Q: Ira, ask Andy Elisburg about the rules that prevent the Heat from signing another player, like Precious Achiuwa, and now the Rockets can’t replace Fred VanVleet. Why wouldn’t the NBA want to allow teams to have enough players? – Sandy.
A: First, with all due respect to Andy Elisburg, I highly doubt the Heat general manager is stressing over Houston’s misfortune, although certainly empathetic. As for teams lacking the ability to add players due to rules regarding the tax, aprons and hard cap, that all is part of the process. The NBA basically gives every team the same framework and then allows them to work it out how they best see fit. In the Rockets’ case, they decided to live in the moment without much wiggle room under their self-imposed hard cap, only to lose VanFleet to his knee injury. With the Heat, it’s about an organizational decision not to be over the luxury tax at the moment. The Heat could have spent less on their payroll to have the needed room under the tax; the Rockets could have made their moves without the restriction of the hard cap. Those were team choices, not NBA choices. The league gives wide berths when it comes to payroll, but also with hard and fast rules. And to address the elephant in the room, the Rockets are not in position (at least at the moment, with their current payroll) to take on the contract of Terry Rozier. And, to a degree, that’s a shame with what might have been somewhat win-win on both ends.
Q: I am so happy Dru Smith is better and working out. So disappointed when he got hurt last season. I see big things for us defensively if he stays healthy. – Dia.
A: I don’t see how anyone can do anything but root for Dru Smith. There are few greater studies in sports perseverance than the return from the 2023 ACL tear and then last season’s Achilles tear. While this might not be Alonzo Mourning making it back from a kidney transplant, it still is a heck of a tale of determination.
Q: Is Kevin Love playing this season? – Ed.
A: At the moment he is under contract to the Jazz, although it seems unlikely he will be on their open-night roster (unless his salary is kept to use in a trade). But unless Kevin Love first moves on to another team from Utah, he would be ineligible to return directly to the Heat this season (same with Kyle Anderson, who also was sent out to the Jazz in the deal that brought in Norman Powell).