ASK IRA: Do the Heat need to stockpile 3-point shooting as insurance?
Q: I hope we keep Duncan Robinson. He would be a perfect fit with Damian Lillard. – Drew.
A: And it is possible that could be the outcome if there is a trade for Damian Lillard, with Tyler Herro going out for a first-round pick and Kyle Lowry as salary-cap ballast to balance the deal. But you also need insurance, and in the Heat’s case, low-cost insurance, in case the Heat have to send out Duncan Robinson. In that case you would have lost the shooting of Duncan, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in the same offseason. And while Damian obviously would pick up much of that slack, you also would need someone to space the floor and be on the receiving end of his passing. That’s why the move toward Cole Swider makes sense, as does the additional camp look at Drew Peterson. Now, if a Lillard deal gets done, then the finances can be reassessed and it is possible a veteran shooting specialist also could be added.
Q: I know most of the talk is about Damian Lillard, but I don’t see anything happening until Kyle Lowry’s big contact gets taken. Would the Heat keep Lowry even if no trade for Lilllard is made, or is he a goner? – Victor, Boynton Beach.
A: If Kyle is not included in a trade for Damian Lillard, or if there is no Lillard trade, then I think you ride out the final year of that contract, rather than enduring three years of stretch payments. But you also explore whether there then is the chance for Tyler Herro to become your starting point guard. First, though, the Lillard situation has to be resolved.
Q: Juwan Howard’s free agent signing, eliminating Shaq’s in the lane spin/clear out move by making it an offensive foul, changing the cap rules to break up the Big Three and now the Damian Lillard warning letter to weaken the Heat’s position. Sure seems the NBA offices don’t want the Heat to succeed. – J.P., Miami.
A: And now anti-floppery rules that could change how Jimmy Butler or, if he stays, Kyle Lowry are officiated? But I would bet most teams have their own sense of slights regarding league directives over the years. So I believe the perception of anti-Heat bias is overstated. The bottom line is the Heat formed the Big Three, to the consternation of most of the league; signed Jimmy Butler in the void of cap space; and got a mere second-rounder slap for the perception of early negotiations with Lowry. Plus, is there a better NBA Finals setting for the league than South Florida?