Q: Ira, they play hockey and basketball in the same arenas in New York, Boston, Toronto, Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, Denver, Dallas, Los Angeles and now in Utah and games aren’t postponed. I know there can’t be a forfeit because of tickets and television, but the Bulls should be fined. But you know what, I got to watch my Canes. So thanks guys. Now don’t reschedule the same day as the UM championship parade. – Sammy.
A: With the irony that on the date the Hurricanes will be playing at home for national championship on Jan. 19, the Heat again will be in action, this time with a 10 p.m. Eastern road game against the Warriors. So ‘Canes vs. World that night, or Heat vs. Jimmy Butler? (Unless the court is too slippery to play in San Francisco.)
Q: They can make it up in the play-in game. – Junior.
A: Which makes sense, considering the teams already have met three times in the play-in round, so perhaps a pre-play-in game, for the right to play in the play-in? The bottom line is that after not playing on Thursday, the Heat stand No. 7 in the East and the Bull No. 10, each with a spot in play-in-ville. As for the rescheduling, which might already have been announced by the time you read this, the All-Star break would seem to make the most sense, perhaps Feb. 12.
Q: Hey, Ira. I am curious to know some examples of player names/salaries similar to the Heat’s Terry Rozier for this season. I’ll bet some of those names could make a difference for the Heat. What a shame the NBA has allowed this to happen to handicap the Heat. – David, Venice, Fla.
A: You make a reasonable point of how, unlike any other NBA team, the Heat are working with $26.6 million in essentially dead money on their cap, not because a player is not producing (there are plenty of highly paid players who don’t produce, Rozier having been among them), but rather with no ability to even attempt to gain any productivity, with Rozier placed on paid NBA leave of absence amid the FBI gambling probe. So, as a matter of perspective, here are three players earning just less than Terry this season (Jaden McDaniels, $24.9 million; Nic Claxton, $25.3 million; Draymond Green, $25.9 million), a player earning the same (Tobias Harris, $26.6 million), and three earning just slightly more (RJ Barrett, $27.7 million; Derrick White $28.1 million; Isaiah Hartenstein, $28.5 million). So, basically, the Heat have had to work with $26.6 million they could not attempt to maximize, while being mandated to nonetheless endure the cap/tax burden.