has gotten into Josh Richardson? This guy couldn't by a basket in the beginning of the season and now he's averaging almost over 20 points a game. Perhaps I was wrong about him? -- Trent, Orlando.
A: Such is the risk with snap judgments, whether it is at the start of a season or star of a career. I would go as far as to say that the Heat player most deserving of All-Star consideration at this stage is Josh. He not only has taken his game to another level, but is playing with a confidence heretofore unseen. Still, this uptick remains a relatively small sample size, with night's like Saturday's 5-of-14 thrown into the mix. Of course, he also is being asked to do more than he usually might.
Q: Ira, I always knew Michael Beasley would come back to haunt us. His numbers in college were overwhelming. Did Pat Riley make a mistake by getting rid of him? I know it was to make room for LeBron James, but we had two more chances with him. -- Alain.
A: Actually, when the Heat initially moved on from Michael two seasons after he was selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NBA draft, it was to open cap space for Mike Miller. By then, LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh already had been signed. But, look, it's not as if the Heat were the only team to move on, with the Timberwolves, Suns, Rockets and Bucks also doing the same, Michael left to toil in China for a while. And even now, even after outscoring Carmelo Anthony and then leading the Knicks past the Celtics, I'm not sure there are many teams, including the Knicks, willing to consider him a rotation player. What has changed is the reality that you have to score as a team in significant numbers in today's NBA to win, and that's one thing that has never been an issue for Michael. Perhaps it's as simple as his time has come. Or perhaps this is all part of a plot to make his third comeback and fourth tour with the Heat all the more rewarding.
Q: Ira, this team seems to be doing pretty good considering we are without our only true point guard, in Goran Dragic, and now the ballhandling of Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow and James Johnson. Could Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson be our backcourt of the future? -- John.
A: What these injuries have done is show the Heat the diversity of their possibilities, that perhaps last season's answers turn into something else. It's interesting, but based on recent games, you could almost make the argument that it is Richardson who is closest to being an All-Star-level talent, and that if you have to live with those final two, $19 million seasons on Tyler Johnson's contract, it might not been the boondoggle previously thought. Think back even a week ago when it seemed like there was no place for Kelly Olynyk, or even Bam Adebayo. And that's the thing, through absences, the heart seems to have grown fonder in other directions. So now do you go back and try to run back the same approach with Dragic, Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow, or do you consider that there might yet be an even better way? Suddenly, it's gotten awfully fascinating.
Q: Am I the only one extremely confused about our big men situation? Do you see a trade coming any time soon? -- Gio, Miami.
A: I certainly can't see the Heat moving on from Bam Adebayo and his rookie-scale contract, especially with two of their next four first-round picks going to the Suns from the Goran Dragic trade. And I'm not sure there is another team willing to bite on Kelly Olynyk's four-year, $50 million deal. So it comes down to one of two things: 1. Are the Heat willing to move on from Hassan Whiteside? 2. Will the Heat coaching staff relent and play Whiteside alongside either Olynyk or Adebayo (since we now know they're comfortable enough playing Olynyk alongside Adebayo)? If the approach is to play Whiteside as the sole big man at all times, then I'm not sure there is an answer to the riddle that stands as the Heat's power rotation.
Q: Will the Miami Heat roster ever be healthy ever again? -- Al.
A: Obviously, injuries happen. But I don't sense the type of urgency with Hassan Whiteside and Justise Winslow that a team might be taking if it viewed either as a franchise centerpiece, as essential. My sense is that the Heat are more than content to wait on both, with the belief that other pieces may get the team closer to the overall goals. Of course the Waiters injury certainly could change that thinking, based on the severity.
Q: I am glad you are staying optimistic but I just don’t see it. Do you honestly see this team being better than a .500 team? انا لا. Got to be realistic, most of these guys are all former bench players converted to starters. -- Walter.
A: We should know soon enough, provided there is a return to health, with the favorable upcoming schedule. The Heat, already at this early stage, are done with their games against the Celtics, Spurs and Warriors, with only two left against the Cavaliers, plus two against the Rockets. While everyone winds up playing 82 games against mostly the same schedule in each conference, how those games line up often determines where a team stands at specific junctures of the schedule. The Heat already have gotten a lot of the bad stuff out of the way. What has to stop are the unfathomable results, such as Monday's loss in Atlanta or the previous blowout loss in New York when Kristaps Porzingis was forced out early. Losses such as those are what ultimately capsized the Heat last season. Soon will see whether those lessons have been heeded or are doomed to repeat themselves. The upcoming games against the Magic could be the barometer, as they were last season.
Q: Ira why not have Jordan Mickey and Bam Adebayo play on the second unit together once Hassan Whiteside returns? Jordan Mickey has more skill then people think, and it's obvious that both Kelly Olynyk and James Johnson are better in the starting unit. -- Darryl, Fitzgerald, Ga.
A: Except when Hassan returns, that only leaves one power slot left for either Kelly Olynyk or James Johnson. Unless, of course, you consider Johnson a possibility at small forward, which would require a significant upgrade with his outside shooting. And that leaves the elephant in the room of what to then do with Justise Winslow's minutes, considering almost all of Winslow's minutes this season have come in the power rotation. For as well as Mickey has played, keep in mind that he has not played when Whiteside has been available, except for mop-up duty. You can only fit so many players into a rotation. For now, that leaves Mickey as no more than an 11th man when considering Whiteside, James Johnson, Josh Richardson, Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Kelly Olynyk, Wayne Ellington, Tyler Johnson, Winslow and Bam Adebayo, who, himself, had not been a rotation regular until Whiteside went down. Of course, injuries do have a way of creating opportunities.
Q: Thanks for 30 years of fine coverage of the Heat. It must have done much, in negative ways, to your appearance and health. -- Masoud, Tucson, Ariz.
A: Um, and by that you mean . . .?
Q: With Kelly Olynyk waking up against Boston and showing why he might be salvageable and with Bam Adebayo growing into his game, how is Erik Spoelstra going to play then all when Hassan Whiteside returns? And Jordan Mickey, too? -- Victor.
A: I'll take your questions backward. The NBA is full of stories like Jordan Mickey, hard workers who can have their moments when needed. But those players most often are shuffled back into the shadows when the leading men again are available. He was signed for moments like these past few games, but also for the patience he showed when waiting his turn. It remains likely that he again will become more of an emergency player than rotation player once the rotation gets healthy. As for Olynyk and Adebayo, it is a question that is not going away. Hassan Whiteside, when healthy, has to play. Olynyk, when given the opportunity to exercise his versatility, has to play. As for Bam, it could go back to the way it was before, playing when there is an injury or foul trouble for Whiteside and Olynyk. Adebayo still remains a long-view player. But what has to be addressed is trying to cram Hassan and Kelly solely into the 48 minutes available at center. Both are deserving of more. If Erik Spoelstra believes that neither can defend on the perimeter, then perhaps the two simply don't fit. Because for as intriguing as the zone was Wednesday in Boston, its expiration came relatively quick once the Celtics got their shooting going. And all of this does not even get into whether Spoelstra will continue to try to feature Justise Winslow in a power role, as well. That's where this could get really sticky.
Q: Kelly Olynyk needs to stop being so passive against every opponent not named the Boston Celtics. -- Rich, North Miami.
