Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra does not care if the East is wide open or not. (Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images)
Every year, the Eastern Conference descends down a well while the Western Conference ascends into a behemoth.
Well, now, amid the injuries to Tyrese Haliburton, Jayson Tatum and the recently waived Damian Lillard (all to torn Achilles injuries), we’re looking at perhaps the largest East/West discrepancy we’ve seen in quite some time — perhaps ever. The East, led by Cleveland and New York, is expected to be wide open (for good) teams.
However, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra doesn’t see it the same way.
“I don’t,” Spoelstra said last weekend when asked if he looks at the East as wide-open. “That’s cool for the fanbase to look at it that way. We’re not afraid of competition. We can’t be afraid of the competition. You can’t think that just because there’s been some changes in rosters or injuries that, ‘Oh now we have a chance,’ that’s kind of a loser’s mentality.
“We want to compete at highest level regardless of who’s out there. We know we have to improve. We knew we had to do some things this offseason. We know we have to have a really good training camp, which I think we will. … Everybody’s motivated. We’ve had plenty of time off. Everyone wants to gear up and get ready. You can feel the energy, you can feel the excitement building. … I feel it myself. The staff feels it. The players feel it.“
“We’re not afraid of the competition, you can’t think just because there’s been some injuries that oh now we have a chance… that’s kind of a losers mentality.”
“We want to compete at highest level regardless who’s out there.”
— Spo on ‘wide open’ Eastpic.twitter.com/1LzmF04rQ3
— Hot Hot Hoops (@hothothoops) July 14, 2025
What a soundbite from Spoelstra. He’s our lovable psychopath in the most endearing way imaginable and ours only.
As it sits right now, the Heat are still a tier or two below the top teams in the East.
Of course, a lot can happen over an 82-game season — such as injuries. But as it currently sits, even with Norman Powell’s addition, they’re nowhere near Cleveland; they’re nowhere near New York; Orlando, Atlanta and Detroit are all better than Miami.
As it currently sits, they’re in similar tiers to Boston and Indiana — who are both taking gap years — and Milwaukee, who has added Myles Turner and Cole Anthony this summer. I wouldn’t necessarily sleep on Chicago or Toronto, though I think the Heat will ultimately finish with better records than both.
You still have to play the games. They aren’t won or lost on paper.
Some combination of Davion Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Kel’eL Ware, Nikola Jovic and Bam Adebayo isn’t bad, but it’s still not anywhere close to the level of competing, barring unforeseen growth from multiple players.
There’s still offseason left — changes can still be made on multiple fronts, including the Heat’s. They are over the luxury tax with one available roster spot. We’ve seen Erik Spoelstra do a lot with less, so let’s see how it all shakes out.
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