Q: Ira, Tom Thibodeau burned out his bench and he’s gone. Erik Spoelstra didn’t trust his bench and he lost in the first round. Is there a lesson there? – Wes.
A: I know where you’re going with this, with Tom Thibodeau’s lack of bench trust clearly an issue in the Knicks’ demise and assuredly a factor in his dismissal in New York. But I would put Erik Spoelstra in a bit of a different category when it came to bench play in the playoffs, considering many of what had been considered key components weren’t components at all, when taking into consideration Terry Rozier, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and even Nikola Jovic. Think about how much better the Heat could have been if those three were contributing, healthy and available when needed most. Instead, it turned into a patchwork, calling on the likes of Pelle Larsson and Haywood Highsmith perhaps more than desired. But, yes, to your greater point, I would assume the mandate for the Knicks’ next coach is to go deeper into the roster, and I would assume the desire for Spoelstra going forward would be to be able to go deeper into his roster. For the Knicks, that meant a coaching change. For the Heat, it likely will mean a restructuring of the roster.
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Q: The NBA is pure theater. – Diane.
A: With the Tom Thibodeau firing the latest example, for sure. The shame is that theater all too often overshadows the product. So just when we thought we were out of the constant churn of all things Knicks on ESPN, do the NBA Finals now merely get in the way of the clicks and rating provided by the Knicks’ coaching search? (Although it certainly would be fascinating if Chris Quinn winds up in that mix, as well.)
Q: Ira, have you heard anything new on the investigation into the Terry Rozier gambling investigation. It seems this could have a major impact on the Heat offseason. – Ron, Columbus, Ohio.
A: Nothing more than we heard last season. And you are overstating any impact on this offseason. Such cases tend to be long and winding roads, with no charges or even suggestions thereof at this point. The odds of Terry Rozier’s contract simply being excised from the payroll are negligible, if even that.