A: I could not agree more. It's as if Kelly has morphed into the second coming of Josh McRoberts, doing everything possible not to shoot, often playing with his back to the basket in the high post, searching for nothing more than another dribble handoff. It reached the point where teammates began insisting he shoot. Then came Wednesday. Hopefully that will inspire similar aggression. Because the reality is this: with his defensive limitations, Kelly has to score to be a plus player.
Q: Seeing Dion Waiters dribble in circles under the rim and jumping aimlessly reminds me of someone -- he's like a bigger, cockier, more expensive Mario Chalmers. -- Laz.
A: The problem is the Heat have encouraged Dion's aggression, have pushed him to play more in attack mode, urged him to move away from those step-back jumpers. But the most important part of aggression is controlled aggression. And that remains the part of the equation that is a work in progress. Going hard to the rim is meaningful only when it is done with purpose and forethought. The issue for the Heat remains the lack of a closer. Waiters tried the long jumper at the end against Boston, Josh Richardson the forced attempt. The Celtics had Kyrie Irving, and that's how they came back and were a bounce from a win. The Heat remain with plenty of complementary perimeter pieces. But the closer is . . . ؟
Q: You only get a 30-11 finish from this type of team when a majority of guys are in contract years which they were. Once they get the contracts it's a different story. Human nature. -- O. B.
A: I don't buy that theory, not with these players. Dion Waiters remains as hungry as he was last season. Making poor decisions and taking ill-advised shots has nothing to do with being financially set for life. The same with James Johnson, who consistently has expressed disappointment about not being able to contribute more this season. And it's not as if Wayne Ellington isn't moving as hard off the ball since his guarantee was picked up. Even Kelly Olynyk has consistently expressed frustration about not being able to do more. Sometimes it's as simple as players who have been inconsistent throughout their careers remaining that way, be it by being part of a team that starts 11-30 and then goes 30-11, or having an up year followed by a down year. The gamble with the contracts was not these players losing their motivation or incentive, but whether inconsistency can be eliminated. The Heat spent significantly on up-and-down players. At 30-11 we saw the upside. Now it seems to be a case of the flip side.
Q: Ira, why exactly are we in "win-now" mode? It's not like we are going to the Finals, probably not even the playoffs. I think a more development role would make more sense. Why mortgage the future with hard-to-move contracts to role players and not develop more youth for the future, a future that does not have LeBron James or the Warriors waiting to crush all other team dreams? -- Juan, Miramar.
A: Because that ship sailed when the Heat traded two of their next four first-round picks to the Suns in 2018 for Goran Dragic and when the Heat then loaded up on the four-year deals this past summer for James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Kelly Olynyk, as well as the four-year extension for Josh Richardson that kicks in next season. At this point, there is no turning back, because there can't be any turning back. You build for the future with draft picks and cap space, of which the Heat have neither.
Q: When is Michael Beasley coming back? He outplayed Carmelo Anthony recently at Madison Square Garden. -- Stuart.
A: Well, he will be a free agent after the season.
Q: You know Ira, I thought this was going to be fun this year with pretty much the whole team back and, we thought, with a chip on their shoulder. But it hasn’t so far. I'm for a shakeup. Pat Riley has been awfully quiet. -- Douglas.
A: First, I would never confuse lack of comment from Pat Riley with lack of oversight. The Heat very much believe in a single-voice approach, and during the season that voice belongs to Erik Spoelstra. To your greater point, I believe those most disappointed are those who expected a duplication of last season's 30-11 finish. That expectation was unrealistic with so many career seasons produced by this roster. At some point, you settle into who you are, and, right now, there is a lot of .500-level talent on this team, which remains a significant upgrade from the first half of last season. Spoelstra's teams have routinely gotten better of the second half of season, and I would expect that is where any major strides would be made. Health, of course, permitting. What the Heat rolled out there Monday hardly was the Heat.
Q: Depth was the biggest selling point on this team. And now with injuries, we lose to the worst team in the league. The roster is not good enough to make the playoffs, let alone win a playoff series. The Heat need to be active with trades to try to improve the roster. The experiment was fun but its not working. -- Chadwick, Lake Worth.
A: First, you can't make any judgments on Monday night, based on what the Heat were lacking. If you're trying to say Tyler Johnson is not an NBA starting point guard, I agree. If you're trying to say that Kelly Olynyk as a starting center leaves the Heat exposed defensively in the middle, I agree. If you're trying to say that Derrick Walton Jr. in important minutes is a stretch, agree as well. But the cornerstone, supposedly, based on that $98 million contract, is Hassan Whiteside. To me, what all this uneven play shows is the Heat first have to decide on whether they stand -- or don't stand -- with Whiteside. Only then can you size up this overall mix.
Q: When we went on the run last year, Justise Winslow was out, and Rodney McGruder, Willie Reed and Luke Babbitt were better role players than some of the current group. -- John.
A: Actually, Josh Richardson has been pretty good lately, and Tyler Johnson appears to be hitting his stride. I think the uneven play from James Johnson, Justise Winslow, Dion Waiters and Kelly Olynyk is what has gotten this a bit off-kilter. And even Bam Adebayo, for all his youthful zeal, still can be found out of position defensively. These role players are fine, if they play as envisioned. All too often that hasn't been the case. And that's where a coaching staff has to create a comfort zone -- or else turn toward other options.
Q: Ira, this team is lacking a true go to player/closer. The Paul George experiment in OKC clearly hasn't panned out the way everyone thought it would. Do you see an opportunity for Pat Riley to get his "whale" this trade deadline? -- Mialles, Boston.
A: I do, should the Thunder ultimately opt to move on from their combination of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and George. Even with George standing as an impending free agent, it is the type of all-or-nothing gambit that Riley seemingly would risk, should the Thunder decide to sell George off before he hits free agency in July. The question is what the Thunder might be interested in from the Heat roster. Still, with the Heat so loaded up on long-term salaries, I would venture that any and every player on the current Heat roster would be made available (including Hassan Whiteside, although with Steven Adams there seemingly would be little interest). What would be even more fascinating would be is if the Thunder then would insist a trade partner for George also take on Anthony. Even then, the Heat could make a deal work for that $46 million in combined salaries, with James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk available to be put into play.
Q: James Johnson hasn't had that big of an impact as we all would have hoped. I believe with Justise Winslow coming back that Winslow will be able to do some of those things. -- Douglas.
A: I agree, but the question is when Winslow is coming back and at what percentage, as he recovers from his knee strain. Unlike Johnson, Winslow is traveling on this two-game trip. It will be interesting to see how Erik Spoelstra approaches the starting lineup in Johnson's absence. I would suspect that Jordan Mickey will start alongside Kelly Olynyk in the power rotation until Justise is available. From there, Winslow could wind up starting until Johnson returns. As the lineup continues to turn.
Q: I'm getting tired of Hassan Whiteside. -- Daniel.
A: The thing is, you can't have it both ways. You can't complain that Whiteside at less than 100 percent is hurting the Heat, and then want him back at something less than that. When it comes to injuries, only a player knows his body. That said, I do believe the Heat have no issue slow playing this, seemingly taking the time to explore the remainder of the roster. It all comes down to this: Do the Heat believe Hassan Whiteside is essential?
Q: Ira, where do the Heat go without James Johnson? -- Michel.
