ASK IRA: Should Heat be ready to cast Butler, Adebayo and Herro as their three-player core?
Q: Ira, so was Erik Spoelstra’s statement that Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro are the team’s core a message to Portland that we would like Damian Lilliard but we can win without him? Which might be construed as the ball is in your court, Portland? – Rodney.
A: This assuredly is why Erik Spoelstra refrains from interviews whenever possible, including with South Florida media since season’s end. The ways comments are parsed these days, you basically can attach any context to any comment. What I take it as is that if you give Erik Spoelstra a team, he will make the best of it. Give him Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro, and he’ll coach ’em up to their maximum. Of course, give him Damian Lillard and the exercise could be more productive. It was interesting that when mentioning the Heat’s leading men, he mentioned Tyler but did not mention Kyle Lowry. Intentional? I doubt it, considering it was a rushed interview with ESPN amid Spoelstra’s current responsibility as an assistant coach of Team USA going into the World Cup. I do believe Erik would be comfortable with what is in place at the moment. I’m not sure, though, that privately he does not covet Damian. Basically, how could you not?
Q: So it seems like Christian Wood won’t be signing for more than the vet minimum. So does the Heat not offering the vet minimum for Wood now have less to do with tax implications and more to do with interest from the Heat front office? – Carlos, West Park.
A: I’m just not sure the level of interest is there at the moment with the Heat’s current mix in the power rotation. Nor am I sure, that even at the minimum, the Heat necessarily want to guarantee another contract at the moment. Now, if the Heat make over moves, then the roster calculus could change.
Q: Does the NBA not know that Boston and Minnesota aren’t close? That’s some back-to-back the first week of the season. – Sam.
A: Yes, it is, with a nationally televised game on Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Celtics’ home opener, and then the Heat playing at 7 p.m. on the road Minnesota time the following night against the Timberwolves. Still, those 1,124 air miles are actually less than the 1,258 miles from Miami to Boston. Still, it could be worse. Instead of the 1,500 air miles back to Miami from Minneapolis, the Heat will have to go only 297 to Milwaukee for the third and final game of that trip.