Miami HEAT: Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s Injury THREATENS Depth | Kel’el Ware’s CEILING | TRADE Targets

Miami HEAT: Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s Injury THREATENS Depth | Kel’el Ware’s CEILING | TRADE Targets

We’re opening up the mailbag today to answer your questions about the Heat. What’s the best lineup? Which player has been the most impactful? And Wes, can the Heat have multiple Allstars this season? David, I don’t know if they’ll have multiple Allstars, but I know I hate the new All-Star game format. You are Locked on Heat, your daily Miami Heat podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. All right, welcome to Locked on Heat, your daily podcast on the Miami Heat, part of the Locked On podcast network. Now the number one sports podcast network. Whether you’re tuning in on YouTube or on your favorite podcast app, thanks so much for making Locked on Heat your first listen every day. Join the cookie gang, become an everydayer, that means subscribing, tuning in every day, Monday through Friday, and signing up to the Lockdown Heat text line with the link in the show notes. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. Head to fanduel.com to get started. I’m Wes Goldberg, host of Locked on NBA Daily and RealGM radio. I’m here with David Rmill. Both of us are credentialed Heat Media members who cover this team every day, and we’ve got a big mailbag to get to today. So, we asked the Locked on Heat text line to submit questions for the mailbag. We’re going to try to do these a little bit more often, hit a bunch of different topics. It’s a good uh way to do that. You can sign up with the link in the show notes or text 786-9987029. It’s free for the first 30 days and then it goes to $5 a month after that. You get a chance to ask questions for these kinds of mailbags and our postgame shows, plus access to game notes, injury updates, insider info, news, and a lot more. We’ve got questions about some players that he could target before the trade deadline that would fit the new system in a second, but let’s start with this question from Malachi who writes in. Saturday night’s loss against the Pistons proves how valuable Hima Jr. is to this Miami Heat team, especially to the second unit. David, I had the exact same thought watching that Heat game. What about you? Yeah. Uh clearly they could have used his ability to just push the pace, attack the rim a little bit, challenge Detroit’s bigs and and get some easier buckets that way in transitions because that’s what the spark he’s been able to provide all season long and clearly that was missing on Saturday night. It always feels like, especially in the first half, there’s a two or three minute stretch where after Hayakas checks in, he just kind of goes on a little mini run, whether it’s like six points in 2 minutes or six of Miami’s nine points in a certain stretch or whatever. He just has this ability to add this ju like this instant juice to the offense that I thought the Heat were really missing especially in that first half against Detroit where the Pistons kind of came out got out to their first big lead of that game before they obviously went out and took a bigger lead uh going into that fourth quarter. But numbers back it up too with Hime Hakees right he’s got the highest onoff splits on the team per cleaning the glass the Heat are outsc scoring or are 12.6 points per 100 possessions better with Haime Hakas Jr. on the floor versus when he’s off the floor and that’s the highest on the team. Bam is second. So, according to this metric, he’s been their best player this season. And I don’t even know that that’s a crazy thing to say based on how good and and and important he’s been. Now, obviously, he sat out Saturday night with a groin injury. You hope that um that’s not a lingering thing. It looks like uh he should hopefully be available uh Monday night against the Clippers, but yeah, he should definitely uh he he definitely helps them uh in what they’re trying to do with that second unit. Yeah, a big concern though for me that injury because he did have that lingering groin injury all of last season and you know it dates back to his college days and Miami does rely on him because he comes in there and provides that instant offense. He drives to the hoop. He gets the and one and next thing you know, like you said, he gets like five to seven points. Really, a quick burst that helps Miami either extend their lead or at least push it to to, you know, get beyond their opponent there. And and without him, they kind of flounder a little bit. They’re kind of looking to get that juice from somewhere, some other player. And they really haven’t had that other spark. Yeah, we talked about it before how he just personifies everything the Heat are trying to do in terms of getting uphill uh getting downhill quickly, getting into the paint, getting shots on goal, all those things. He is sort of the avatar for Miami’s new offense in a lot of ways. He is listed as questionable uh according to the latest injury report for tonight against the Clippers. So, we’ll see. Antonio writes in, “What is Kell Wear’s ceiling?” It’s a great question, David, and it’s actually something I’ve been thinking a lot about. Over the last five games, he’s averaging 17 and 13 with a little bit over one block per game. Yeah. I tried to come up with something that wasn’t just Jarrett Allen because it feels like that’s the most obvious comp for him. Yeah. And I I was like, is he is he um like a a Jiren Jackson Jr. type? Does he have any of that to his game? Jiren Jackson Jr. is not a good rebounder. And he’s also a lot better off the dribble than KL We is. Like K We has basically no dribble game to speak of. Um so that’s why I kind of ended up back at Jared Allen. He’s like he’s Jared Allen with a three-point shot. Like he’s not going to dribble more than twice. That’s not a post up, right? That that’s kind of what Koair’s game is. But he’s got a three-point shot that that Allen doesn’t have and probably won’t will never have. So in terms of his ceiling, is Jared Allen with a three-point shot good enough? Or to me the question is if he could develop an off the dribble game, especially in this offense, could he be better rebounding Jiren Jackson Jr.? It feels like that’s still so far away. It’s hard to see him develop that ability to create offense on his own. He just doesn’t have it right now. he needs to be fed and that’s why he’s such a vicious lob thread because he’s this incredible length and athleticism and everything else like that, but he just he doesn’t create his own shot so easily and until he gets to that point, it’s really hard to kind of see what his ceiling is. Having said that, if it’s Jared Allen, that’s not a bad place to be. Like that’s