A: To Atlanta on Sunday? First, we won't know until we know. And when Justise Winslow went for his MRI, it turned out to be a strain, with a possible return within a week. Of course, when Rodney McGruder and Okaro White went for their MRIs, it led to surgery and indefinite absences. Of all the Heat's injuries, including Hassan Whiteside's, which is just a matter of getting back to 100 percent, this could be the most crippling to the rotation if Johnson has to be out for an extended period. Yes, you still have Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Mickey, but none come close to Johnson's versatility. And Justise Winslow simply wasn't as effective when mixed in with the starting group. If Johnson is out for an extended period, then there will have to be more games like Saturday from Josh Richardson and far, far, far more consistency from Dion Waiters. So now, we wait.
Q: If A. J. Hammons isn't called up now, why is he on the team? -- Andy, Coral Gables.
ا؛ He is on the Heat's roster as a means of freeing up enough 2017-18 salary-cap space to allow the Heat to retain Wayne Ellington. So don't look at it as the Heat trading Josh McRoberts for the two seasons on Hammons' contract, but rather look at it as the Heat trading McRoberts to the Mavericks for Ellington. Udonis Haslem will get the call far sooner than Hammons, who does not come off as a Heat type of player. As for why he's still on the roster, it's a matter of potentially including his salary in a deal this season, this summer or even before next season's trading deadline.
Q: Isn't it time to start talking about that Goran Dragic is toast? Age or fatigue from the summer? It's obvious. -- Howard.
A: To this point, he certainly has not played as the type of closer he was with Slovenia during EuroBasket in September, and the bulk of productivity has been coming earlier in games. But I'm also not sure that he is being cast in such a role, either, with Dion Waiters seemingly Erik Spoelstra's first option at the ends of close games. For the investment involved, in terms of both the salary and the two potential lottery picks dealt to the Suns, it is surprising that the Heat have not featured Goran more often. As for the fatigue, it did seem as if he played better when given ample rest earlier in games, which could be a factor of not having another true point guard on the roster.
Q: The Heat are in such a rough spot. It's a star driven league -- much more than other pro sports leagues -- and the Heat lack a star. There is no star to draw other stars in free agency, no star to trade for other stars. Between that and a tight cap situation: purgatory. -- Daniel.
A: That's what made this past offseason so compelling on dual fronts: 1. How the Heat locked up their current and future cap space on an ensemble approach, when considering the contracts previously extended to Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic, and then this past offseason's deals with James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Kelly Olynyk and Josh Richardson. 2. How Pat Riley came out and said that despite not a single player on this roster having been an All-Star, that he considers several All-Star talents. On the first of those fronts, the ensemble approach means that numerous factors have to be in sync on a game-by-game basis, without the possibility of a single star taking over, similar to what Portland's Damian Lillard did Wednesday night or even Kemba Walker at the close on Friday almost bringing Charlotte all the way back. On the second front, while Riley stressed in July that it was unfair to consider this a roster without an All-Star, stressing that there is All-Star talent in place, it simply has not panned out that way. It is difficult to envision, with all the time Whiteside has missed, and with the Heat's middling record, that this team will get someone to the 2018 All-Star Game. So I do think there remains an ongoing vigil to figure how to get a star to South Florida, perhaps even if it means a trade gamble on Paul George. You could see again on Friday how difficult it is to close out a game without a closer, with all due respect with the occasional big-time shot from Waiters.
Q: Hi, Ira. Wayne Ellington is having an elite 3-pointer kind of year so far. Hopefully that continues as the season progresses. Why not have him in more late in the fourth quarter of close games? -- Mike, Austin, Texas.
A: Because the Heat remain a defense-first team, and that never has been a strong suit of Ellington's. But it also is a factor of the NBA's new timeout rules, with the limitations on stoppages making it more difficult than in the past to go with offense-defense substitutions during close games. It is why you are likely to see more of Josh Richardson than Ellington in such situations, or more of Bam Adebayo or Hassan Whiteside, when healthy, than Kelly Olynyk. The timeout rules have changed the management of end-game situations.
Q: I think Okaro White is no real factor here, but Rodney McGruder sure is, with his fierce defense. That is what Miami is missing the most. And Hassan, of course. -- Jaka.
A: I agree that McGruder makes the Heat wing rotation stronger. But this team also is more than a McGruder away from challenging for a high playoff seed. It will be interesting to see when McGruder comes back -- and Erik Spoelstra reiterated Friday that McGruder will be back this season -- how the rest of the perimeter rotation plays out, especially with Wayne Ellington becoming so essential to the mix. It could mean reduced time for Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson or Justise Winslow.
Q: Can someone tell Erik Spoelstra's real estate agent that Waiters Island was built on step-back twos? I understand he's struggling, but Dion Waiters has to take smarter shots. -- Juan, Denver.
A: And I can assure that Erik Spoelstra agrees. The Heat's preference is performances like the one in Memphis, where Waiters plays in attack mode, the jumpers coming while balanced and in rhythm. It's almost as if Dion has become convinced, because of his role with this team, that he has to play as closer and savior, especially in games such as Wednesday's against Portland, when the Heat eventually find themselves in trouble or playing from behind. And that is not what the Heat need. Without an All-Star, this team needs to continue to look for the best possible shot, no matter who winds up with that attempt. The approach is not unique to the player who goes by Philly Cheese as an homage to his hometown. James Johnson at times also tends to play beyond his means. Even Goran Dragic has driven himself into trouble late in games. So who is the Heat's closer? The player who has the right shot at the right time. It doesn't necessarily have to be Dion more than it has to be any other player. Now, convincing him might be another issue.
Q: If the team were short of players due to illness or injuries against Portland, please explain why one healthy person, Udonis Haslem, did not play? فإنه لا معنى له. -- M. L., Fort Lauderdale.
A: Because the Heat needed more on the wing with Tyler Johnson and Justise Winslow out, not another power player, of which they maintain a surplus. It is another example of the roster being power heavy, with Haslem never playing and Jordan Mickey also reduced to spectator. Even now, with Winslow sidelined by his knee issue, an injury or foul trouble to Dion Waiters, Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson or Tyler Johnson could again create limited options for Erik Spoelstra. It will be interesting to see if it leads to the Heat calling up someone from Sioux Falls. But even there, their lone full-time roster player in the G League, A. J. Hammons, is another big man, although Derrick Walton Jr. and Matt Williams Jr. are available for recall as two-way players.
Q; Why wait on Hassan Whiteside? He practiced Thursday, so get him out there. -- Chris.
A: Because the last time he returned he said he never felt fully over his knee bruise. And to throw him out there against Dwight Howard, who is coming off a huge game against the Rockets, or even against DeAndre Jordan, might be asking too much too soon. But only when Hassan returns can the Heat get a needed read on where this is headed.
Q: There is no reason to treat the Heat season so far as disappointing. Being one game below.500 at this stage is actually slightly better than that, considering that six of the losses, at the very least, have come from top-six teams -- two to Golden State, two to San Antonio, one to Cleveland and one to Boston -- and that more than half of the schedule so far has been on the road. And 12 of the games have been played without Hassan Whiteside, arguably the biggest of the non-superstars on the roster. Roy, Gadsden, Alabama.
