What is up, fellow thermonuclear A efforts. I am Dan Favalley coming at
you with yet another twenty twenty three, twenty twenty four NBA team look ahead.
We're on to the Miami eat and that means I get to speak with
a lot of Taphauer, who has agreed to come out of podcasting retirement specifically
for this episode. So this should be awesome and we should all thank her
very much for agreeing to come on. Alana, how the heck are you
doing? You're gonna get me very unfiltered and unhinged. I think, Uh,
it didn't sleep great. It's a Monday, I have a meeting right
after this, so I am excited to be here though. And the heat
have been fun so far. Three preseason games in I think so looking good.
I thought you were gonna say fun relative to the offseason shatter and everything,
and I was like, fun is certainly a word to describe, well,
what had happened? Uh. We should probably begin there though, the
Damian Lillard stuff, but I wanted to actually ask you about the finals run
real quick because on this podcast we spent way too long trying to figure out
what the hell was going on. Is what was the secret sauce of that
just turnaround? They were a team that was weird in the regular season wherea
was the defense was great and the offense ticked up, but the defense pulled
back. There was injuries, but they just they make it to the finals.
What was like what went into that? What was the biggest thing that
just like changed for them? Honestly, I've said this for seasons. The
only like constant about this team is their inconsistency, and it used to drive
me nuts, But at this point I'm just kind of leaning into it.
I just think like anything is possible with them, and obviously, I mean
Jimmy, Jimmy's just built for this. And it's not to say that they
don't care about the regular season. I just think there's another level of play
when it comes to the playoffs. I think everyone was clicking at that point,
and honestly, like, let's be real, the national media, it's
not even that they hate us, they just it's like we don't exist.
And I think that that makes the players want to do more and better for
not only obviously the fans, but the organization and themselves. So it was
one heck of a run. I honestly, that was probably in recent times
like my favorite run to see just because everyone was doubting and really, I
think up until the end, I don't really think anyone really knew what happened.
I know there are people out there who said, you know, Denver
was a lock to begin with, but I maybe it's just biased. I
just never felt that way. I think that we had it from the get
and we could have gone all the way. But yeah, that was a
lot of fun. And this team always as full as surprises. Uh.
What was probably not surprising though, is their link to Damian Lillard over the
offseason, because they tend to get linked to any stars that become available,
and especially stars that name them as the only team that they would like to
go to. I want to start here very quickly, not because I don't
want to belaevor too much some of that. But what did you make of
just the discourse surrounding the negotiations and the leads and the pivoting and depositing coming
from both sides or I guess like all eight sides when you factor in Damian
Lillard, his camp, the Miami media, the Portland media, the teams
themselves. This was the first time that I actually bought into it a little
bit. I usually when we're linked to someone. I mean, how many
times have we talked about Bradley Beale. It's been what five six summers.
I don't really tend to believe a lot of what's out there. And not
only that, I just a lot of the time I feel like we're almost
doing the team of disservice when we are counting on these huge names to come,
as if you know, without them, we can't get anywhere. But
Dame was the first time and the first situation that I actually thought it may
happen, primarily just because you know, we were hearing from him and his
camp itself. I am still a little bit unsure as to what happened.
I know that there's reports on both sides, you know, saying that the
Heat were unwilling to give what was reported, and then I've also heard that
the Heat you know, did far and beyond what they said. I'm ready
to move on from it. I'm sure Dame is ready to move on from
it. I don't love that they keep posting pictures with him in Milwaukee looking
you know, upset or like he's not happy. It's just can we can
we not do that, like give the man a break. I don't know,
it's the whole thing was crazy. I don't understand kind of how we
got so far away from him coming here, but it is what it is.
At this point, I don't know really what to believe despite the body
language doctors and what they may say. I do think he's actually pretty stoked
to be in Milwaukee, and so judging from photos last night, Yeah,
if we're really going to go into every single photo and every single moment with
his family, I think the stuff that actually matters to the negotiations is twofold,
and it's first the players that left. When you look at Gabe Vincent
Max Strus, do you think the Heat kind of acted like a team this
offseason that thought they were gonna get Damian Lillard When you see that those two
guys just just sort of left, Or do you believe that they always would
have played it super tight when it came to what those guys cost, or
just maybe from a distance, do you think that the media is overvaluing what
they meant to that team. It's hard for me to believe that pat Riley
had tunnel vision to the point of not even entertaining the idea that day might
not come here. I'm not saying that, you know, he wasn't willing
to do whatever it took, or that he wasn't, you know, making
the proper strides in order to make that happen. But I don't know the
narrative of him, you know, and just the front office in general not
doing what they needed to do in case or not having a plan be to
me, it just doesn't seem realistic. I you know, really liked both
Gabe and Max, and I think that they added a lot to the team
in that particular run. But let's not forget that in the beginning of the
season, Heat fans themselves were not very high on them, and they they
didn't think that they would be relied upon or that they would be you know,
X factors. I'm sad to see them go, but I think it's
being a little bit overstated at this point. Is there a chance that there's
any lingering awkwardness between the franchise and not just Tyler Hero but also Kyle Lowry
because those those dudes spend a ton of time in hypothetical trades over the offseason.
