Q: Ira, the Heat learned a lesson with Max Strus, that there will be another player to take his place. We’re seeing that with Cole Swider. They already made a mistake with Duncan Robinson. Now they can fix that with a trade. Swider in; Robinson out. Win-win. – Bobby.
A: Only not that simple. Duncan Robinson not only is due $18.2 million this season, but $19.4 million in 2024-25 and then at least $9.9 million for 2025-26. So it’s not as if you can just dump him into someone’s cap space, of which there is practically none around the league at the moment. Plus, let’s not overstate Cole Swider after one public scrimmage and one exhibition. Duncan proved during last season’s playoffs that he still can contribute. And with Max Strus gone, he arguably is needed more now than in the previous two seasons. Still, there is something to be said about getting off of Duncan’s future money, as a means to clear room this offseason to take care of free agency potentially with Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith. One solution could be a deal for a return of Kelly Olynyk, who is in the final year of a contract with the Jazz that pays $12.2 million, and finds himself caught amid a glut of Utah big men. The rub would be having to include draft capital, draft capital that would drain such resources for a bigger move down the line.
Q: Hello, Ira. So if the idea is to put together a starting lineup that best complements our three best players in Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, then I don’t see how the Heat can justify starting Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love. That would mean that Bam and Jimmy would have to cover for three not-so-great defenders in Tyler, Kevin and Kyle. In addition, the starting lineup wouldn’t be able to play the preferred switch-heavy defense coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat are so well known for. I know it’s early in the preseason, but I’d much prefer to see Josh Richardson and Caleb Martin in that starting lineup or Caleb and Thomas Bryant than Kyle and Love at this point of their careers. – Carlos, West Park.
A: You are not going to lose an NBA game in the first eight minutes of either half, so there also is something to be said about playing your best lineups with games in the balance. I believe you can survive defensively in the opening minutes with suboptimal defenders. You can’t survive ends of games that way. So while it almost sounds like coach-speak, let Kevin Love and Kyle Lowry have their moments, then get to where you need to be.
Q: I felt losing out on Damian Lillard was potentially catastrophic. At the time, I figured Miami could just find guys to put around him and Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. But the more I look at the guys we have now, the more I realize how important they are to keep our guys fresh. Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s game reminds me of Jimmy, So I can see him being plugged in there to give Butler rest during the regular season. I can see how Thomas Bryant can do the same for Bam. And I can see how Nikola Jovic might do that for Kevin Love. Perhaps part of the calculus entailed capable back ups for the players I expect to rely on in the postseason. Their games really seem to match up In terms of being understudies. – Eddie.
A: But you win with proven stars. That’s what made the Damian Lillard chase so compelling. And whatever might have been sacrificed might have been replaced by the next new thing, perhaps a Cole Swider or a R.J. Hampton. Depth certainly is meaningful during the regular season, but that’s not the most important part of the season for the Heat.