ASK IRA: Would heart and hustle be enough to appease playoff-promised Heat fans?
Q: Loved the Jimmy Butler years, but now I am ready to move on. Erik Spoelstra and his staff are great at developing players. Would love to see Spo and his guys get to work with a young, long, athletic team. Move Jimmy, get some picks. Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, more young studs, a few solid veterans. – Mark.
A: I’ve received several missives of this ilk since Pat Riley offered his postseason comments last week and issued his challenges to Jimmy Butler. So the question in response from here is simple: Would Heat fans, for all of these such suggestions, be OK with the potential step back resulting from a move toward developing youth and eschewing a star system? This Heat core without Jimmy Butler well could continue to contend for a No. 8 seed, as has been the result of the past two regular seasons, but would be far less likely to be considered a contender. So, would, say, 41-41 and a team that pushes to maximize the roster on a nightly basis be enough to appease in the short term? In other words, would trading for heart and hustle be an acceptable short-term compromise?
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Q: With two more regular season wins, perhaps the Heat get out of the first round, are in a favorable semifinal matchup, with Boston waiting in the conference finals, making it four conference finals in the five years. If this were the case, would Heat world be so down on Jimmy Butler and the current construction of the roster? Is greater perspective required? – Michael, Hollywood.
A: Are the Heat or the team’s fans down on Jimmy Butler? I think Pat Riley’s candor last Monday has been taken somewhat out of context. He did not blame Jimmy, but rather asked for more. And yet, what makes the current situation all the more complex is there was no opportunity to see if Playoff Jimmy still was a thing and could be an enduring thing. In that regard, looking back at the game with the great playoff implications before Jimmy suffered his knee injury in the play-in against the 76ers, consider that he had 27 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and shot 12 of 12 from the line in the showdown in going 38:52 against the Pacers on the penultimate Sunday of the season. At that moment, he certainly looked like Playoff Jimmy.
Q: I see Jonas Valanciunas might be available. He would be perfect alongside Bam Adebayo – Tomas.
A: Would he, with Bam Adebayo hardly a spacing 3-point shooter at this stage? And also, at what price? Jonas Valanciunas earned $15.4 million last season as he headed into this summer’s free agency. The Heat are not exactly flushed with that type of available salary flexibility. If the Pelicans truly do move off of Jonas, it would be for the type of spacing that the Heat require, as well.