You know, it's always interesting because players just they're such individuals that you
never know how they're going to react. I think we saw what two three
seasons ago. I'm losing track of time, But when Duncan was mentioned in
a bunch of trade stories, you know, during free agency and even during
the trade deadline, I don't think he took it very well. I think
it affected his play. I obviously don't know the guy personally, but Tyler
does not seem like he's really been shaken. I think, if anything,
it kind of motivated him to work harder this summer. You know. I
know certain things have been coming out, you know, from conversations with Tyler
and certain people on Twitter and in the media, that he wanted to stay.
And I do believe that Kyle's a different story. I love Kyle still.
I know a lot of heat fans have kind of turned on him.
I think that I don't know how much I believe that he really thought he
was going to go. I'm not trying to put too much emphasis on the
fact that you know, him and Jimmy are friends, but at the end
of the day, it is kind of Jimmy's team, and I think if
Jimmy wanted him to stay he was going to stick around. I don't really
read into him saying he thinks he's going to be the starting point guard he
expects to What do you want a player of his caliber to say. I
don't know where that narrative came from. I think it would have been crazy
for him to say, you know, I'm happy coming off the bench,
or we'll see what happens. So I hope it didn't affect either of them.
So far, it doesn't look like it has affected Tyler. I think
that his confidence is up. I think he's really stepping into the role,
but you know, in his preseason, so it's a little bit too early
to tell. The Tyler hero stuff is fascinating when you look at what he
means to this team, because I do think I did not side with the
Miami media or the Miami side of things on a lot of this. I
do believe that the Tyler hero discourse just veered so far away from reality at
certain points a lot of the times. And we've seen it with other players
when they sign that second contract before it even kicks in, their values just
inherently diminished. And I think that's kind of happened with him, and it
definitely did not help that they made a finals run without him basically like that
certainly didn't help his case. And yes there's stuff to get into. Well,
if the Blazers couldn't find enough value with Tyler Hero, like secondary value
to make that trade with the Heat, they got Drew Holliday, who is
just an objectively better player because he's a two way player than Tyler Hero right
now, and so he's going to mean more probably do a team's championship hopes.
But the Blazers didn't need him. They had a ton of guards,
and I actually think Tyler Hero came made strides last season. When you look
at him specifically as a passer. What are you watching most closely though about
his like an area of his development or just how he plays this season?
What do you think is most important? Is it? I think a lot
of people will focus on maybe some of the off ball stuff offensively, but
you look at this roster and my other question you was you expect us to
see like more units where he is effectively kind of a league guard when Jimmy
Butler's off the court. Yeah, I think for me it's twofold. The
first is just his basketball IQ. I think that Jimmy has a way of
rubbing off on players, especially players who he kind of takes under his wing.
And it's not to say, you know, that he's ignoring other guys,
but I think that it became clear kind of that Tyler and Jimmy were
working, you know, towards having not only off the court, but on
court chemistry as well. And I think Tyler, and again at preseason is
such a small sample size, but I already see growth in that way where
you can tell he's thinking ahead and not just for himself, I think for
the rest of the team while he's on the floor with them. I think
the other thing is, you know, he has been injury prone, and
some of that might just be the way he is, but some of it
is his style of play. And I think that hopefully he's been working with
you know, either his own trainers or kind of the heat training staff to
kind of figure out a way for him to stay healthier, because I think
that if he starts protecting his body a little bit, you know, and
not necessarily by resting, but just kind of playing differently, it'll go a
long way. Not only you know, obviously, to keep him on the
floor and keep him actually active, but also to make him a little bit
more well rounded. I also it does feel like his just ability to hit
off the dribble threes or pull up threes is parenthally underrated. I was looking,
and here's every player who made as many pull up threes as him last
year on the same or better efficiency, which was thirty six point nine percent
on off the dribble threes, which is a big deal. Steph, Tyr
Salbert and James Harden, Kyrie Dame, Jamal Murray and Donovan Mitchell. That
is it. And then there's Tyler Hero and so I don't think I don't
think he's any of those players, but that skill set matters. I think,
especially or particularly in a playoff setting. You can get into his defensive
limitations, but to have someone who's able to do that in your offense,
it's a pretty big deal, I would especially with the departure of Max Struce
now as well. Yeah, I think that. And I think the fact
that you know he is younger and he has fresh legs under him is really
important, especially in a playoff situation, because you know, Jimmy Kyle even
Bam, he's not old by any means. But he's not as kind of
springy as Tyler is, and I think that is super important and it is
underrated. I don't know. It's so weird because I thought by now kind
of the narrative on him would change. I think that in the beginning,
a lot of people judged him for kind of his flashiness and his confidence.
Then to your point, I think is his contract didn't help. But at
this point, I'm not really sure what it is about him that's so polarizing.
I honestly agree that maybe it's maybe it's his fashion sense and other people.
Maybe people are just drawn to that. I have no idea what makes
him so polarizing on the court? What did you make of what they did
with their actual off season? The addition is you have Jay Rich coming back,
you have Thomas Bryant, Kevin Love is back. Just sort of what
did you make of those series of moves? And of those three I think
there's a clear answer. But is there one that just intrigues you or will
do the most for this team? I mean, anyone who knows we knows
I love Joshy like I am a diehard j Rich fan. I literally I
should not be admitting this, but I almost crashed my car on a highway
when I found out the news, just because I was like on Twitter and
all of a sudden this came through and I'm like swerving into someone else's lane.