A: The only ones expressing disappointment are those who viewed last season's 30-11 finish as a takeoff point for a roster than largely returned intact. But the 41-41 overall finish was a far truer picture of a roster that lacks a single player who ever has been an All-Star. The schedule to this point has been brutal, including that stopover in Mexico. But this now is a time when the Heat mostly get to face opponents of similar records, as they did Wednesday, when the Trail Blazers also entered 13-13. Those are the types of games when both teams believe they have to win. Those are the tests now for the Heat, a team that often is far better over the second half of the schedule. And, yes, Wednesday, without question, was one that got away. What would be disappointing would be to not maximize this stretch, with winnable games there for the taking. The next three are against the Hornets, Clippers and Hawks. Anything less than two wins there and back to .500, and, yes, disappointment would be a reasonable reaction.
Q: Ira, why not run more post plays for James Johnson? As he goes, the Heat go. -- John.
A: This proved prescient, the question received before the Heat went out Wednesday against the Trail Blazers and opened with James facilitating from the low block. But that also was with Hassan Whiteside out of the lineup. I'm not sure you could utilize such an approach with Whiteside in the post, as well. That was among the reasons why James was playing off the bench when Hassan was in the lineup. It will be interesting to see the recalibration of much of the Heat's approach when Whiteside returns. Johnson's eight assists Wednesday tied the most by a Heat player this season, leaving him two shy of his first career triple-double.
Q: Bam Adebayo needs to take advantage when they sag off. -- Diaz.
A: I think part of that is attempting not to step on toes, with the Heat possessing so many perimeter options, even on depleted nights such as Wednesday, when the Heat were without Tyler Johnson and later lost Justise Winslow. Erik Spoelstra has a way of making players feel comfortable with certain shots, and I would expect eventually at the least for Bam to eventually be given a partial green light on such attempts, as Hassan Whiteside has. As it was, Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk played side-by-side for a stretch Wednesday, with Spoelstra saying to expect more. With that alignment, Adebayo could find himself with jumper possibilities.
Q Come on, Ira. Let's talk about trading Hassan Whiteside already. I am well aware that Bam Adebayo is a long way off, but it is clear he is the type of mindset that the Heat look for, and it's not like we are winning it all the next couple of years, anyway. Whiteside is one of those players who has all the physical gifts, but lacks the killer instinct that will separate him from the pack. He also is not all that versatile in a position-less league. That being said, his stock value is as high as it will ever be. Unless he's figured out passing out of double-teams in his injury absence. -- Jason.
A: It's funny how not long ago there were many lamenting the Heat's lack of a physical, imposing center since the departures of Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning. Then along came Hassan, and suddenly the Heat regained muscle in the middle and everyone loved Hassan, wanted the Heat to go to the max in free agency, viewed him as the franchise's big man of the future. And then the pace of victory slowed, smaller lineups became more in vogue and now it's almost as if Hassan is some sort of pariah. That is foolish. When Hassan is right and ready, he gives the Heat a built-in advantage in the middle in most matchups. Prior to this most recent injury, the calls were for even more of Hassan. Yes, there is something to be said about selling when value is maximized. But have the Heat truly yet maximized Whiteside's value? The greater issue is whether he is enough of a priority to be maximized. That's the part that hasn't been determined yet.
Q: Ira, Bam Adebayo is 20 and Hassan Whiteside is 28. One is reaching his 30s, one is 20 with above-average talent. One is earning $2.5 million this season, one is earning $23.8 million. I would trade Hassan in a heartbeat. -- Masoud, Tucson, Ariz.
A: Eventually that could be the case. But remember, the Heat are in win-now mode, with their June first-round pick most likely headed to the Phoenix Suns as the first of two such payments from the Goran Dragic trade. And right now, Hassan is the better player, commands more attention from the defense, is more impactful at the rim. And 28 hardly is old by center standards. As I touched on yesterday, Adebayo gives the Heat some of what worked last season with Willie Reed, as an impactful backup center. The difference between Adebayo and Reed is the upside. So, for now, watch Bam grow, and then, eventually consider whether the power rotation is overstocked at the cost of elsewhere on the roster.
Q: Ira, when I watch Bam Adebayo shooting during warmups, I see he has a nice touch. He is also very athletic. When Hassan Whiteside comes back, is there any thought of playing Bam with Whiteside? Long term, if that is not the plan then he is a wasted pick. -- Joel.
A: We're still in the infancy of the Heat's experimentation with Adebayo, and there remains the matter of finding time for Kelly Olynyk once Hassan returns. I agree that if Erik Spoelstra does not play at least two of Hassan, Bam and Kelly together, then there is wasted currency at play. But we're also only two months into their roster alignment, so I'm not sure anything dramatic is necessary at the moment, especially when considering that Bam remains comfortably on the rookie scale.
Q: Is Bam Adebayo now the solid backup for Hassan Whiteside when he returns? Is Kelly Olynyk now our starting power forward? -- Paul, Fort Lauderdale.
A: Part of that equation is what becomes of James Johnson, whose move into the starting lineup has been part of this latest revival? With Josh Richardson playing well recently, it might not be fair to remove him from the starting lineup. So would a James Johnson return to the second unit therefore retard the growth of Justise Winslow? These, of course, are good problems to have. But how much do you tinker? Could, you, indeed, convince Dion Waiters to take time off with his sore elbow and start Josh Richardson at shooting guard, winding up with a lineup of Whiteside, Olynyk, James Johnson, Richardson and Dragic? That seems a bit extreme at the moment.
Q: Do you think one of the reasons the Heat have been so inconsistent so far is tradeoff between Willie Reed and Kelly Olynyk on the defensive end? Teams are simply driving to the hoop at will when Olynyk is their five man. Last season there was always a rim protector with Hassan Whiteside-Reed for most of the game. -- Christopher, Vancouver.
A: I do believe there is something to that, which also is why I would favor time for Kelly alongside Hassan Whiteside when Hassan returns. Yes, there are concerns about Olynyk's foot speed against fours, but there otherwise is the rim-protection issue when he is at the five. It is difficult to play one defensive style when Hassan is in and another when he is out. That's how Reed helped last season, and perhaps where the team eventually sees Bam Adebayo, as the player on the court when Whiteside is off. It is all the more reason to test Kelly at the four. What Adebayo again showed Monday is that he deserves to play.
Q: When does duty of care come into it with Dion Waiters? Yes, he wants his bonus, but when does the team step in and say, 'No you're not playing until you're healthy,' both for long-term health and getting long-term contract value? -- Daniel.
A: The thing is, this time, unlike the chronic ankle issue at the close of last season and the start of this season with Dion, the Heat are downplaying Waiters' hyper-extended right elbow. Again, it well could come down to the distinction between pain and injury, and how you play through pain but not injury. Erik Spoelstra brushed off questions about Waiters' elbow at Monday's shootaround and also before the game, even after Dion spoke about the impact of the ailment. That is the Heat's way under Pat Riley, who abhors discussion of injury. I do not believe Dion's $1.1 million bonus for appearing in at least 70 (of the season's 82) games is at play here. Both he and the Heat believe he can play through the discomfort and not hinder the team. So I don't think "duty of care" comes into play when the trainers and team physicians see no reason to prevent him from playing. To his credit, even after aggravating the injury Monday, he said he plans to play through the discomfort.