a two-time all-star on some pretty good teams over the course of his career. Definitely an impactful player and somebody that a lot of teams would want to have, including Miami. Miami has come to rely on wear and what he provides. And so I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Uh I’m just not ready to say that he’s got that other level to his game until he’s able to create his own shot a little bit more easily. He just does not have much of an offensive repertoire other than the ability to space the floor and be a lob threat. And until he expounds on that a little bit, then uh we’re not going to really see him reach another level. Where he’s at right now is pretty good. But I think right now my focus for him would be to just do that much more consistently. What we’ve seen so far is great, but it’s still a very short stretch. Yep. See it over the course of an entire season. If you can avoid injury and continue to develop, then we’re talking multiple time all-star. And that’s a pretty good pick for Miami. Yeah. The other name that always comes up with him is Miles Turner. Miles Turner sneakily not a great rebounder either. I think Kaware’s rebounding ceiling is a lot higher than Miles Turner’s. Um now and even if you look at their first couple years of their career like Koware is already a better three-point shooter than Miles Turner was at at the beginning of his career. Miles Turner is also a much better shot blocker. No, I don’t know about better. He’s a much more productive shot blocker than Koware is. I think where is still trying to figure out the NBA timing of things but Miles Turner was a shot blocker like one of the best the league’s best shot blockers basically right away when he was coming out of Texas. So um with I don’t Miles Turner a little bit but to me the Jared Allen stuff just still works with him. It’s Jared Allen plus a three-point shot. And to your point, if that’s what his ceiling is, that’s a very, very good player. But what gets him to that next level of a could he be Jiren Jackson Jr.? Can he kind of I don’t think he’ll ever be Carl Anthony Towns because he’ll never be that level of three-point shooting is in terms of volume, but could he I think he’s already, by the way, on a better trajectory defensively than Carl Anthony Towns, but like these these elite centers, an Evan Mobley type, like these elite centers, bam, right? These are guys who can do stuff with the ball in their hands a little bit more than some of these Miles Turner, Jared Allen types. And until we see that from from Kawware, that’s going to be what kind of puts the the ceiling on them here right now. Uh Jonah writes in, “Any insight into whether or not the front officers are getting the Nikolai Yovic extension?” Uh I can tell you they are not regretting it right now. We are a long way away from anything like that. Yeah, this is too immediate. I I know it’s in the nature of a fan to be somewhat reactionary and that’s totally fine. But uh a front office cannot have the uh the luxury of being that shortsighted. It’s all about a long game. And while they still want to be able to have an impactful player, I think they still believe in Yoic and what he’s capable of providing. And so they can’t have any regrets right now if this is going into year two. And I don’t know that it would be like we already knew Nico was a player who did suffer from inconsistency. The potential was there. The front office coaching staff, they all raved about what he was able to do over the offseason and preseason and then all of a sudden it just kind of fell off. And I think the difference is just a psychological one. He just hasn’t been the same kind of level of player uh that he once was or he doesn’t feel like he’s capable of being. So yeah, that’s it. Yeah. and it doesn’t help his way back from an injury which which is you know could impact things too. Um, this is what I will say. This is the good thing about having the Heat structured the way they are and Eric Spolst having the kind of job security he has in the front office, having that that trust in him is maybe if it were another front office, they’d say, “Hey, you cannot bench the guy we just extended for Simone. Force him out there.” Yeah. Right. And and then, you know, Yoic obviously got in there over Fontio on Saturday night and that wasn’t Yoic was bad. It was like what a five turnovers in 10 minutes. I mean, it was it was really bad for him. And I don’t know that he’s earning these rotation minutes right now. But the front office isn’t worried about this right now. They are more they that’s that’s something very very far off into the future because again another question from Jonah and we’ll try to get through these next couple really quickly. Can Kell Wear inspire Nicolovic? Something clicked for Kell? Could Yoic follow suit? What I thought was interesting about this question David is it felt like Yoic was the one inspiring Wear in training camp and preseason before he got rewarded with the contract extension and now it feels like they’ve just flipped. I don’t know if it’s a freaky Friday situation. I don’t know what’s going on, but KL Wear is the guy who’s taken this early season leap and it’s Nicola Yoic, who you see some of the comments about Eric Spolster talking still about, hey, you know, he’ll put in the work and he’ll get to where he needs to go. And then you’ve got Nico talking about how he looks like a guy at a guy like Duncan Robinson in years past who was in and out of the lineup and always managed to stay ready. I don’t love the the Duncan Robinson comp for Nicola Yoic. I know it’s one that we’ve made before, especially in regards to getting the new contract and what me and what that means for him emotionally and psychologically, but you don’t want him to look at a guy like, “Oh, it’s okay.” Like that guy that guy was in and out of the lineup. You want to look at you want you want Yovic looking at guys like like where who have basically solidified them as as like every night rotation guys. It’s such a departure from where he was when we talked to him on media day and he was so confident about believing he deserved the starting spot and that was his goal and he stated it so flatly and we were both believers. Consequently, we heard from you know Khil and he was just like yeah you know kind of like hedging a little bit not really sure what he was going to do and then he started off slowly and they have switched paths in terms of their trajectory now. So I kind of just think it it shows exactly how much of a factor the psychological issue is here because all of a sudden you get Khil wear getting a pep talk for via text by Udonis Hasslam and then he re recognizes you know what this is my opportunity to make an impact. He gets the opportunity to start with Bam Adabio’s injury