I'm super excited. I think that he obviously gets the Heat culture,
he gets the heat mentality. Both him and BAM being older and more mature
in their games now is gonna be huge. I'm so excited to see him
with Tyler and Jimmy. Honestly, but I think that ka Love coming back
is underrated. I think I tweeted this the other night. He was just
such an intelligent pickup to me, especially alongside ud now leaving. I think
we needed someone and you know, Kyle is somewhat this too, but we
needed someone of the veteran presidents who kind of can rally all the young guys
and then having an actual backup for BAM. And that's really no disrespect for
the guys that came before. I had no act issue with any of the
other guys, you know, whether it was the Mechanic or Zeller, but
just that is huge, and I think that it may also mentally help BAM
out, you know, Obviously, the physicality that it took to be kind
of our one and only for a while is obviously now kind of lifted off
his shoulders. But I think that bam knowing that there is someone there to
back him up and even maybe play alongside him depending on the lineup. I
think that's super exciting when you look at who they've brought in and now who
they lost, Like, who are you more concerned about looking at the line
up the way they're gonna play leaving, is it gave Vincent or Max Stres
Like who winds up being the bigger loss for them? Honestly, that's tough,
and it kind of depends on what Duncan does, which I know is
just kind of a very basic answer at this point, but I just don't
know what version of Duncan we're gonna get. I think that Gabe really backed
Kyle up well. I think not only kind of the x's and o's,
but just the basketball IQ and the ability to read the floor. But obviously,
you know, when Duncan was struggling, and if he continues to struggle,
losing Max might hurt more. I really just think it depends on Duncan,
and that is one that I'm very curious to see how that develops.
What got into Duncan Robinson during the post, Like it wasn't just like he
hit, like he was dribbling more than we've ever seen him before. Was
just like was this months in the making and I just missed it? But
it was like it wasn't even a renaissance, it was like a rebirth.
Yeah, I don't Again, I don't know if it's just this team is
like built for the playoffs and that's just such a cop out answer, and
it's also not one that I love because I'm someone who I don't like the
whole rhetoric of the regular season doesn't matter, But I do think that everyone
just switches into another gear. And let's face it, he really was.
I mean for a while, they're the weakest link, and I think that
he got sick of being that, and I don't think he wanted the responsibility
of this team maybe not going as far as they could. You know,
not that it would be his fault solely, but if it was the majority
of on him not pulling his weight, I think he just stepped up something
that felt like it's floor nder the radar a little bit and maybe it was
because of how rickety their offense was at times, but Bam felt like he
made real strides just as a scorer. What most impressed you or maybe even
took you aback about the way he was able to add to his offensive game
last year, I mean, I think his his midigame definitely improved, and
it was not something that people necessarily expected. I know, going into the
year, a lot of people wanted him to kind of start adding more threes
to his game. And it's not to say that I don't think he should
pull up from there every once in a while, but I think making someone
do something just because you know, other big men in the league are are
doing that. If he's not going to be the guy for that, it's
better that he focused on something else. I think in general, he's just
more aggressive and more dominant on the floor, especially on the offensive end,
and even so far this season, I've seen him look even more so so
that if that continues, I think will be in a really good spot.
Yeah, he's also just like to just go like kind of an iso not
a huge part of his game, but like his isolation possessions almost doubled per
game from last year over the year before, and to have that type of
option, and if you can improve the spacing around him on any given night,
there's like he might not be done hitting an ex front tier as a
score. I don't, you know, the three stuff. It'd be nice,
but I think at some point, when someone's this deep into his career,
you have kind of accept that this probably won't be a huge part of
his game. Ever, I think we're kind of at the point where it
doesn't necessarily need to be for him to be a top tier offensive player based
and he was already a really good offensive player when you just look at the
play making, the IQ, the ability to lead stuff from the full floor
to the top of the floor. Yeah, and I think that having an
actual backup now will help with that too, in terms of just getting him
the rest that he needs and not feeling like, you know, if he
comes out for an extra minute or two then he used to that the entire
offense will collapse. I think that his training and I said this on Twitter
yesterday, it really does look like every single person on this roster put in
work this offseason, And yeah, I mean it should be a no brainer,
but the level kind of of energy that they came out with. I
think they're hungry. I don't think they're necessarily disappointed per se. Obviously it
would have been great to get that title, but I think that they're they're
taking it as a proud moment and knowing that if they got that far with
what they have and improving now this year already, I think with some pieces
that they know that they can get as far, if not further. Again,
you'll have to forgive the long pre album on this, but they are
so confusing to me in the sense that I don't know if they're built as
constructed to meaningfully improve upon how do you want to say, just the offense,
But they're two way play because you could say, all right, maybe
Kyle Lowry, maybe Caleb Martin, maybe some of these guys have better shooting
seasons, and they missed last year that he had like one of the worst
catch and shoot percentages in the league. It's like, those are shots you
could envision going down. But we also what I thought was underplayed to their
credit league into the postseason, we saw kind of an uptick in how they
were shooting. They were still relying a lot on just Tyler. Heroes three
point volume in making, but the offense fair better and yet then the defense
sort of fell apart. And so I'm just looking at this roster, is
they are path to where they are a two two way team, not just
in the regular season but when it matters most or is this still you know,
they don't have to go out and do something right now, and they're
they're probably not going to, but it's still just based off their link to
Damian Lillard, based off the type of player we know they've been after over
the past couple of years, do they still sort of need a trade to
optimize or let's say, reach the typical upper tier of contendership where it's not,
oh shit, the Heat somehow made a Finals run and no one was
expecting them to. Honestly, I feel like, what's bigger than all of
that is maybe I hate this term, but kind of rebranding themselves a little.
