Q: Ira, why the fuss over the Heat’s draft position? They’re not going to use the pick. This isn’t the draft, it’s the playoffs – Harmon.
A: Because while the Heat might not wind up with a first-round pick added to next season’s roster, it at least establishes a position of where to start. Many permutations for the Heat, including a potential Tyler Herro trade, cannot be completed until the start of the new cap calendar in July, so it is possible the Heat exercises the pick in June and then moves that selection. I agree that for a team that is in win-now mode, that still has Nikola Jovic to develop, that there only is so much time for kid stuff. The draft decision could well come down to how the Heat view the futures of Orlando Robinson, Jamal Cain and perhaps even Omer Yurtseven. But for now, look at it this way, even by making the playoffs the Heat are only four picks from where they likely would have wound up if they instead were eliminated in the play-in round and went to the lottery.
Q: Erik Spoelstra will start Duncan Robinson and have a short leash. Don’t forget Bubble Duncan was our starter in the 2020 Finals. If he’s making his shots we can hide him on defense. – T.O.
A: I’m not exactly sure how you hide Duncan Robinson against a team that features Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday on the wings, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo is available for Wednesday night’s Game 2, especially when also starting Max Strus. If Giannis is available then another option to replace sidelined Tyler Herro in the starting lineup could be starting Kevin Love and having him defend Brook Lopez. Then you can see if Kevin provides the needed 3-point shooting, and work from there.
Q: This team has a lack of size and we have limited big men, but the ones we have, Erik Spoelstra doesn’t really play, guessing because they lack speed. What’s it going to take to get some big men that can earn playing time in Spo’s system? Alonzo Mourning had P.J. Brown. But every year Bam Adebayo has to learn to play with a new power forward, or this year no power forward. – John, Ocala.
A: First, you can’t compare the pairing of Alonzo Mourning and P.J. Brown to today’s game. Totally different time in terms of playing style. But Erik Spoelstra has shown what it would take to play a true big man alongside Bam Adebayo, and that is proven 3-point range in a package with enough height to play defensively at center. He had that with Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk when they played alongside Bam.
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