and then he builds confidence and he gets better and better and better and now he’s a consistent threat off the bench for Miami or whether he’s in the starting lineup or not and he’s made the adjustment. Nico misses a few three-point shots, doesn’t get that big opportunity, and next thing you know, he’s like, “Oh, head down.” Can’t really figure out what his role is. Is Kel wear to Max Stre if Dunc if if Nikolovic is to Duncan Robinson? Oh man, that’s tough. That’s tough. That’s tough. Um, yeah, we’ve got a few more mailback questions to get to, including some potential trade targets. We’re going to do that next here on Locked on Heat. Today’s episode is brought to you by Prize Picks. The holiday season, one of the best times for sports. You got bowl games, big basketball matchups, Christmas day lineups already looking ahead, playoff pushes, and it’s all happening at once. And when we’re all making choices every day, one of the most fun places to make the right call is Price Picks. Price Pix is easiest way to get in on Daily Fantasy. Just pick more or less on at least two player projections. You lock in your lineup and you’re in the game. It’s simple, fast, and available in 45 states, including California, Texas, Georgia, and Florida. Price Pix has added an extra layer of excitement to the holiday spirits schedule. You can create a lineup and it takes less than a minute to do so. The app makes the whole process smooth and intuitive and you can choose from a huge range of unique stats. Whether it’s a fantasy score, field goal attempted, free throws made, turnovers, whatever fits your particular strategy. And deposits and withdrawals are quick and easy, which keeps everything flowing. So download the PriceMix app today. Use the code lockdown NBA. Get $50 in lineups. after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s code locked on NBA. You get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Price picks. It’s good to be right. We’ll be right back. Thanks again for making Lockdown Heat your first listen of the day. Thank you for making Lockdown the number one sports podcast network. Continuing with our mailbag, a llamas writes in, “This team is fun. National media is starting to pay attention. Can we not Can we get not one, not two, not three potential allstars? I think he meant three. Um, David, I doubt it. Uh, but if we were talking about three or four allstars here, I guess the names would be Bam, Hero, Powell, Kell as all-star level candidates. Now, I would say Talah probably misses too much time to make allstar. He did come back in time that if he plays every game for the rest of the year, he would hit the 65game minimum, which I don’t think is a coincidence, David, that he he’s targeted a day to make sure that he only missed 17 games. We’ll see, but he could potentially qualify if he doesn’t miss another game this year for end of season awards, but he’s missed a lot of time. It’s hard to kind of climb back and make an all-star from that. And I I as good as Kell We has been, I don’t think he puts up all-star caliber numbers. Uh he’s basically averaging 12 and 10 right now. Um, and like I said, even as good as his last five games were were, we’re still talking about 17 and 13. Y um, I don’t know if that’s enough to make it over other centers like Carl Anthony Towns, Jaylen Durren, Evan Mobley. And the key thing here, remember, Allstars positionless now. They changed the All-Star game format into something that makes no sense with Team USA versus Team World and all this stuff. And there’s a player pool of international versus US. And to do that, they’ve eliminated position. It’s a complete mess what they did, but either way, Cowware is not going to be helped by it. Um, but you look at the candidates and what do you think, David? No, I I don’t think there’s a a chance. I I would be I think I made this early season bold prediction uh in the preseason actually u that Miami would be better than they were. they’d have multiple players in consideration. None of them would make the All-Star team because I think so much of it is narrative based on, you know, Miami being good enough and then which player really represents Miami’s, you know, climb to the where they are in the standings right now, which player has been most productive and they’re all kind of canceling each other out because I think Tyler has a little bit of a reputation based on what we saw last year. He’s respected around the league, but then he misses time. So that kind of is like, oh well, I’m not going to vote Tyler Hero in. Who else qualifies? To your point about where uh we just made the comparison to Jared Allen. Why put in the young poor man’s Jared Allen if you’ve got Jared Allen right there? So I think that’s another thing kind of taking Khalilla out of the the the lineup there. Bam much better of a sterling reputation around the league, much more respected, and yet the numbers don’t necessarily support his cases strongly. Miami’s record is better, but his production’s been a little bit less. And you’ve got guys like Duran in particular who I think have been so much more productive on a team that has, you know, is competing for a 60 win season basically. And I think he’s probably going to get much more consideration than Bam at this point. So I think if you’re looking at one candidate on this roster for an all-star selection, it’s got to be Norm Powell. So he’s got to stay a little bit healthier and he’s got to have a bounce back because we’ve seen how that the, you know, pairing with Tyler Herro hasn’t always been as smooth as as Norm kind of works his way back from injury. And I think that’s a big part of what’ll help him get that respect because I think he’s already respected as a good substitute around the league. Like, you know, oh, a guy who can kind of pinch hit a little bit, you know, put up some numbers on some good teams here and there, but he doesn’t he’s not viewed, I think, in league circles as all-star guy, and that needs to change. I think that started to change with what we saw early in the season when he was putting up some big games and Miami’s record was much better than people expected it to be. It just has to be a little bit more consistent. He needs a a buzzer beater. I would say he needs like a 35 point game at some point here just for people to be like, “Wow, Nor Pal really balling. He’s he deserves my allar.” But 35 is not even enough to catch people’s attention these days with six point totals. You might have to get to that door dash 50 number or something like that. I don’t know. Um if the Heat are a top four, if the Heat are a top six seed in the East, somebody will get rewarded. Wait, they’ll get rewarded with at least one All-Star. Somebody will make it. And if the coaches just have to put BAM on it, even if Pal’s numbers