I think that for a long time, the Heat kind of had these
cornerstone themes to the types of guys that they were getting and the types of
rosters that they were constructing. A lot of it was, you know,
very good offense and very reliant on the three ball, and it's not to
say that some guys on the roster right now don't fit into that mold.
But I just think that they need to kind of rethink what it is that
they want their team identity to be and try to first and foremost fit the
players they already have right now into whatever that is. But then yeah,
maybe looking at the trade deadline and thinking about, Okay, we have this
kind of rebrand or new identity, where what gaps do we need to fill
and where can we fill the void. It's hard because the front office has
been so stable with the same personnel, and I get that, and you
have some guys who have been here for quite some time, like Bam for
example, and even j Rich coming back. But I think at this point
it's more so looking at what we have now rather than to try and fit
into this mold that we keep trying to come back to year after year,
especially because honestly, we haven't gotten a lot of the bigger names that have
been connected to us, and it is hard to know because the heat is
so tight lipped, how how realistic that even was in the first place.
But I think trying to focus more on where we are now as opposed to
like what we could be is, in my opinion, the way to go.
Do you have any early impressions of Haimai Hawka's junior and do you expect
to see him get a chance on this team that you know they have Jimmy
Butler, they have Caleb Martin, but they do they need wings. Yeah,
I know that he I think he well, I've only seen two preseason
games. I don't know if he played two or three. I know he
got injured a little bit, but he he looked incredible and I could already
tell that he's learning from Jimmy, which I think is so important because beyond
what you're actually capable of in you know, terms of raw skill and talent,
I think soaking up what's around you, especially from a player like Jimmy
Butler, is super super important. So yeah, I'd be shocked if,
you know, he didn't make the cut in quite a large way. If
he's obviously able to stay healthy. Like anything else, some of it will
be, like you know, depending on who they're playing and kind of the
rest of the guys around him, But I expect him to be a major,
major part of this roster. I think if he can keep the ball
moving and hit just set threes right now. That might be a enough to
just throw him on the floor and say, you know you're not going to
hurt us more defensively, then you might even help you defense, so you're
not going to hurt usre defensive than a Duncan Robinson, or if we decide
to play k Love next to bam Adebayo. But it's always I try to
take a step back whenever I like youngsters on teams that have immediate expectations,
because it's, well, how much runway is Eric Bolstra actually going to give
him? Because the Heat might not care as much about the regular season as
the average team, but like it still matters in terms of seating and you're
trying to win games. It's so I'm very curious to see if he gets
like a legitimate shot or if this is just sort of even the buzz coming
out of the draft was they view him his NBA ready he's perfect for the
Heat, like this is someone who can help right away. You just have
to take that with a grain AsSalt. And so I'm fascinated to see whether
he gets plugged into their rotation in a meaningful way at all. Yeah,
it's interesting too, to me because obviously I don't really know what's going on
behind the scenes, but Spoe does seem to kind of once he has his
favorites, he will kind of take more chances on them, I think than
other players, for better or worse. And I'm sure that all coaches in
some way do this. But I also have a feeling that if Jimmy is
pushing for it, and he's kind of taking him under his wing, it
will probably be harder to have Spoe not at least give him a chance.
And to be honest, why not in the beginning of the season. I
obviously don't know how like long he's going to be out with this injury,
but now it is kind of the time to try that out because to your
point, seeding will matter. But we're so early on even you know in
the beginning of the season that I think we should just let him kind of
play and see how that shakes out. Uh. I was not privy to
a lot of it, but it seemed like he Twitter was very high on
Nicola Yovic over the offseason. Do you have any role expectations for him or
is he someone that probably won't factor too heavily into their rotation. I mean,
I think it's kind of the same thing. Why not just give him
a shot right now? I think he had a great run this summer.
Obviously, you know, you have to factor in that that style of play
is different and it lends itself more to a certain type of player. But
I think that you know, if he's coming out with that momentum, if
he's coming out with the support you know of not only the fans but also
the organization, I say, just try everything right now and kind of re
evaluate as the season goes. We kind of touched upon this a little bit
already, but looking at how the defense did suffer a little bit or a
lot of it after we saw the offensive shift, do you have any lingering
concerns about sort of that late season declined or do you chalk a lot of
it up to just injuries, availability, or just the time of the season
even or maybe they're their emphasis. I'm really trying to juice the offense up
so much. I think it's a combination of everything. I honestly can't even
keep straight what injuries we had when, just because it seemed like it was
just on loop. But I do think that played into it and I also
just think that it there was kind of a turning point in the season where
it almost was like, Okay, we're out of options and it's now or
never. And I think that Spoe in a way finally got out And this
is something I've criticized him for as much as I love him, but it
kind of got out of tunnel vision he had and was like, we're just
gonna try to revamp the offense instead of kind of relying so hard on what
we know. But I definitely do think it was the time of year,
it was a lot of games, it was a lot of injuries. So
I'm not I'm not any more or less I guess concerned than I was last
season. It's just kind of a matter of who steps up when. And
again, you know, as frustrating as it can be, it is kind
of fun to never know what the team is gonna do. I tend to
be a little bit higher on their defense, I think because I tend to
be higher on Kayleb Martin's defense than the consensus where a lot of people look
at him as a gap filler and what she does. But like when you
look at some of the one on one or general assignments he had to cover
last year. Those are caps locked defensive assignments and he fared quite well for
a lot of it. And so between having the option of him Jimmy Bam,
you're gonna get knights from Kyle Lowry where he looks good defensively, I
guess when you get into okay, like five and Josh Richardson just being there
just positionally stop solid, still still going to defend. Now when you get
out of those five, maybe there are some question marks, but I'll believe
that to me anyway, maybe you feel differently. It still feels like the
ceiling for them on defense is probably a lot, maybe not a lot,
but measurably higher than it would be for them on offense as currently constructed.