Q: Is Justice Winslow really shooting it better? With all the questions surrounding an extension this coming offseason, this question needs a definitive answer first. By my count over the last eight games, through his 4-4 against the Nets, he is 9 of 17 on threes. But he's still struggling overall from the field. I think he just needs to dunk more. Seriously, that came from watching a lazy layup get swatted against the Nets. Have you seen enough to say he's better and will continue improving? -- Mike, Miami Springs.
A: The NBA is all about learning what you do best. What Justise has done best lately is take the 3-pointer when he has time to set and use his legs for lift, almost releasing on the rise. Those are the 3-pointers he can make. What Justise has struggled with and continues to struggle with is the belief that he can go hard to the rim in traffic and finish. That all too often has not been the case, including one such fastbreak opportunity on Saturday night in Mexico City against the Nets. Here's the rub: When Justise was drafted, his versatility was cited as his key to unlocking a successful NBA career. But at times, it's almost as if he feels pressed to show he can be a five-tool player. The next step has to be appreciating what he does well, but also accepting what he does not. Even now, it does not appear he will emerge as the type of one-man fastbreak that Goran Dragic has been. And that's fine. It also might quite possibly be that he will not emerge as a leading man or even an All-Star. And that's fine, too. He still can be a complementary component to championship team, which still could have the Heat coming out ahead with his draft selection.
Q: Hey Ira, I noticed that Bam Adebayo controlled the ball a lot against the Nets, specifically around the free-throw line to hand the ball off and set picks. My issue is that Bam never even looked at the rim, even though there was no defender in a 10-foot radius of him. Bam can either shoot a free-throw length jump shot, which he is very capable of doing, or attack the rim in these situations. Do you think Erik Spoelstra is making him stick to the handoffs? Don’t you think if we want to develop him, he should be at least looking at the rim when he's wide open? -- Daniel, Coral Springs.
A: The Heat's approach with young players often is baby steps, and first things first. In this case, be the roll man, work on creating the opportunity for pocket passes and the highest-percentage finishes. To be candid, I have far less of an issue of Bam being somewhat handcuffed (if it's even fair to consider it that), than the way that Kelly Olynyk has been so deferential. There have been times when Kelly has been wide open in his shooting zones and hasn't even looked at the rim. He's the one who already has the type of NBA-polished game to be more than a dribble-handoff man.
Q: Having Chris Bosh at the game in Mexico seemed to have inspired the players. When are the Heat going to offer him a job? -- Gabriel, Lakeland.
A: I would hope sooner rather than later. But there never was an issue between Chris and Erik Spoelstra or his former remaining teammates. That still has to come with Pat Riley in order for Chris, if he wants it, to again become a face of the franchise. But, to be candid, with his brilliance and charisma, I'm not sure Chris necessarily would want to limit himself just to opportunities with the Heat. He already is capable of working as a national broadcaster, as he has with Turner, or in an executive position with just about any NBA team -- or corporation.
Q: We need a majority of: Justise Winslow better, Tyler Johnson/James Johnson consistent to outstanding, Goran Dragic in the second half to wrap it up and Kelly Olynyk solid. -- Randall.
A: Good points, and that doesn't even get into how Hassan Whiteside will fit back into this lineup remix, since it well could have either Kelly Olynyk or James Johnson back on the bench. What this lineup shift has done is allow both James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk to get back into a better rhythm by starting. It also has alleviated the pressure on Winslow to score, when he now finds himself alongside the shooting of Wayne Ellington and revitalized scoring of Tyler Johnson. As for Dragic, Erik Spoelstra's decision to rest him earlier in games appears, at times, to leave him better energized at the finish. But what is becoming an issue is that as Tyler Johnson is finding his consistency, Dion Waiters seems to be losing his.
Q: Dion Waiters should be benched. Start Tyler Johnson. -- Juan.
A: OK, let's not go there, because there is no reason at the moment to go there while Tyler is thriving off the bench, as he has in the past two games in particular. The starting role matters far less than the minutes allotment. On Saturday night, that meant 27 for Tyler and 25 for Dion. What matters is the shot quality. Tyler said as much after Saturday's game, that he has found himself in better shooting spots, at better shooting times. Now it is a matter of consistently finding those for Dion, while also discouraging the dribble down, stop-and-pop attempts that aren't necessarily the best shots at the best time. The thing about Waiters, is that even when he is having a bad game, he remains capable of a strong finish. Saturday, that wasn't as essential because of how James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk finished.
Q: Ira, the Heat reached the win number 12 already. Is this an upgrade from the last season or a fool's gold? -- Masoud, Tucson, Ariz.
A: The most important thing about the start of this season is to forget about the finish of last season. Because no matter what happens over these first 41 games, it is highly, highly unlikely the Heat will again be going 30-11 over their final 41, as they did last season. Yes, the Heat were able to recover from 11-30 to make it to 41-41 last season before losing out on a playoff tiebreaker. But the East is better this season, and 41-41 might not even be good enough for a tiebreaker. And that has been an issue this season, the thought that the team can turn it on over the second half of the season. The lesson from last season should be the need to settle into a groove far sooner.
Q: Ira, based on Justise Winslow's play and development to date, when it is time to extend Winslow's contract do they sign him or admit he is a bust? With all of the long-term contracts on the roster my guess is they let him go. افكارك؟ -- Joel.
A: Actually, for more than a year, they don't have to do anything. The Heat already have picked up their $3.4 million option on Justise for 2018-19. This summer, and until the start of next season, the Heat will have the option of extending him or allowing him to go into 2019 free agency as restricted, meaning, even then, they could match outside offers. Now, sometimes that gets dangerous, like when the New York Knicks came up with the type of offer they did this past summer for Tim Hardaway Jr. But plenty of question marks over the years have been allowed to enter restricted free agency. For example, while Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid received extensions this summer, players from the 2017 NBA draft, such as Aaron Gordon, Marcus Smart and Julius Randle, instead were allowed by their teams to enter 2018 restricted free agency. So the Heat, in effect, still could utilize the balance of this season and all of next season to fully evaluate Winslow's long-term potential. Or, for that matter, an outside team that might value Justise more than the Heat could trade for him to afford themselves similar flexibility with his rookie-scale contract. To a degree, that makes Justise, even with his uneven play, somewhat of a value player at the moment, at only (relatively) $2.7 million this season and $3.4 million next season (2018-19), with a $4.7 million qualifying offer needing to be made to retain right-of-first-refusal in the 2019 offseason.
Q: Ira, you ran a question about whether Tyler Johnson can be considered a tradable asset, given his salary bump next year. What I keep wondering is this: Tyler is a better defender than Dion, shoots a higher 3-point percentage, and generally puts up decent numbers. He's in a slump and playing uneven at the moment and he's still got better stats per minute than Dion. When you talk about shuffling the lineup, why don't you ever discuss just putting Tyler in the starting five and seeing if he can excel? If so, maybe Dion can prove a more valuable trade asset in rebalancing this team. I think if Tyler plays bigger minutes than maybe his $19 million contract years will be easier to swallow. -- Mark, Chicago.