kind of cool off a little bit, the coaches will just put Bam on it. Like that’ll just happen. So I I think at minimum they end up with one All-Star, potentially two if it’s Bam and Powell. Would you put Bam over Jiren at this point? I’d put them both on. I don’t know that I I think they both have to be on. Yeah. Over Carl Anthony Towns. I think you could put all three of them on. Yeah. Towns has not been great this year, but I think all three of them have to be on there. Yeah. All right. There it is. Andrew writes in, “Honestly, Ben Simmons as the back of five within Bam starting would be worth a flyer. He’d do amazing on this offense with the pace of the team while being a solid defender and rebounder might be worth a call when we have the vet minimum available in December.” They should have the veteran minimum available within a couple of weeks here. Um, and at that point, they could have a decision to make. They’ve managed to make it this far without a true backup five, but I still think it could be worth having somebody there. Ben Simmons isn’t a traditional five, but I don’t know if this team is asking for a traditional five. He’s 611ish. He’s played center for basically the last couple of years. I thought he actually had some moments with the Clippers last season. David, I can’t believe I’m saying it. I don’t hate it. Yeah, it sounds good, right? I mean, and I like the idea of it. And I think that’s kind of where I’m stuck is just it’s the idea of Ben Simmons and I don’t know what I’m gonna get. I think one a huge factor that probably we’re discounting here is the fact that he was represented by Bernie Lee. Does he even have representation at this point? I mean, I don’t even know what he’s looking to do. And and that kind of there’s this kind of leaguewide perception of a player once he’s viewed as not really good enough to be in the league. He kind of has like a a stink about him that he can’t escape, you know? And I don’t know that people see him as being that committed. Not only is he not that good enough perhaps, but he might not be that committed. And that’s not what the Heat are looking for. They’re looking for a player who might be on the outs who is desperate to come back in the league. The Heat have been the best team for in terms of reclamation projects for a long time. But the one caveat has always been, look, your NBA career is hanging by a thread. You’ve got to want it. And that’s where the Udonis Hasslams and everybody else come in and be like, “Look, you work and you buy into the culture and the system. You’re going to get paid. You’re going to get something out of this. You’re going to be able to resuscitate your career.” I don’t know that Ben Simmons is at that point. He’s made a lot of money. He kind of looks like he’s just happy fishing off the coast of Australia somewhere. So, you know, I think that’s kind of where he’s at right now. And I don’t know that he’s necessarily invested in in trying to prolong his NBA career. And that’s totally fine. Like, uh, if that’s what he wants, I I can’t blame him. I’d be happy to make the the hundreds of millions that he’d made and uh and be like, you know what, I I just want to go fishing. Um Bernie Lee did drop him because reportedly he did not show interest in return in playing for the Knicks. So, if he’s not he’s basically saying not very much interested in playing for now, maybe it was the New York media that he had an issue with. Obviously, his time in Brooklyn uh was not, you know, the media wasn’t very kind to him and and you know, for good reason. He basically quit on that team, too. Um, yeah, I the idea of Ben Simmons, to your point, David, is good, but he’s got to want it. And he reportedly he does he has not even hired a new agent yet. He has no representation. I was looking at I was looking it up while you were talking. Uh, which does not sound like a guy who necessarily wants to be part of basketball, right? A little bit. Um, okay, let’s do uh actually we’re going to take another break here and then coming up next, we have a question about a consolidation trade and then more questions about Miami’s lineups coming up after this. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. And that’s what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You’re not just watching the game, you’re reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel, you can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. Live betting is best when game starts to shift. A receiver gets hot, a defense tightens up, or the momentum flips after a turnover. Oh, those turnovers so costly. In terms of changing the momentum, and all of a sudden it feels like a game can just go in a complete opposite direction. FanDuel lets you jump into the moment. Live spreads and money lines adjust instantly. Player props update as the guys heat up, and you can bet the next touchdown score, drive results, totals, and more. It keeps you locked into every snap, every drive, every possibility. So, if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, go visit fanuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. We’ll be right back. Final segment speed round edition of the mail bag. Jonah writes in, “I’m personally not in favor of a consolidation trade as we’re always injured and the NBA is favoring depth more and more. But if we were to make a consolidation trade, who are the candidates on the roster to be moved? Um, to me, there’s four guys that I look at as candidates in a consolidation trade. Simone Feeko probably has to be in it. One year left on his contract at $8.3 million. It’s just too chunky and expiring. It probably gets moved. Uh, Nico Yoic could be in this depending on how the rest of his season pans out. he did sign that um rookie scale extension, so it technically falls under the poison pill provision, which I don’t need to jump into all of the dynamics of that, but essentially what that means is the contract worth going out isn’t the same as it is coming in for another team, but it’s not a huge deal. So, when you’re going to hear people talk about, oh, Yoic poison pill, it could still pretty much get moved just because of the way that the contract is is worked. I don’t, again, too boring to jump into all the details on that. Don’t worry about the poison pill, in other words. So, I got Fentiel, I’ve got Yoic, Norm Pal at $20.4 million, depending on the kind of player coming back. I he one year left. If the Heat don’t want to deal with his extension or whatever it is, like that’s a big chunky number. If you can go get a star, you know that teams will probably be asking for Powell back or, you know, Tyler Hero at $31 million. Again, depending on that level of contract coming back. Maybe it’s Hero at 31. You hate to include guys like Pal and Hero as good as they’ve