ASK IRA: Blow it up? Heat not positioned for two steps back
Q: I guess we can look at the bright spots in the year like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. Do you think they will blow this team up, because even when healthy they’re still not good enough, even though Erik Spoelstra always says we have enough? – Carl.
A: When you look back, the Heat rarely blow it up, save for perhaps the trade for Shaquille O’Neal. But sometimes they get blown up, such as when LeBron James departed. Blowing it up means scorched earth, and that well could mean lottery. Basically, the Heat cannot afford such an approach because two of their upcoming first-round picks are headed elsewhere, both potentially unprotected, one to Oklahoma City and one to Charlotte. Therefore, they can’t afford to blow it up. There remains a core to build around. It comes down to the Heat deciding who is core and who is not.
Q: As expected, blowout. Jimmy Butler or Terry Rozier would not have made a difference on Game 1, since the Heat’s “in the mud” method of trying to win is not sustainable in today’s NBA. Pat Riley needs to wake up. – Roy, Miami.
A: To say that Jimmy Butler or Terry Rozier would not have made a difference is to say that you do not believe they are playoff-level contributors. And on that count, I think you are incorrect. Talent always makes a difference, particularly during the stages when either Jimmy can get to the foul line to quell an opposing rally, or when Terry can create for himself amid the absence of offensive cohesion. That said, the Heat’s offense has been a concern for years. It might be hard to sway the powers that be, but there seemingly does have to be a reevaluation on that end.
Q: Tyler Herro can do better and must do better in this series, both for the Heat and for himself. – Bernardo, Fort Lauderdale.
A: But without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier, it’s not as if Tyler is a standalone scorer, something he has not been asked to do over his five seasons. You don’t just turn to a player one day, hand him the keys, and say, “This is your team, do everything on offense.” Now, if this had been a situation where the Heat went from the regular season directly to the playoffs, then Erik Spoelstra would have had a full week off to recalibrate the approach, to center that approach around Tyler. Of course, if the Heat weren’t in the play-in, then that moment of truth wouldn’t have come in the play-in with Jimmy’s knee.