MIAMI — Gimmicks come with expiration dates, as the Miami Dolphins learned with the evolution and then devolution of their Wildcat, quarterback-free approach in 2008 and 2009.

Now the question becomes whether the Heat are on a similar timetable, eight weeks into the shunning of NBA staples such as pick-and-roll sets in favor of a constant-movement wheel of offense, drive-and-kick passing, pace-on-steroids.

For weeks, as the Heat’s high-octane act toured the NBA, the questions were constant of the dramatic deviation by coach Erik Spoelstra. Eventually, and somewhat sheepishly, Spoelstra asked the questioners simply go with his previous comments.

The intention never was to come off as the smartest man in the room.

And then came Tuesday night’s NBA Cup game in Orlando, with the question again parsed pregame.

“If you’ve noticed,” Spoelstra said candidly and frankly, “the last few games our offense hasn’t been that good.”

After a 15-0 start, it wasn’t good that night against the Magic, either.

With that loss, the 14-11 Heat are now idle until Monday night’s visit by the Toronto Raptors to Kaseya Center.

It is a week off that can create a mental reset amid a four-game losing streak.

Or should the reset be something greater?

Because, perhaps, the Heat should have seen this coming.

A year ago, the Memphis Grizzlies opened their season with a similar approach to the one adopted ahead of this season by Spoelstra. An architect there was offensive guru Noah LaRoche.

And where is LaRoche now? “He’s a part of our staff,” Spoelstra said.

Actually, it later was clarified that LaRoche is a consultant.

No matter, the common thread and common voice is there.

And how did it go last season for the Grizzlies? Hellbent on offense at the start of the season to the degree that the same questions fielded by Spoelstra over these first two Heat months were being fielded by Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins.

As in then-Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins. Because by season’s end, opponents had scouted the offense’s intricacies, the scoring stalled at moments of truth, and on March 28, Jenkins was ex-Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, in a Memphis housecleaning that also had LaRoche cast aside.

The parallels certainly are there.

Among the reasons it went south for the Grizzlies was a defense that no longer could keep pace with the offense.

As in, perhaps, the Heat’s recent defensive regression (No. 20 in the NBA the past six games)?

Another reason? It left Ja Morant less than sated, his trademark pick-and-rolls legislated out of the Grizzlies’ approach.

As in, perhaps, Tyler Herro’s ongoing attempt to play as seamlessly in the new Heat offense as Norman Powell?

The Herro question stands particularly pertinent with him now back six games after missing the first 17.

If Herro was with the Heat from the outset, and if it was uneven with Herro at the October start, would an adjustment have come then, as it might need to now?

Granted, players have bristled for years over systems, including as Phil Jackson guided championship Bulls and Lakers teams with Tex Winter’s triangle principles.

But even then, there was accommodation.

For the Heat, breakneck could have its breaking point.

When it comes to distance run this season, the Heat went into this break second in the NBA at 17.6 miles per game and first in the league and first in average player speed of 4.6 mph. The other team in the Top 2 in each of those categories? The 6-18 Indiana Pacers.

So, yes, about more than a system.

With Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, the Dolphins’ Wildcat stood as the rage in the NFL.

Until it didn’t.

For this season’s first six weeks, it was all Heat hype.

Until it isn’t?

At his stubborn Heat coaching best, when his players failed his rigid principles, including lock-and-trail defense, Pat Riley’s answers were simple and to the point — do it better.

So now, with the LaRoche system, it could be the same with Spoelstra — do it better.

Or perhaps history should be the guide.

Recent history.

As in the 2024-25 Memphis Grizzlies.

No, Spoelstra isn’t going anywhere. And he is not nearly the same rigid, unbending sideline presence as at the start of his coaching tenure nearly two decades ago.

But the league is catching up, if it hasn’t already caught up.

Or, perhaps, this was the plan all along, to maximize the benefits of something different, and then tinker and refine from there, basically scout the other teams’ scouting.

“We’re not scoring in the 140s no more,” center Bam Adebayo said just ahead of his five-day break created by Tuesday night’s failure in Orlando. “That was fun. We were sharing the game, playing together. We have to figure out how to put points on the board.”

Or find another way to have fun, if necessary, to avoid the Grizzlies’ reality.

IN THE LANE

STARTING LINE: With Saturday marking the first time since the start of the season that the Heat can add a player at the veteran minimum without exceeding the luxury tax, the shopping at least can begin. To that end, it would seem the primary needs, if addressed, would be another component in the power rotation, since Kel’el Ware has been uneven and Nikola Jovic unplayable, and a 3-point threat, since Simone Fontecchio has cooled considerably since his torrid start. The options? For the power rotation, among current free agents are Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Mo Bamba. As for 3-point shooting, current available options include 2024-24 roster component Alec Burks, former Heat two-way player Zyon Pullin and Kobe Bufkin. For now, expect a waiting game, since such tax leeway also could be utilized to facilitate a trade or add multiple players later during the season.

FOR REAL: For much of the past month, until the NBA descended this weekend in Las Vegas for the final two rounds of the NBA Cup, the sense was the league had made it clear that you either praise the in-season tournament or say nothing. But then came Tuesday night in Orlando, when in the midst of a game, and under no constraint for a party/league line, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra implored his team during a timeout, “Nobody’s making enough of an effort to go to Vegas right now.” The postgame mood in the losing locker room was of similar disappointment. So say what you want about the color-explosion courts and the we-first cash bonuses, but the incentive is real. Now, if only similar desire could be coaxed through the rest of the dog days of the 82-game regular-season marathon.

FEEL-GOOD STORY: For years, the Heat have stressed that a goal of their summer/G League programs was to get players NBA placement, if not with themselves then somewhere. For summer and G League prospect Ethan Thompson that turned out to be the case when he was recently poached from the Heat’s G League roster for an Indiana Pacers two-way contract. Since then, first-ever NBA appearance, first-ever NBA points for the 26-year-old guard who had spent more than four years since college pursuing such a possibility. “The heart was racing fast because it’s something you look forward to your whole life,” Thompson told the Indianapolis Star. “Being able to go out there, and then once the ball went in, I was able to calm myself down and then it just became basketball. Definitely leading up to the moment, a lot of fun thoughts racing.” Said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, “He’s a developing young player who can score and he has some versatility.”

FULL CIRCLE: A decade removed from when LeBron James barely gave Pat Riley the time of day during 2014 free agency, there now appears to be a contrasting view of the Heat president. During an episode of his Game Over podcast with former ESPN personality Max Kellerman, Rich Paul, James’ agent, now says James’ Lakers could use some of what Riley had in place with the Heat. “Pat Riley had a championship mindset,” Paul said. “So the foundation, right? It don’t matter how upset you may be. It don’t matter. We’re doing this thing this way… I would say if there was room to grow for the Lakers, it would be in that department. Yes, we are the Lakers, and let’s establish this culture. We’ve got 17 championships. Let’s establish this culture of being a championship organization and having these pillars.”

NUMBER

4. Where The Athletic’s survey of 36 NBA executives ranked the Heat front office out of the league’s 30 teams, behind, in order, only the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets. It was one spot down from the Heat’s No. 3 ranking in last season’s survey. Said one executive, “Trustable, competent, dependable team-builders and deal-makers.”