been so far this season, but if we’re talking about consolidation trade, depending on the levels of that trade, you got guys on the lower end like Fentecho all the way up to the higher end at Hero at $31 million. David, yeah, I mean, a lot of different options and and that’s kind of where you look at. So, I I know fans are probably bristling at the even the notion of trading Norm and a lot of people are kind of feeling the same way about Tyler, especially after some of the games that he’s had lately. But I mean that’s the reality is that their salaries are kind of uh they’re movable and at the same time there is a future in terms of contract extensions and things that sort that the team has to take into consideration. So, we’ve seen crazier transactions happening over the last few years, and I’m I’m sure this wouldn’t be much of a surprise, but I I just it feels like Miami will try to do what they typically do, which is we found our guys, we like our guys, and we want to keep them at a salary that makes sense to us rather than try to move them at this point. They they typically don’t bulk at that the contract extension and say, “Okay, we’re under pressure to have to move a player.” They’d rather just say, “You know what? We keep you, but we like what you bring to the table. We just want to pay you this much.” And it’s up to the players to say, “No, that’s I’m good. I’d rather choose more money elsewhere and see if they can get it.” Right. And I don’t from the sound of it doesn’t sound like Tyler Herro is going to be seeking the max. It doesn’t sound like Norm Powell is going to be seeking the max. Unless Tyler Herro hits all NBA 65 game stuff and then he can and he would have a point. He’d be like, “Hey, I’m an allNBA guy now. I deserve the max.” But anything short of that, I don’t really see that happening. Um, and I think the Heat could, to your point, David, extend both Pal and Hero and just figure it out later. Those are good players and if you get them at a reasonable number that and you and you’re able to stay under the tax or even if you’re just slightly over the tax but you’re not flirting with that second apron and all the restrictions that come with that. I I think that that’s a possibility. I wouldn’t rule out the idea of the Heat resigning both Pal and Hero because I think a lot of fans are saying well it’s one or the other. I don’t think that that’s the case right now. Uh the other thing that we haven’t even mentioned that’s worth mentioning here in terms of consolidation trades, this is why they really need Terra Rosir’s contract to get unfrozen by the NBA and for the league to figure out something with this because right now you’ve got $26.6 million in a one in an expiring contract just sitting there. And if the NBA does not allow Miami to move that contract before the February trade deadline, add that to the list of grievances that the Heat should have against the NBA front office right now. Obviously, the first one being they didn’t they were not notified about an ongoing investigation, but the second one being like, “Oh, this is a valuable contract as an expiring and you’re not even going to let us move it before the trade deadline, so you’re kind of screwing us over multiple times now on the way out the door. You’re kind of kicking us on the butt on the way out the door.” Like, that’s not cool. So, something has to give with this Rosier contract, specifically before the February tread deadline. And and trade season starts December 15th when a lot of these contracts that were signed over the summer are eligible to get traded. um TBD on that. The key here also in terms of any consolidation type move, just for people to keep this in mind, if you’re going to be playing on the trade machine, the Heat will need to take less money back in any sort of trade in order to fill out the roster and also stay under the under the tax. So, if you’re playing on the trade machine, remember, you got to take less money back, enough where you’re able to uh at least get another couple players depending on how many players are going out on the 15-man roster without uh going over the tax cuz you’re not going to want to do that. Malachi writes in, “I’ve been curious looking back at the Pistons and Heat trade from this summer. Who won the trade so far?” I think both teams won this trade. I think the Heat got under the tax. Got a pretty good player in Fentio and Duncan Robinson has been a great fit for the Pistons, especially after what happened with Malik Beasley who’s currently out of the league um as he’s sort of the center of an investigation, too. Duncan’s been great for them uh in that starting lineup, especially uh space in the floor. and you look at the Pistons record what it is. It’s hard to It’s hard to say that the Pistons lost anything that they did this off season based on where they are on the standings and for the Heat. I think it worked for them. I I think it worked out. Yeah, it’s okay for a team to have be a win-win. So, I think Venteo has been solid for Miami, although he struggled a little bit of late and I think with Duncan, he struggled early in the season and he’s been better of late. So, uh that’s fine. Uh they’re role players and as such they’re playing their role well and it was just a matter of what Miami was looking for. They were looking to get somebody who could produce at a cheaper number salary-wise. And the Pistons were looking for a proven veteran who could produce at a higher level and be worth more money. And they were willing to pay it. So, it’s worked out. And and Duncan, a long-term answer there, too. I mean, they signed him to a multi-year contract. So, they don’t have to go through the the one-year Malik Beasley, the little Simone Feekio thing on the expiring. It’s just like, no, we kind of we have our we have our three-point shooting spacer next to Kate and Dur brings a level of professionalism to the team. like he’s a level of experience. You never have to worry about he’s not going to cause any problems in the locker room. He gets along well with everybody. So, you know what? I think it was a great addition for Detroit. And he’s got some dog in him, right? The junkyard dog. That’s a that’s a good fit for these this Pistons team, too. Cody writes in, “Would a player like Herve Jones make sense if you can get him cheap to up the uh to up the ante defensively when Bam is off the floor?” I love the idea of Herb Jones, not just defensively. And as good as he is defensively, he’s all NBA or all defensive potential type of guy there. Yeah, we’ve also seen him in New Orleans run a little bit of offense. I think he could attack off the dribble. He’s athletic. I think that’s a fit. I don’t I haven’t done any work to see what it would cost or, you know, what it would take to get him, but the idea of