A: One of the appreciations I've developed over the years for coaches is the way they not only have to manage skill sets, but also egos. You make cogent points from both skill and salary perspectives. But I cannot fathom, after finally getting the opportunity to become a team focus and then re-upping in the offseason, that Dion ever would accept a shift to a reserve role. I believe you would lose him, at least mentally, at that point. Tyler, by contrast, has thrived in a bench role over his Heat tenure, to the point where Erik Spoelstra has gone out of his way to avoid starting him. The tweak you could consider would be extending Tyler's time at the cost of Dion's, but that hardly would be the best way to set up a player for a trade, as you suggest. No, to me it comes down to whether the Heat believe Tyler can become an impactful and consistent sixth man. At $50 million over four years you can live with that. But remember, the total cash investment in Dion is even greater.
Q: Ira, that game against the Spurs is what the Heat played like last season. We need to maintain that when Hassan Whiteside returns. -- Mac, Toronto.
A: And the question will be whether that is possible with a post presence in the lane. It will be interesting to see if Wednesday's offensive flow was the exception or emerges into the rule over these next two games that Hassan also will miss on this trip.
Q: It's the Spurs in San Antonio, we never win there. The best players were moved to the starting lineup and I think it made a huge difference. Everyone (except for Goran Dragic) played way better -- both the starters and the bench. I guess the defense could have been a little better. But, to me, this looked like the 30-11 Heat. They were moving the ball and having fun. This season has seemed a little hopeless at times, because a lot of us were expecting something closer to last season's second half and being locked into all these contracts with no future picks in sight, we don't really have anywhere to go. I'm very encouraged by this game. Leave James Johnson in the starting lineup and playoffs here we come. -- John.
A: I agree that, at least on the offensive end, there appeared to be a greater sense of flow, with an improved quality in the shot attempts. But in moving away from Justise Winslow and Bam Adebayo and toward Kelly Olynyk, you could see the flip side on the defensive end, with the Spurs relentlessly attacking the rim. Granted, few teams offer the type of quality height San Antonio does with LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol. Still, it will be interesting to see if they can mostly keep this unit together and add in Hassan Whiteside's rim deterrence (Olynyk at the four, James Johnson at the three). Defensive cohesion requires just that -- cohesion. And as the lineups continue to evolve, it does get in the way of that continuity. So what has to follow, against teams of lesser pedigree than the Spurs, has to be an equivalent step forward on the defensive end. If possible. As it is, against the shorter Nets, starting Olynyk and Johnson appears less likely.
Q: The crazy thing is the Heat will probably get into the playoffs. Got to love the Eastern Conference. -- Tony, Rio Vista, Calif.
A: But you can't bank on that. Because if you go with the assumption that Cleveland, Boston, Toronto, Washington and, eventually, Milwaukee will stand among the top five in the conference, that's only three remaining playoff spots to play with. And it just might be that the Pistons are for real, and that the 76ers and Pacers are more for real than anticipated. A year ago, the thought was that .500 would be good enough to make the playoffs in the East. The Heat finished at .500 -- and didn't.
Q: I was trying to figure out which player on the Heat I am most disappointed with? There are quite a few to choose from, but my pick would be James Johnson. I really thought he would have been a triple-double guy or at least a threat of one, but not even close. Who is your pick? -- James, Miami Beach.
A: It is Justise Winslow, but not as much for who he is, but rather because of what the Heat want him to be. As soon as Saturday against the Nets, he could be back in the starting lineup. And at this point in his development, I'm not sure if he has risen to the level of starter for a team that considers itself a playoff contender. On the second unit, there at least is the shooting of Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson alongside. As a starter, Winslow leaves the Heat somewhat limited when it comes to one end of the floor. And beyond that, so much of the team's long-term plans appeared predicated on Winslow's contributions. At the moment, that assumption might be a stretch.
Q: Hassan Whiteside (or Bam Adebayo, for now), Kelly Olynyk, James Johnson, Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic. Someone help me understand why that has not been the lineup since day one? If you're going to allow a lineup to fight through growing pains and to figure out how best to play together, why in the world wouldn't it be that one? Olynyk is a more polished version of Luke Babbitt. We were witness to (last year), and sold on (this summer), the versatility of James Johnson; why not let him play some small forward? -- Aram, Boynton Beach.
A: Well, you got most of what you wanted Wednesday night, if not exactly in the positional designations sought, with Kelly Olynyk starting at center and James Johnson at power forward (and no Bam Adebayo or Justise Winslow in the first five). As for Olynyk at the four and Johnson at the three, well, at least not yet with that. Unlike Erik Spoelstra, I don't get to see in practices how Olynyk looks while defending power forwards or what James Johnson does against small forwards (if any of that actually happens). I still -- even with what some call a reasonable contract for Kelly -- have a hard time believing that he was brought in at $50 million to play nothing but backup center when Hassan Whiteside is available. Similarly, when James Johnson arrived in free agency in 2018, it was with a reputation of being somewhat of a defensive stopper at small forward. Now, players change and times change. But even look at Wednesday night against the Spurs: Would James Johnson have been that much of a liability defensively against Rudy Gay? And couldn't Kelly Olynyk have provided welcomed height against either LaMarcus Aldridge or Pau Gasol at power forward alongside Adebayo? Look, a lot of this is subjective. Is James Johnson better than Josh Richardson, or, more to the point, better in that role? It's as if small ball has skewed all of the leaning in that direction. Perhaps it is as simple as the Heat coaches (again, who see these players in practice far, far more than myself) having come to the conclusion that in today's NBA that James Johnson is not a small forward and Kelly Olynyk is not a power forward. The irony would be that such delineations would be made by a team that prides itself on position-less thinking. With the Spurs attacking the middle Wednesday with impunity, I still would like to see a starting frontcourt of Whiteside, Olynyk and James Johnson -- when that possibly again becomes available.
Q: We keep making excuses for our front office. We didn't draft Devin Booker because we didn't need a wing. OK, wrong move. Now we didn't make sure we recognized the talent in this past draft and passed on Dwyane Wade's true replacement, Donovan Mitchell. -- Marcus, Washington, D. C.
A: OK, without getting into other picks that could have been dealt, since the Heat are limited because of the two first-rounders owed to the Suns for Goran Dragic, the Jazz essentially gave up a 2018 lottery pick (No. 12, Trey Lyles) and their 2017 first-round selection (No. 24, Tyler Lydon) to move up to the No. 13 spot and select Mitchell one spot ahead of the Heat. So -- and putting hindsight aside -- would you have been willing to trade, on draft night, Justise Winslow (No. 10 in 2018) and the Heat's No. 14 pick (which turned into Bam Adebayo) for No. 13 and the chance to select Mitchell? Not what would you would do now, but then?
Q: Ira, even though the Heat's start to the season has been uneven, I am still intrigued by the possibilities of this team. I know they still have a ton of work to do, specifically shooting themselves in the foot (turnovers) and into the ground (difficulty creating good shots, lots of settling for threes). However, I see the injury to Rodney McGruder as a huge loss right now. His ability to consistently knock down the three, his tenacity on defense, his timely cuts to the basket, runners in the lane, and the "winning plays" that Erik Spoelstra likes to characterize. I so often remember Rodney giving us that much needed spark. -- Scott, Sunrise.