Yeah, it just to me kind of depends which way they're going to try
and lean and what kind of guys are zeroing in on for themselves this season.
I think that sometimes players tend to once they see somethings really working for
them in terms of improving, they almost not forget about the rest, but
they don't really try to like own in their craft that much. So I
am curious to see and again I think it's just to me, it's so
dependent on who we're playing night in and night out. We kind of turn
this gear of whether we're going to, you know, try to outscore the
other team on three or whether we're just going to try and clamp them down.
I'm mostly curious, to be honest, to see kind of what Bam
is going to do on the defensive end, because I do think against certain
other big men he tends to struggle. And I've always been of the mindset
that it's all kind of mental for him, and as soon as he gets
that confidence and gets that kind of stability within himself to know that he can
do what he needs to do, that it'll come. But I just I
don't know if if we're gonna get there, can we run back the how
many threes will Jimmy Butler hit this season segment from last year? Sure?
Will you remind me of where we're at? We had we said it at
thirty I said it at thirty six, and or no, I said at
forty four. We both went over. He hit thirty. Miss We're missing
some time this year. I'm gonna keep it around the same, but let's
go with a more decisive win or loss. Forty four and a half,
so there can be no push or you're taking the over or the under.
I was gonna say he's gonna hit four, he's gonna go with forty,
so I'll go the under. I'm just gonna say the over to differentiate.
I just the amount of times he goes into the paint, and maybe it'll
be different this season. There's just like four bodies below the free throw line.
I'm like, you gotta want to take threes at some point, right,
and so he probably won't. I'm just gonna hit the over. So
I'm going to be an optimistic in this department. I mean, we're only
really four apart anyway, So either way, it would be a win if
Jimmy took either of the I mean, as long as they're obviously going in.
I do think too that Jimmy's really good about trying to kind of pick
up the slack of what's going on. So I do think it'll obviously depend
on what's what's happening with with guys like Duncan, and if you know,
maybe Tyler can shoot it at a higher volume. Two the other thing,
and that's like a cliche question, but it's just funny because it's so he
plays so dramatically different sometimes in the playoffs versus the regular season. And also
if there's a player that if you just said, was the most likely to
be like he's kind of not taking a lot of threes the past few seasons,
but he's decided I'm going to take a shit ton this year, it
would just be him because he has the type of personality. But do you
worry about like the aging curves all with him as he's getting into his mid
thirties and the load that he has had to carry now for a few years.
Not really, And if it were a lot of other players, my
answer would be different. I just to me, he's only gotten better and
kind of more athletic and more durable and just gun harder in these last few
years. So I'm not really worried about it, And honestly, for him,
just because of the type of guy he is, it's so much more
like mind over matter to the point where not that I necessarily support this,
but I feel like this man would run himself into the ground before he admitted
that, you know, maybe he's slipping or needs to take a step back.
My counterpoint would be, is he wouldn't give up coffee for a year
I for men winning an NBA championship. So would he really right? I
don't know if I would either. I read that and I was like,
I wouldn't. I probably wouldn't, Nor would I give up wine. I
think I guess he's at the point where it doesn't matter because he's made so
much money. I would absolutely get well, if you asked me, I've
had to give up caffeine because I'm not a coffee drinker. Yeah, that
probably a bit more of a thinker this is. I know it's an impossible
question to ask because we need to see them play the games this year,
but everything when it comes, like on the major moves that they've missed or
even some of the bigger ones that they've made, it has always happened.
It has generally happened over the off season. Do you think this team is
prepared though, given kind of the timeline they're on with Jimmy Butler specifically,
that if something comes along, or if an opportunity in the sense of a
player becomes available that fits during the regular season, that they would be prepared
to make that consolidation or bigger swing that a lot of people have kind of
been waiting on for a couple of years now, or is that there's very
much a team that is probably gonna wait generally to recalibrate over the off season.
It's hard because every time I think that we're at the point where,
okay, we just kind of need to gut it out and go for it,
they then turn a corner. And I'm almost wondering, if you know,
that's kind of what happens with the front office of they have this plan
of you know, we're willing to give up half the team to get one
guy, and then all of a sudden they look like a completely different team.
It also, to me, really matters on who it is. And
I say that only because this is Jimmy's team, and if the fit with
Jimmy in particular, whether that be mentally off the court obviously on the court
as well, is just not perfect. I don't think the front office is
going to do it. I think what also makes it difficult to make that
call is how much we've actually seen them flip a switch when it comes to
the postseason, and so what is the line for concern in the regular season
where it's okay, if they're on pace for forty two forty three victories.