Herb Jones in Miami makes sense to me. Yeah, I guess. um you’re looking to improve in terms of bringing some defensive, you know, pressure off the bench because I think you get it with a starting lineup with Bam, you get it with Andrew Wiggins to a certain extent. And I think Hero and Pal have been better defensively than a lot of people expect it to be, but you still want somebody you can say, you know what, make things more difficult along the perimeter. And that’s what Herb Jones can do so well with his length and athleticism. So, uh it would be a great fit. Uh and I don’t think it would be that much of a sacrifice offensively. I just I don’t know what you’d be willing to trade for him. Um, you know, would it take like a Terry Rosier type contract? Would the Pistons I’m sorry, would the Pelicans be willing to do something like that? Because I don’t think they would. Then again, Joe Dumars, who knows? We could really convince you that Terry Rosier has another level to reach. So, we’ll see what happens. Yeah, he’s only making $14 million um this year. So, there there’s some ways to get to that number that are a little creative if Miami wants to do it. He’s a 36 and a half% three-point shooter for his career. He could play both forward spots. Heck, New Orleans has even used him at the five at times in his career. Super versatile, super switchable. Like he would be the guy you could put him as like that power forward either next to Kell or next to Bam and I think it would work and or you could play him on the perimeter obviously too depending on the lineup. Um, speaking of lineups, Cody writes in, “Do you see a world in which Norm and Tyler comes, sorry, in which Norm or Tyler comes off the bench, relieving each other instead of trying to run both at the same time?” No, I don’t see that right now, Cody. But, uh, this is why I think you’ve seen Spoy staggering their minutes so far, right? Yeah. And it has less to do with the starting lineup and what we see over the course of the game. I think you you want to be able to get, as you said, those staggered minutes. So, you’re getting production from that guard spot from either or player. So, that’s fine. I think it’s worked out for Miami. It hasn’t really been problematic. Like, I know there was some some bumps and hiccups uh when they first started playing together, but you kind of figure it out that they were productive on Saturday night. I expect them to be so on Monday night against the Clippers as well. So, it’s something to monitor in terms of how they produce alongside each other, but it shouldn’t be a problem moving forward. And I think both those players have earned the right to be starters. Norm Pal’s minutes have mostly come alongside DaVon Mitchell also, which I think is a really good move by Spo. And then Tyler Hero is playing a lot with Drew Smith. So you’ve got like these defensive point of attack defending point guard guys in Mitchell and Smith always playing next to one of Norman or Tyler. Tyler a little bit more on ball. So you play him with Drew Smith versus DaVon who’s very on ball which allows Norm to play a little bit more offball. So I like that combo. And then plus you always have one of Bam out there on the court. So, the Heat are always 48 minutes of high level rim protection and 48 minutes of all-star caliber type of scoring. It’s a big reason why the Heats, you know, the Heat are winning a lot of these games with their second units and kind of through the course of these games in different pockets, they’ll go on uh different kinds of runs. Adam writes in, “What does this heat team look like with wear and Larson off the bench and a starting five of Mitchell, hero, Pal, Wiggins, and BA?” We did see this against Milwaukee the other night. I think it’s an option. Uh I think you know David we talked about that core four and then it’s either Mitchell or Wear starting depending on the matchup. Yeah they look small. I think that’s the bigger concern there but uh that will work in certain lineups against certain matchups and that’s fine you know and that’s I think Eric Spolzer maintaining that flexibility. He’s already made huge changes not just on a small level but on a macro level as well with what he’s implemented offensively. And so as long as he’s willing to say, you know what, this is a team that I think uh could could use a certain particular lineup, I’m sure we’ll see that lineup. Uh and and we’ll see others as well where Khil might start in place of DaVon Mitchell. I think that’s probably the norm moving forward. Does a closing lineup, and this is our last question, does a from Jonah, does a closing lineup of Hero, Powell, Wiggins, Bam, and Wear have the highest ceiling of all possible combinations? I think it does. I think it does. I think that’s your your your range right there. Like I would have said at the beginning of the year it might have included Nico just because of what we saw from him offensively and and the growth that he was expected to make defensively, but that hasn’t happened. And we’ve talked about that earlier how the the the paths have kind of reversed for Wear and Yovic. And so with wear now being able to provide something offensively a threat at the rim that Miami has really relied on and also provide high level defense and rim protection I think really benefits even more so than say Haime because Haime you’re going to get that offensive production but you’re probably giving up something defensively but I think the rest of that lineup is enough to balance what you’re missing perhaps uh offensively from Khil and and he is still a threat around the rim which does benefit Miami. You’re getting perimeter shooting. You’re getting great defense along the perimeter. You’re getting defense at the rim. That’s a balanced attack and I think that’s where Miami could really thrive. I did think about Haime in that spot there and whether or not that’s the that’s the group that has the highest ceiling. I think you’re right. I think it’s probably still Kell. You just have a little bit more versatility and you don’t need Haime as much if Hero and Norm is in there. Haime in for Wiggins. I don’t know. Wiggins’s two-way defense especially with Hero and Norm in there is really important. Then you have to ask the D’von Mitchell question. DaVon’s so good in these uh late game situations, especially with his decision-m. I think he’s worth some consideration here. Um it will be interesting to see what Spolster does if he is eventually able to land on a uh on a optimal closing lineup. And I think that’s just something worth monitoring as the season goes on. That’ll do it for us today. This has been Locked on Heat, part of the Locked On network, your team every day. We’ll catch you back here Monday night for the postgame show between the Heat and the Clippers.