A: No offense to Rodney, but if his absence has moved the Heat to mediocrity, then the roster was flawed from the outset. I mean, look at the opposite side on Wednesday night, and how the season-long absence of Kawhi Leonard has hardly slowed the Spurs. When you build a roster with a depth of talent, as the Heat stressed was their approach in the offseason, then there should be ways to survive the loss of anything but superstar talent. Yes, Rodney McGruder would make this team better. But based on the salary structure, do you truly envision him as the team's next $50 million player? If not, then there should have been a workaround in place.
Q: Is anyone starting to get concerned about Tyler Johnson's atrocious contract? He simply has not performed well offensively this season and his expected rate of acceleration has seemingly plateaued. What are our options if he continues at this very average pace, given that he's up for a massive raise next season, money that could, and should, be used elsewhere. -- Eric, Melbourne, Australia.
A: It seemed like the most logical path would have been to go back to the Nets and see if there was continued interest. Instead, Brooklyn, which issued a similar offer sheet to Allen Crabbe in the 2018 offseason, went back to Portland and acquired Crabbe and that bloated deal this summer. At this point, the only way to unload Johnson would be with a sweetener attached. And there is not much left to sweeten with, considering two of the Heat's next four first-round picks belong to the Suns from the Goran Dragic trade. I'm not sure that Justise Winslow/Tyler Johnson is enough to get a team to bite on the $19.2 million the Heat owe Johnson for both 2018-19 and 2019-20. So might it have to be Hassan Whiteside/Tyler Johnson? Or Dragic/Johnson? The only other option would be to take on contracts that other teams find similarly unappealing. So Tyler Johnson for an aging Luol Deng (and the $18 million and $18.8 million he has on the final two years of his deal after this season)? The structure of Tyler's deal has put the Heat in a pickle.
Q: All these guys from a half of successful season last year, each got four years from $40 million to $60 million and then relaxed? -- Masoud, Tucson, Ariza.
A: I've gotten this question in several forms and I can most definitely say that is not the case. James Johnson gets in plenty of extra work. Dion Waiters takes to heart his conversations about consistency from Erik Spoelstra. And Josh Richardson certainly has not backed off in his attempts to get better. What it is, to me, is a case of inconsistent players reverting to their career tracks, particularly with Johnson and Waiters. There is a reason James cycled through so many teams, drove Dwane Casey to distraction at times with the Raptors. There is a reason that Dion was unable to secure a significant free-agent contract until this deal from the Heat. I've always believed you can improve players' skill sets through extra court time and film study. I am not so sure there is a cure for inconsistency. And that is the fear: At the end of the day, will it remain about riding the waves with James Johnson and Dion Waiters? That is a choppy way to try to achieve franchise stability.
Q: Ira, I'd never thought I'd say this, but we miss Luke Babbitt. -- David, Plantation.
A: The Heat do, or at least another floor spacer in the starting lineup, a role that initially appeared to make sense for Kelly Olynyk, at least from an offensive standpoint. But with today's agile, active power forwards, I'm not sure that Babbitt or Olynyk types can be the answer on that end any more.
Q: Enough is enough really. The best players need to start and get the most minutes. They need to develop chemistry somehow, some way. James Johnson needs to start at the four or at the three alongside either Kelly Olynyk or Bam Adebayo or Tyler Johnson. The Warriors would never not start Kevin Durant nor Stephen Curry because they didn't mesh well. -- Chadwick, Lake Worth.
A: First, there are plenty of teams over the years that have not started their best five. But I agree that sometimes you can become overly concerned about balancing the starting and reserve units. The NBA has changed with the new, breathable schedule. You're not playing as many back-to-backs. You can go longer with players, with more time for rest and recovery. So if you paid James Johnson $60 million over four years, there should be a way to maximize those minutes. Same thing with Kelly Olynyk and his $50 million, four-year deal. Now, I'm not sure if this is the time for anything dramatic, with Hassan Whiteside sidelined. But it seems as if James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk play better in bigger minutes. I agree that this should be the time, with Whiteside out, to get an extended look at Johnson, to see if the second half of last season was the true James Johnson. As it is, you are still guaranteed of having a bench boost simply with the presence of Wayne Ellington, who instantly commands the respect of the defense with his 3-ponit threat.
Q: Ira, I'm a big fan of Dion Waiters, but can somebody please tell him start attacking the rim to score instead of pass for an assist. Waiters is at his best when in attack mode and he can be a bit too reckless -- D. J. Fort Lauderdale.
A: There is nothing wrong with playing in attack mode. It should be encouraged. But it seems as if there has to be more of a plan when Dion begins those forays, when he breaks through the first line of the defense, about how he can finish if he finds himself at the rim. Instead, there are times, when drive doesn't lead to a dish, that Waiters winds up as a man without a plan. What is needed is time at finishing school. And if he gets a few easy ones to drop, it could create more confidence with the jumper.
Q: Justise Winslow is the best trade sweetener. -- James.
A: I agree, as long as he retains any semblance of value. It would give the Heat a low-cost contract on the rookie scale that already is locked in for 2018-19 to perhaps pair with one of the costlier contracts. I'm not sure, though, it would be enough of a sweetener to get another team to take on Tyler Johnson's contract.
Q: Erik Spoelstra's fascination with Josh Richardson is something I’ll never understand. -- Mike.
A: Getting past the merits or faults of Josh, who actually has found his scoring touch over the past week, what exactly are the options now that Justise Winslow is starting at power forward? Without Rodney McGruder, and with the preference to play James Johnson and Tyler Johnson off the bench, who exactly would you have as Plan B? This isn't a matter of Spoelstra being stubborn (and that might not even be the correct word, in light of Richardson's stellar defensive metrics), but rather a function of what the front office left him to work with. Again, you have roster players such as Udonis Haslem, Jordan Mickey and A. J. Hammons lined up without minutes to play in the power rotation, but almost an empty cupboard at small forward. At some point, there appears to be a need for a roster realignment to allow for at least one more wing. You simply can't play night in and night out with the lack of scoring provided by Richardson and Winslow on the front line. Defense certainly is valued, but sometimes you need to score, as well. It is why the offseason moves to Bam Adebayo in the draft and Kelly Olynyk in free agency stand as somewhat confounding. And you can't say that an injury to McGruder was what blew the plan apart.
Q: Did the Heat make a mistake not draft Donovan Mitchell? -- Daniel, Hialeah.
A: Well, that comes down to how much they wanted him, since he was selected at No. 13 in June, one spot ahead of where the Heat took Bam Adebayo. Of course, the Jazz did trade ahead of the Heat for that selection with Denver, so perhaps they effectively preempted the Heat. But remember, that also was before the Heat signed Kelly Olynyk and while they were pursuing Gordon Hayward. So a wing might not have been as much a priority at the time. Much of this comes down to what the Heat thought/think with Goran Dragic, Dion Waiters, Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Rodney McGruder and whether that was/is enough.
Q: Ira, if the Heat do wind up testing the trade market on December 15, who could you see them targeting? -- Darryl, Fitzgerald, Ga.
A: I think it is too early for that, with assessments still being made. But I do believe if the Heat could find a taker for Tyler Johnson and those onerous next two seasons on his contract, they would move with haste. I also wonder, because Justise Winslow is still on the rookie scale, whether you might be able to package him with one of the Heat's less-desirable contracts, perhaps some sort of Winslow/Tyler Johnson package.