That's not really out of the ordinary, and so do you just trust them
to and look, it's a cliche, it's not scientific to say if they
just slip the switch. We have years of evidence that it just happens.
When you look at they've been a three conference finals in the past four years.
That doesn't happen on accident. And so I think it makes it tougher
to make that call. But I also think it makes it easier to look
at the trade market as a real means of improvement because I don't think even
though maybe we might diverge on how high we are in this team ceiling as
presently constituted, I don't it takes a capslock megastar. It's like it didn't
need to be a Dame, it didn't need to be a Bradley be able
to be like, oh the heat look more like they fortified their contender stock.
And so in a way, it's I don't know what the answer is,
but I do think that they should be more open to it, because
I don't think they need that top fifteen, top even twenty five guy to
solidify themselves as a real threat to come out of the East. No,
and honestly, I think that not looking at a so called whale actually might
be the way to go to my earlier point of it needing to be a
perfect fit with Jimmy, because if it's not a guy who's coming in and
it's not a superstar, that is easier to work around. I also think
that, and you know, to your point, there's not science behind it,
but it is a thing that they turn it on. And I think
that finding a guy who's hungry enough to do that with them at that time,
regardless of you know, how impossible it might seem, I actually think
that's more important than going after some big whale who you know might be chasing
another ring or might just want to be change of scenery. I to me,
finding guys, even if they're not as good on paper that our hungrier
is going to be more of a difference maker. I think, in so
far as you care, two of the most heat players possible that could theoretically
come in the market that are not like capslock superstars would be o Jannobi is
one. I think they probably need more dribbling than someone like him, but
ojanovery want and then I'm less confident in him becoming available. But Michal Bridges
might be one of the most Miami Heat players, Like he played eighty three
of eighty two regular season games last year. Like that is that that's like
a kind of a Miami Heat culture stat, even though they don't care about
that. I would. I would love him on this team. I think
the fit would be great. I think he has already proven himself to be
someone who will do whatever it takes to get the job done. So yeah,
I would love that. I just it'd be curious. It'd be curious
to see a if he becomes available, but be what it would take to
get him. Uh, we're at a banner page for this podcast because Hardwoo
Knox is perpetually slow. Are you ready to enter the cookie cutter portion of
the look Ahead? Sure? Why not? Are there any other strengths or
weaknesses about this team they're flying under the radar that we haven't talked about yet.
I mean, again, it's just personal bias, but I really don't
think that people are excited enough about Josh Richardson coming back. And I say
that mostly for the energy that he brings, for the chemistry that he brings.
I think there's something to be said for the familiarity, and you know,
I know there were some people who got kind of excited, but overall,
I just don't think that that's being talked enough about. And I'm really
excited for him to kind of go out there and prove that, you know,
he was worth bringing back and that he was kind of that missing link.
Yeah, to get him on the minimum was just still wild to me.
I don't think. I don't think nearly enough was made of that.
Looking to the top ten in the rotation, let's begin with, so what
do you expect the most leaned upon starting to be for this team? To
break it down from there, Honestly, I have to pull up your sheet
here because I mean, I think what you have so what Kyler, Kykler,
Kyle Tyler, Josh, Jimmy Bam. Although I wonder if Caleb will
get a start just because of what he did in the playoffs for them,
and because of the fact that I think he's a little bit more solid in
terms of like physically than Josh. So I am curious to see if maybe
that will be a call, or if it'll be something that perhaps they just
switch off, depending on you know, how many games have been played or
who they're playing against. The thing would be my concern is that if you're
gonna put him in the starting five, I would almost want to see Kyle
come off the bench. I would say Tyler too, but I don't think
they're paying him to come off the bench, just because I would like to
have for them more playmaking coming off as And if you have Caleb, Kyle
Tyler here on, Jimmy Butler and him at a Bayo, that's your four
best playmakers on the team at this point, and so I wonder what that
would do to you can stagger, but it just feels like I'd like to
have one playmaker on the bench. Caleb Martin is a better player than Josh
Richardson, and I mean at this point Kyle Lowry as well. So how
would you so kleb will be like the sixth lock in the rotation, then
how do we flesh it out after that? I feels like k Love would
also be a lock, which would be seven. Duncan Robinson. I feel
like it's a lock until that's eight, and then I kind of guessed at
the final two. Would who would you put into those final two slots.
Yeah, I mean I think Tom Brian for sure, and then Triple J.
I would be shocked if not. But again, I think that with
someone that fresh, Spoe might give him a little bit of a longer leash
it first, But if it's not panning out, I do think that that's
something to keep an eye on when we let's fasten over to the end of
this season and we look back. I know that they're a team that might
cater to matchups more than most, But what do you think will wind up
being their most leaned upon closing five man unit. Well, definitely, Jimmy
Bam would be out there. I think Kyle just for his the sake that
of the fact that he's a Vet, and also just his basketball Q bar
none. You have to have Tyler out there, right, I mean,
would it It might be the same as the starting five. Honestly, Well,
I mean that's not like that can totally happen. I would wonder.
