ASK IRA: Are the Miami Heat suddenly NBA draft wizards?
Q: It was great to see all our first-round draft picks on the floor together Monday night. That must have been the first time during Pat Riley’s tenure with the Heat that four Heat homegrown first-round picks were on the floor together. I don’t think that has occurred since the early days of the Heat when we had Rony Seikaly, Glen Rice, Kevin Edwards, Steve Smith, Alec Kessler and Willie Burton. Our future looks bright with Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Jamie Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. – David, Fort Lauderdale.
A: This is a fascinating observation, particularly in light of how the Heat have downplayed drafting and how the Heat have traded so many picks over the years. Before this current run, you had the brief period in 2019-20 when Justise Winslow, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo were together, so that was three homegrown first-round picks together. And on the 2006 championship team, you have Heat first-round picks Dorell Wright, Wayne Simien and Dwyane Wade, but it’s not as if those three played together, and that was only three. (And remember, we’re talking first-round Heat picks, with picks such as Josh Richardson, Rasual Butler and Mario Chalmers taken in the second round.) So, yes, Monday was an exception to the Riley Riley, with four Heat homegrown first-rounders in the starting lineup together. It’s not like the Heat are like Wednesday’s opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who seemingly have nothing but homegrown first-rounders.
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Q: I am getting antsy about Jimmy Butler and Caleb Martin. It’s frustrating at this point. I’m sure their peers feel the same way. – Pipsy.
A: Actually, this is where there often is a disconnect between fans and players. Players appreciate how debilitating and limiting injuries can be. They, themselves, would not want to be placed in a position of being forced back before their bodies are ready. Plus, for every player who does not play, there is another who finds a door that opens.And we have seen in recent weeks how the likes of Jamal Cain, Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. have seized such moments. Now, there certainly is nothing wrong from a fan perspective of wanting to see a team whole and at its best, but this is a sport with an 82-game regular season. That also requires a significant amount of patience. In the case of Jimmy Butler, when knowing his playing history, how many regular-season games did you actually expect?
Q: If I’m running Heat, I look at one thing at both the trade deadline and buyout market, and it’s the same story as years past: how to beat the Celtics in the playoffs. The Bucks, 76ers, Pacers, whoever, are just not the thing. In the end, it will be the Celtics and if the Heat can get past them again. – Jon.
A: At this stage, it would be difficult to go against your hypothesis, considering at the moment there are the Celtics and then everyone else in the East. But we also have yet to reach midseason, which means there is ample time for another team to get hot. As for personnel movies, keep in mind that with the new collective-bargaining agreement and the luxury-tax aprons, that the Heat this season are not eligible to sign a buyout player who is earning more than the league average. In other words, the move made last February for Kevin Love would not be possible this season. So if the Heat would want to go big, it would have to be on the trade market. And even then, there now are rules that are more restrictive.