Q: What's this with starting Bam Adebayo and Justise Winslow? Neither is a scoring threat, and it leaves the other team playing five-on-three. Witness the start against Charlotte. Out of necessity, Adebayo should be paired with either James Johnson or Kelly Olynyk, each of whom is a scoring threat, and Winslow -- whose general score line is impressive, except for the place where it says points scored -- gets to play with the other. Not basketball genius, just common sense. -- Hanan, Tel Aviv.
A: A couple of factors are in play here. First, Erik Spoelstra generally prefers to replace a sidelined player with someone who least impacts the overall rotation. So with Adebayo out of mothballs, that, in effect, is achieved. He also tends to take more of a long view, looking at his rotation more than just the starting lineup. And the Heat second unit has generally been a plus for the team. So for as much as you are concerned about Winslow in the first group, also take into consideration the impact he might have with the second unit. What will be interesting, perhaps even fascinating, is what happens when Rodney McGruder returns (and he appears to be doing more and more in workouts). If McGruder, for argument sake, were to be inserted with the starters, where would that leave Josh Richardson, or even Winslow? Because of Winslow's unique attributes, and scoring struggles, it leaves Spoelstra in an interesting spot.
Q: Ira, what's with this place-holder starter strategy? It was one thing last year with Luke Babbitt starting and James Johnson finishing. But this year we keep digging ourselves into a hole in the beginning of games. -- John, Ocala.
A: It's actually only been the past three games. But, as stated above, Spoelstra also is concerned about who finishes. The thing is, Babbitt provided the type of spacing, along with McGruder, in the first unit that this season's opening lineup somewhat lacks. Of course, with Whiteside out, it probably is not the best time to judge the starting unit, since Whiteside has a definitive impact on each teammate when he is on the court. The real question, based on the vagueness of Whiteside's estimate on his absence, is if the Heat can afford to remain in a holding/waiting pattern.
Q: I keep telling you we need a pure point guard in the lineup, not to start but to give Goran Dragic some breathers, someone that run the offense. -- R. G.
A: And I keep telling you I agree. But for more than that. For the games when Dragic might not be able to play. I understand cap considerations and loyalty and developmental concerns. But it would seem that a roster that is carrying Udonis Haslem, A. J. Hammons, Jordan Mickey and Okaro White would have room for a guard with a tight enough handle to start if needed. Then again, perhaps that why Derrick Walton Jr. has been spending so much time with the Heat while on his two-way contract (if for no other reason than to give the Heat something closer to a true point guard for practices).
Q: Ira, why do so many people have blinders on when it comes to Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow? One good game doesn't change the 11 bad ones. -- Shane, San Francisco.
A: Here's why: Because what other options, at the moment, do you have? Granted, before Josh stepped up with his career-high 27 points and Justise stepped forward with his 11 rebounds Friday against the Hornets, there was the constant chatter of changing things up. ماذا؟ If Josh Richardson doesn't start at small forward, then Justise Winslow probably does. This roster remains lacking when it comes to wings with length. And James Johnson continues to appear more comfortable with the reserves, particularly his chemistry with Wayne Ellington. So the reason there is such an exhale on nights such as Friday is at least you get to envision the possibilities. I asked Erik Spoelstra if he could envision a series of lineup changes in order to compensate for the absence of Hassan Whiteside. He spoke of a status quo with the rest of the rotation, and that basically was the case Friday, with the exception of extra (and deserved and earned) minutes for Kelly Olynyk. So, basically, the only choice with Richardson and Winslow is . . . more, please.
Q: Ira, Josh Richardson played well Friday, but can we count on that? With Hassan Whiteside out, we're going to need his scoring. -- Nate.
A: What the Heat are going to need is scoring from somewhere on the wing, be it Richardson or Dion Waiters or Goran Dragic, who is in a real slump since being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday. Richardson is a good place to start, but there also has to be something closer to game-long consistency from Waiters. The Heat know that Wayne Ellington will be there with the 3-pointers, but there also has to be something in attack mode. What the Heat next need is a night, amid this absence of Whiteside, when Richardson, Dragic and Waiters can all get it going. That likely will be the only way to remain competitive in these next two games, against the Warriors at home on Sunday and then Wednesday on the road in San Antonio.
Q: Why wouldn’t the Heat make a play for Jahlil Okafor? He is a Duke product, and Philadelphia is only asking for a second-rounder, -- Richard, Naples.
A: The Heat are having enough of an issue trying to figure out how to incorporate Hassan Whiteside's post-driven play into the mix, let alone adding another big man who needs to play in a halfcourt system. With Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk in place, the Heat already have their rotation at center covered. At this point, are there any guarantees that Okafor even would be an upgrade on Jordan Mickey?
Q: LeBron James exposed the Heat early on Tuesday night by playing free safety on defense, realizing the Heat's forwards are challenged offensively. LeBron knows basketball. So until the Heat have more offense or the threat of offense from the forwards, the team is maxed out. It just is. -- Stuart.
A: Exactly. What the Heat are doing is giving at least one opposing forward practically a nightly free pass on defense. For some, that means saving their energy to score even more. For others, it allows them to freelance, double-team or create turnovers by playing the passing lanes. I'm not sure opposing defenses place much of a priority on tracking Josh Richardson or Justise Winslow as they do against most opposing forward tandems. It's not only about scoring; it's about creating a perceived threat. And the Heat's starting forwards, at the moment, do not do that, even when one manages to put up numbers, as Richardson has done this week.
Q: Ira, Pat Riley always talks about how Erik Spoelstra could be his successor.
Why not kick it into gear now? Bring back David Fizdale to coach the Heat, and bump Spoelstra to front office to take over the team so Riley can head to Malibu as a Jerry West-like consultant? This would solve some issues, perhaps breathe some new life into the Heat, and put us on a course to more relevance. I'm sure Fizdale would take a different approach with Hassan Whiteside. -- Angel.
A: Because Spoelstra does not appear anywhere close to retiring from coaching and because Riley does not appear ready to remove himself from the day-to-day operation. Plus, it's not a matter of what Spoelstra, Riley or even Fizdale would want, but rather what Micky Arison and Nick Arison want. Beyond that, there is General Manager Andy Elisburg and other front-office executives to take into account. All of that said, Spoelstra is such a close friend of Fizdale's that I do believe he would like, at some point, to resume a working relationship. But Spoelstra is also close to current assistant Dan Craig.
Q: I know a lot of Heat fans will find this question blasphemous, but isn't Dion Waiters just doing the same thing we used to praise Dwyane Wade for at one point? Trying to do it all on his own? -- Willie.
A: Actually, if you recall, there were questions during the Wade era of hero ball. On a quality team, it is important to explore all options throughout a game. During crunch time, when defenses particularly lock down, that's when individual brilliance can make the difference, often has to make the difference. Wade displayed that at a Hall of Fame level. Dion has shown it at a highly confident level. The problem is the first 43 or so minutes of games, when it is essential to keep teammates involved in the offense, which often translates into greater defensive intensity. Dion can be a wonderful isolation scorer. But that also isolates the rest of the lineup. This team is built on scoring diversity. That means Waiters, and the rest of his teammates, moving the ball from good to better to best when it comes to shot attempts throughout the build up to crunch time. Erik Spoelstra mentioned as much after the loss in New York, how there was a lack of passing, too many single-minded possessions.