ASK IRA: Have NBA doors now opened for Heat, others on market at power forward?
Q: Can you tell me that Rui Hachimura isn’t better than Caleb Martin? – Greg.
A: I’m not sure I could tell you either way, with Rui Hachimura still developing (and Caleb Martin developing, as well). I’m guessing your greater question is the Lakers making a low-cost play for Rui and the Heat, for the moment, standing pat. There also are layers at play here, including the Heat having Caleb under contract at a reasonable $20.4 million over three years, and Rui perhaps having visions of something near that as the first-year starting point in this summer’s free agency. If the Heat make a lateral move at power forward, it likely would be for a playoff-tested veteran. Yes, Rui has been intriguing since his Gonzaga days, but I doubt anyone would consider him a game changer when it comes to playoff seeding. For the Lakers, where he was dealt Monday, it’s more the desperation of merely contending for the play-in round.
Q: I feel like we play better with half our roster out. – Tommy.
A: Actually, in those situations, individual Heat players do play better, with less need to defer and play in structure. That has been one of the most challenging aspects of this Heat season, is still being unable to get a read at this late date about what the team looks like when whole. For now, we wait and seemingly only begin to evaluate.
Q: Kyle Lowry is kind of what I expect. He has some good ones left in him but can it be sustained or is it one good, four bad? That’s what kind of hurts. It’s like one never knows now what game you will get from Kyle. Tomorrow he might be a no show or maybe he shows. – Douglas.
A: But part of that is the ongoing knee pain that has no specific answer other than ongoing treatment. Such is life with a 36-year-old point guard, and the Heat certainly have been there before. What the Heat need to see, preferably ahead of the Feb. 9 NBA trading deadline, is sustained success from Kyle. But time in that aspect is growing short.
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