Q: Ira, glad to see Bam Adebayo banging the drum at the Panthers. It makes up for Dwyane Wade almost taking Aleksander Barkov’s head off. – Michael.
A: Yes, that was Bam Adebayo (alongside Udonis Haslem) banging the ceremonial pregame hype drum prior to the Panthers’ Stanley Cup game on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena. And, yes, there was that Dwyane Wade moment with the Panthers’ captain in December 2018. For those who don’t recall, Barkov had courtside seats for a Heat home game against the Jazz when Wade, in a bid for a steal, went flying into the crowd, catching Barkov with a knee to the head. Wade apologized afterward on social media to an uninjured Barkov, who said he was honored to even be mentioned by Wade on social media. In the immediate wake of that moment, Wade said, “I’m a fan of his and we’ve met before, but I didn’t know I hit him.”
Q: If the Knicks ask for permission to speak to Erik Spoelstra, should the Heat agree in hopes of getting out of the years that remain on his contract? Perhaps a younger coach would align better with the Heat’s current roster. – Nate, Boca Raton.
A: Um, speechless. That is all.
Q: Ira, do you think the Heat will be ready to make trades on draft night (June 25th), or will we just sit back and wait for other teams to acquire players right from under our nose, while we wait for the perfect deal later this summer? Hopefully, we will be more aggressive than we have been during the last three years. – Greg, Jacksonville.
A: Of course the front office will be ready, that’s what it is paid to do. But there also is the two-to-tango element, and right now the Heat lack in terms of resources. As for the waiting game, it always is a delicate dance waiting for an elite player to make a decision. This time it could come down to what does, or does not, happen with Giannis Antetokounmpo. But I do believe the Heat will be proactive. Such always should be the approach after 37-45.
Originally Published: June 12, 2025 at 6:05 AM EDT