Miami Heat’s depth shines as Jaime Jaquez Jr. emerges as a game-changer, but concerns about injuries and rotation spark debate. Can Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell lead the charge to multiple All-Star selections, or will Tyler Herro’s health and Kel’el Ware’s development shift the team’s trajectory?

Wes Goldberg and David Ramil tackle burning listener questions about Miami’s optimal lineup, trade scenarios featuring Nikola Jovic and Simone Fontecchio, and the explosive potential of Kel’el Ware compared to Jarrett Allen and Jaren Jackson Jr. The hosts weigh the Heat’s All-Star candidacies, discuss the fit of possible additions like Ben Simmons and Herb Jones, and break down the impact of flashy bench units and closing lineup strategies. Get insider insight on recent Pistons-Heat trades, critical injury updates, and why Miami’s roster construction could be their biggest weapon—or their toughest puzzle.

0:00 — Mailbag Intro
1:30 — Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s Impact
4:21 — Kel’el Ware’s Ceiling & Jovic’s Role
13:34 — Trade Targets
22:23 — Lineup Strategies

Locked On Heat TEXT LINE: Support the show and get texts from Wes & David on Heat News, Game Previews, Live Game Notes, Q&As, & More…
📲 https://joinsubtext.com/c/lockedonheat
📲 TEXT: (786) 998-7029