I think I probably have Caleb over Richardson or Kyle lower I hates. I
mean, I love Kyle Lowry just for the offensive purposes. I think there's
a chance that he gives you more optionality than definitely than Josh Richardson. I
don't know about it depends on the night for Kyle Lowry, but I do
think that if I were coaching the team, he'd probably be a closing time
staple for me this year. Yeah, I think that what you said about,
you know, kind of the opponent being a big thing for this team,
And I've literally beaten this to the ground every year. I say the
same thing. It really is. We're different depending on who we play.
And that's not to say that we're the only team, but I feel like
us more than anyone else, which, on the one hand, again can
be frustrating because you don't know what you're gonna get. But on the other
hand, it does kind of let you use more of your roster, and
I think in doing that it makes guys stay ready and kind of be mentally
prepared for anything and to jump in at any time. So I mean,
again, I think that at this point I'm just leaning into the inconsistency because
it is what it is, we might as well. We might as well
enjoy it. At this point, Is there a weirdo quirky They probably won't
try it, but they should try it. Lineup, you would like to
see the heat roll out. I don't know. I mean I was thinking
of what happens if Bam and Brian are on the floor at the same time.
I think that it would probably be very short lived within one game.
But I don't see why we would not at least try that. It Definitely,
in the past has not been supposed go too to have two big guys
on the floor at the same time, and I know we've been calling for
that for years, but just with the type of players they are and how
young they are, I don't know. I think it might be fun to
see mine would be and I might be overcompensating because of my lack of commitment
to weirdo small ball lineups this year and other look aheads. But Jimmy Himy
Hawkes, Jimmy, Josh Richardson, Kayla Martin, and then I don't really
care who the fifth is. But it's between Kyle Lowry or Tyler Hero.
If you're worried about the defensive end, Lowry, But if you want someone
else who can pass, dribble and shoot at the same time a third player
in there, I would go with Tyler Hero for sure. I don't know
that you like Jimmy defends up sometimes. I think Kimai hawk has can do
it. Josh Richardson we know can do it. Kayler Martin can do it.
I don't know. I do you want any of those? I mean,
you don't want any of those guys tussling with conventional bigs. But I'm
a sucker for small ball lineups, and some of the league's teams have trended
so big with size and skill. For sure. Size and skill are important
that I felt obligated to roll out one of my trademark small ball lineups,
and so I'd like to see that, even though I don't think we will.
I really like that in a vacuum, but it's terrifying to think of
it in actuality against basically any team right now in the league because of how
big, to your point, everyone is going. Our collective schedule is yours
of mine. This season had an off season this year much mirrored the Heats
off season, and that it was all over the place, And so the
over under has changed since I sent it to you. They have settled in
out of October sixteenth. Since I don't know when I'm publishing this at forty
four and a half, would you take the over the under on that,
I'm just gonna go over just to be that girl because heat twitter hates when
I do this, so just to piss everyone off when you want to go
under, they want to be like a forty. Why would they be mad
that you go over? Because I feel like the whole identity behind heat Twitter
at this point is just being a bunch of like cranky old men who like
don't believe in succeeding and we may as well. It's almost like they they
want to fail so that they can be right that, like, this team
can't do anything without a dame or without a beal, Whereas I'm just I'm
all in on the team, regardless of who's on it. Honestly, I
respect that, I guess So is that really you're more plugged into it than
I am? I'm generally acting? Is that the actual sentiment? Because there
looked like, and I'm hoping you agree, but there looked like there was
way too much water carrying going on on behalf of the heat organization in the
Lillard like to call it deplorable that they traded Damian Lillard somewhere else. So
I'm just like, do those things people really want the Heat defense. Well,
I think that that and see this is where I turned to the Dame
situation. I think was the first time that everyone or that I've seen in
quite some time that everyone kind of got on the same page and really thought
it was going to happen, me included, and so I think that when
it didn't, the consensus then was kind of to rally together. And I
even I can't remember who tweeted it, but someone was like, it's so
heat Twitter that like, losing Dame is the only time we've ever been on
the same page in like the last decade, because otherwise everyone just at each
other's throats. But I mean, I I don't think it was great the
way that all that went down, And honestly, I would not be mad
if, like the front office just never dealt with Portland again, just out
of principle. Uh So, where do you think their their ceiling is?
Regular season in the Eastern Conference. I guess the best way to answer that
might be what would be the teams right now and of the regular season you're
prepared to guarantee will have a better record than the Heat not necessarily championship chances.
We've seen that story before where the Heat is just gonna come out of
the plane and make the finals, apparently after almost losing in the play in
mind you so, how many teams would you be prepared to guarantee will be
better than the Heat in the East this season? I mean the Bucks will
be. I think Boston's still there, even though I'm not too I just
don't they make me nervous, Like for themselves. I don't love that team,
but I think they're creating. That was the only other one that I
was like, I think this would be a lock. But honestly, they
don't. I don't know. They're kind of losing the grip on their their
own identity, to be honest. But I'll put them up there. I'll
put the Bucks and the Celtics, I think, and this is the it's
not specific to the Heat. I just think that they're a clear top three
in the East because of what is going hot in Philadelphia now. The Calves
to me belong up there because they they care about the regular season and they
slaughtered like bad opponents last year. They had the best record against teams under
five hundred, and I think they'll They just added Max Struce and Mobile and
Garland will get better. I think that they're a team. Regardless how you
feel about them in the postseason, there might still be wholes. I think
they're going to be an exceptional, too spectacular regular season team. I don't
have I just don't have trust in them. I don't know what it is.
