MIAMI — December is not necessarily a month of movement in the NBA, but it does stand as a set-up period, with most players signed in the offseason eligible to be dealt on Dec. 15.
For the Heat, December also will be the first time they will have the wherewithal to add a 15th player to fill out their standard roster and remain below the punitive luxury tax.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSo, yes, Monday’s turn of the calendar comes with meaning.
Particularly this year, when it appears a winter of discontent is looming with several known quantities.
That doesn’t mean the Heat should or will do anything, with the current issue seemingly how to find requisite playing time for the depth of the current roster.
But even when things are going well, the job of any front office is to consider how things could be better.
Which raises dual questions, questions with divergent answers.
Could this season’s Heat contend for a shot at the NBA Finals?
Based on the current standings and the uncertainty in the East, why not?
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCould this season’s Heat contend for a championship?
Have you seen the Oklahoma City Thunder? Add vintage Michael Jordan to the current Heat roster and you’re not stopping that OKC colossus four times in a seven-game series (OK, maybe).
Still, with so much going sideways elsewhere in the league as Erik Spoelstra has the Heat on the rise, temptation could be there for a team not afraid to shake it up at midseason (Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and, yes, lamentably, Terry Rozier).
So . . .
A truer point guard?: Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball, Trae Young are names that have been out there. In each case, the appropriate Heat response would be no, no, no.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMorant simply is not the same player as when at the top of the game. And less than a year removed from Jimmy Butler, a break from drama would appear in order.
With Ball, the lesson is one that should have been learned from Rozier, that statistics amid losing with the Hornets can be the emptiest of calories.
As for Young, the Hawks have proven be better in his absence, with the Heat already with their fill of negative defenders on the wing.
Davion Mitchell on a value contract remains the better play at the point at the moment.
A win-now approach: Pat Riley rarely has been shy about turning to veteran talent, especially win-now bigs.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTo that end, Anthony Davis showed during the Olympics instant chemistry with Bam Adebayo, with the two embracing a midcourt after the Heat’s victory this past week over the Dallas Mavericks. Still, 32 and with an injury history.
As for LeBron James’ uncertain fit with the current build of the Los Angeles Lakers, been there, seen that, won that, with no need to look back.
The bold strokes: That doesn’t mean there aren’t frontcourt veterans who could tempt, could tangibly upgrade the Heat at a position of relative weakness.
At some point, the forever-rebuilding Utah Jazz have to cash in on the market for Lauri Markkanen.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThen there is Zion Williamson, who never has fully gained traction with the New Orleans Pelicans, but stands as the type of potential reclamation project that Riley has cashed in on over the years.
In each case, the question would be whether the Heat could cobble the necessary draft capital.
The Sacramento garage (garbage?) sale: The mismatched and woeful Sacramento Kings arrive to Kaseya Center next weekend as arguably the latest example of a roster cobbled together without design or purpose.
Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Dennis Schroder, Domantas Sabonis? No, no, no and maybe if the price is right.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe long game: There is absolutely no reason for Riley, Andy Elisburg, Adam Simon to rush into action. The July trade for Norman Powell already has put the Heat ahead of the personnel curve.
That said, if Anthony Edwards shakes free, or demands to be shaken free from the Minnesota Timberwolves, all chips to the middle of the table.
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Similarly, some levels of talent transcend 30-something age, should the Indiana Pacers consider a reset is in order and are willing to consider options with Pascal Siakam (31), or if Giannis Antetokounmpo (30) decides it is time to ask out from a Milwaukee Bucks build that otherwise lacks much in the way of a foundation.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA year ago, starting in December, the Heat were at the mercy of another. This season, no Jimmy Butler, no rush, but the right to consider the possibilities of taking good to better.
IN THE LANEBROTHERLY LOVE: With the Philadelphia 76ers this season celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 2000-01 NBA Finals team with Allen Iverson, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra during last Sunday’s visit was asked to reflect back on that season. He went in an interesting direction. “I mean, he was an absolute force of nature,” Spoelstra said of Iverson, who was in attendance last Sunday. “I remember scouting him. At that time, I wasn’t on the bench or behind. I was scouting and there was a playoff series between Philly and Indiana, somewhere around there, early 2000s. It was a tough call at the end of the game and the crowd went berserk. They were throwing full beer cans on the court. They were exploding them like bombs. And I was sitting next to (longtime NBA scout) Jeff Nix and he and I just said, ‘Alright, we’re out of here.’ But that was my first taste of the Philly crowd.”
PRICE OF PACE: Pace and injuries have increasingly become a talking point ahead of Heat games by opposing coaches, amid the league-leading pace of the Heat and on the ongoing number of injuries that have had Heat opponents shorthanded. Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd was among the latest to chime in, with his shorthanded team falling Monday at Kaseya Center. “Teams are playing extremely fast on makes and misses,” Kidd said. “Defensively, it becomes a little harder because of the pace. The drives are at an all-time high with the ball touching the paint and then being able to spray it out for threes. I don’t know if it’s the pace that’s the problem. I think it’s more the workout. We have to train at a higher speed if you’re going to play at this pace. You go from zero to 100. We’re not training that way in training camp or in the summer. Then we’re asking them to go above the speed limit and play fast. I think that puts everyone in harm’s way.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSPEAKING OF: When it comes to the Heat’s pace and how Tyler Herro will fit in, LeBron James said there are nothing but positives. On the Mind the Game podcast that the former Heat forward co-hosts with Steve Nash, James said Herro should take the Heat from good to better. “They’re scoring at a high rate; if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” James said. “Tyler’s ability to shoot, play off closeouts, handle the ball, I don’t see him not fitting into exactly what they’re doing.” As for Spoelstra turning the offense in such a dynamic direction, James said, “That is why Spo literally will be one of the greatest coaches ever, because he can continue to have a growth mindset and continue to change offensive things to fit his scheme and fit his personnel.”
JIMMY SAYS: Leadership or lamenting? With Jimmy Butler, as the Heat learned, one never can be quite sure. As so it was after his Golden State Warriors blew a 14-point lead to drop back to .500 with Wednesday night’s loss to the Houston Rockets. “A lot of our hustle is dictated upon our offense,” Butler said. “When we’re making shots, oh, man, we’re celebrating, we’re cheering, doing all those things. When we’re not, when the game’s not going our way, we put our head down and we mope and we don’t box out, and we don’t get back. We foul. We do all the bad things.” When the Warriors traded for Butler at midseason last season, it was out of a clear need for an upgrade. Another move now appears needed, as well, with Jonathan Kuminga assuredly to be dangled when trade-eligible starting Jan. 15.
INSIDE SCOOP: With Heat assistant Malik Allen having served as an assistant under Stan Van Gundy with the Detroit Pistons, Van Gundy on Zach Lowe’s podcast this week revealed how he, Allen and Heat center Kel’el Ware came to be together at a Indiana Pacers playoff game last season. “Malik Allen on the staff is the guy who works with Kel’el Ware all the time,” Van Gundy, the former Heat coach and current Prime analyst said. “They’ve spent a ton of time together. Last year, we were in Indiana, Malik brought Kel’el Ware to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks to talk to him about what that level is all about. They’ve invested heavily in both Malik and Kel’el in that thing.” Ware’s only other NBA playoff experience was the Heat’s record-setting first-round blowout sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
NUMBER1. Games this season when the Heat have not scored 30 points in at least one quarter, which was the case in Wednesday night’s 106-103 win over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks (29, 24, 28, 25). The Heat entered the weekend with 38 quarters this season of at least 30 points.
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