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-heat/

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nba

📲 Follow Locked On Heat on Twitter
Locked On Heat https://twitter.com/LockedOnHeat
David Ramil https://twitter.com/dramil13
Wes Goldberg https://twitter.com/wcgoldberg

📸 Follow Locked On Heat on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lockedonheat/

📺 Follow Locked On NBA: https://linktr.ee/lockedonnba

📢 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! | Offers from our sponsors: lockedonpodcasts.com/offers

DoorDash
Next time someone goes off for 50, use promo code NBA50 the next day to get 50% off on DoorDash with DashPass — plus your shot at the Bag Drop.
DashPass members only. 50% off up to $10 the day after a 50-point game with promo code. Terms apply.
No Purchase Necessary. Ends April 13th. Open to U.S. residents 21 or older. Visit https://DoorDashInYourBag.com for full details.
DoorDash — In your bag all season long.

Quo
See why over 90,000 businesses trust Quo, formerly OpenPhone. Get started free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.Quo.com/LOCKEDONNBA.

Rippling
Get Rippling FREE for 6 months. Terms and conditions apply. See site for details: https://app.rippling.com/legal/promoterms

PrizePicks
Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup.
Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA

SKIMS
Shop SKIMS Men’s now at https://SKIMS.com.
When you place your order, choose “podcast” in the post-purchase survey and select our show from the dropdown to let them know we sent you.
The SKIMS Holiday Shop is open — so if you’re looking for the perfect gift this season, SKIMS has you covered.

Rugiet
Visit https://rugiet.com/lockedonnba to get 15% off your first order.
And don’t forget to use our code LOCKEDONNBA so they know we sent you.
Rugiet — stop making excuses and start making moves.

Robinhood
You expect more from yourself. Expect more from your money. Get started today at robinhood.com/yourmoney. Your money. Your move.

All investments involve risk, including loss of principal. Options, futures, and crypto trading carry significant risk and may not suit all investors. Securities offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, member SIPC. Futures trading is offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC and not SPIC or FDIC protected. Crypto offered through Robinhood Crypto, LLC (NMLS ID 1702840), not FDIC or SIPC protected. Portfolio management offered by Robinhood Strategies, an SEC-registered advisor.

Gametime
Today’s episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply.

FanDuel
Right now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.com to get started

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#miamiheat #heat #nba #bamadebayo #tylerherro