Q: The only championship success the Heat have had is with Dwayne Wade. Don’t you think the Heat, in order to get a superstar, need to focus on getting a high draft choice, rather than trying to patch together a team with mid-level picks? If tanking is the only way to get a high pick, then hold your nose and tank. – Don.
A: Or has that window closed? First, the 2027 draft is not expected to be strong. So you could wind up getting to the top of the lottery order, and then wind up with the likes of a Zaccharie Risacher or Deandre Ayton or Anthony Bennett at the top of the draft. And if the Heat are in the lottery next year, then the first-round pick owed to Charlotte would be unprotected in 2028. So it would appear, at least for the short term, that the lottery ship has sailed for the Heat, due to that 2027/’28 pick due to the Hornets from the regrettable Terry Rozier trade. Race to the bottom might have made sense this season, if that even would have been considered (it was not). But now, such an approach the next couple of seasons could be fraught with peril. But, hey, there’s always next month’s dance with the current odds. (And, yes, moving up could have re-set the Heat for years to come.)
Q: Maybe tear up the old deal with one year left and give Andrew Wiggins a multi-year deal with a little bit more cash for two years? Is that possible, Ira? I like Wiggs and agree even at 31 he is still athletic and contributes a lot at that small-forward spot. Would love to keep him. – Douglas.
A: This comes down to whether the approach should be taking the long view. While the Heat will be operating above the salary cap this offseason, there is the potential a year from now, in the 2027 offseason, to have upwards of $90 million in cap space. Yes, cap space isn’t quite the tool it used to be, with teams locking up potential free agents in advance. But it is the threat to poach with such space that often creates opportunity, and also can be hugely effective in trades or even sign-and-trade transactions. So whether it is working on a deal to retain Andrew Wiggins beyond this season or even utilizing the mid-level exception this summer, it is a very fine line between having ultimate flexibility a year from now or continuing to have to work within tight cap constraints.
Q:This is literally beyond crazy. You telling me 10 or 11 are better than Bam Adebayo at defense? – G.S.H.
A: This came after Bam Adebayo finished in a tie for 11th in voting for Defensive Player of the Year that went to Victor Wembanyama. The reality is that when you play for a 10th-place team, one that finished 14th in defensive rating, those who vote for awards tend to look in other directions. This does not bode well for Bam making a return to one of the All-Defensive teams. The Heat’s defenseless close to the season didn’t help, either.