Q: Ira, instead of spit-balling about trades, why not admit the Heat do not have the assets to make a deal and quit trying to go for the clicks? – Steve.
A: The reality is every team has assets, to a degree. It’s a matter of how much they are willing to risk and how much they think they can obtain. For example, the Heat have high-quality assets in Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Does it mean there is an overwhelming desire to offload either? No. But they could. Similarly, the Heat can send out as many as three first-round picks, two second-round picks, plus a variety of pick swaps. That doesn’t mean they will, only that they can. Which, again, means those, too, are assets. In addition, there is nothing barring the Heat from trading Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jovic or any other emerging young piece. Again, doesn’t mean they want to or will, just that they can. So do the Heat have assets available to deal? Absolutely. But all of that has to be factored into a risk/reward equation. That’s where it gets dicey.
Q: How many more years do you want to see from Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo to finally realize Heat will never win a chip or be a threat with them two as your best players. – Garth.
A: Honestly, not too many, with upgrades clearly needed. But that also does not mean wishing them away and accepting a complete, starting-from-scratch makeover. Such a move could mean up to, if not more than, five years in the lottery wasteland. The Rockets went four seasons without a playoff berth, including seasons of 17-55, 20-62 and 22-60 before this latest revival and reloading of assets. I can not think of South Florida’s fan base putting up with such a Marlins-like approach at 601 Biscayne.
Q: Ira, I love it, having Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade as national NBA analysts. No one is better at selling the positives of Heat Culture, even after what happened with Dwyane. – Sandy.
A: While there is something to be said for such a presence on Amazon Prime’s impending NBA coverage next season, what sells a franchise more than any other aspect is what-have-you-done-lately success. At the moment, that is not the simplest of sales with the Heat, even with Udonis and Dwyane going national.