It's maybe I'm just overlooking them and I don't watch them enough. It's
just kind of like, yeah, there's glimpses, but it's kind of like
longevity wise, I just don't I don't know. I just don't see it.
Do you think that the Heat then are going to be back in playing
territory or that this is a top six year for them. No, I
would say it's a top six year. I think that they hopefully learned their
lesson, and again I do think some of it was just injuries that were
unavoidable. But I think hopefully they've learned their lesson that there is a middle
ground between kind of not going to the next level of play into the playoffs
and also almost not getting to the playoffs. I think that they kind of
gambled with themselves a little bit there. So no, I don't see that
happening again. Uh. I have a bonus question for you that wasn't in
the outline. What's more likely pat Riley is going within the next two years.
Pat Riley's gonna leave the front office, and we're talking about the Heat
having a new head coach because Boulstra transition into the front office or Spoe gets
the highest signs, the highest NBA coaching extension in big history. That one.
Riley is not getting ready to retire. So I don't know. I
might, I might take the first option. I might think that it feels
more likely. Maybe the spo going into the front office might be too spicy.
But part of me feels like I'd be a little surprised if pat Riley
was still around over the next really, and maybe that's counterintuitive to Hey,
he clearly him and Andy Elisberg didn't go and like make sure they got Dame
or try to get involved in the bual sweepstake. So they're playing a longer
game than we think. I just I'm looking at his age. I'm not
trying to be in ages. Pat Rocky's done a great job in Miami for
the most part. I'm just like that dude's got to be like a little
tired, and I just I don't know. I think that Jimmy's kind of
like just gotten him a new love for everything. Obviously he's been committed for
however long, but I just think he's kind of like just shaken him up.
And I think as long as Jimmy sticks around, which I do believe
he won't, I think Jimmy will end his career in Miami. I think
Pat is along for the ride. I his wife, from what I understand,
has been trying to get him to retire for however many years, and
I just don't see that. All of a sudden, He's like, Nat,
now's the time. I will say. Then, if and when Spoe
signs his next contract, I need the number on it, like, because
the coaching figure numbers are finicky unless they're like in the Mandi Williams's case,
where it's the Pistons basically forced him to give up his gap year because he
didn't want to come out and they're like, no, here's so much money.
Then we see Pop getting his extension because the coaching market was resett the
number. When when Spo signs his I want to know what the number winds
up being, Like, is it twenty million a year? At that point,
I feel like it could be too. I don't even know what a
contract he's on right now. I don't know his number right now. I
thought I think someone told me, and I don't want to miss quote this
that he is coming up on like the end of it. But I might
be wrong. Okay, also doesn't matter because he could be in year two
of a year five and teams can like if the coaching market was reset because
of many Williams and then Pop gets one, like Spoe's no worse. I
don't want to go through coaching. He's no worse than like the third or
fifth best coaches. Yeah, absolutely not probably the best coach in the league.
But just to account for some like wiggle room. There is there anything
anyone else I have not asked you about pertaining to this team You think we
need to discuss No, I think that you know it's still early in the
in the preseason, but I and I said this earlier, I think that
regardless of what happens this season, and I know this is not necessarily what
Heat fans want, this, this team will be fun. Like I feel
like we're all going to have a blast this season. Obviously, I hope
that that comes with a lot of wins and maybe a move or two at
a trade deadline to get us in a in a better place, you know,
heading into the postseason. But I I just that this team is fun
and I'll take it. You don't think like there could be some I don't
want to call it negativity, but they just made it to the finals.
There will be lumbering those expectations. You miss on Lillard and you missed on
you know, the Donovan Mitchell pursuit, even though they weren't heavily involved in
that couple summers ago. You don't think like the like, what what makes
you believe that it's just gonna be fun? Like you don't think the pressure
is gonna get to them like they are they somehow more validated because they made
it to the finals and we're on viewing it differently than it actually is on
the ground. I just think that this group, and obviously this is not
to say every single person. I still we saw that Duncan struggled when kind
of his name was coming up and stuff. I don't I don't think they
care. I really, I mean, how can you care when Jimmy is
going around spending his time, you know, with soccer stars and playing tennis,
and he cares more about his coffee business. It's just to me between
Jimmy and Kyle, and honestly, I feel like Tyler's pretty unshaken too.
I just think that they're gonna go out there. They know what they're they're
worth, they know what they're made of. They're gonna work hard for sure.
I'm not trying to say otherwise. I just think that this season is
going to be very enjoyable to watch. And I think, honestly it kind
of helps that the national media just doesn't care at all. They don't care
to talk about them. I find the heat polar un not me saying I'm
national media, but like you really think that there's like a dearth of coverage
for Miami when it comes to the national labs. Oh we weren't. We
weren't spoken about literally at all. I mean, we were doing the unthinkable
and every night on Loop whether I mean it's mostly ESPN, but a little
bit of TNT and whoever else as well. It was just Lakers on Loop
Denver. I mean, we just aren't talked about, and I think that
the team no longer feels like they're being shaded necessarily or that that's to their
demise. I think they're like, you're not talking about us. We're just
gonna go and do this and show you what we're made of. And once
it comes to and we kind of force your hand to talk about us,
then you'll pay attention. But no, I think the national media. I
think part of it is the fact that the Heat are so tight lip that
they don't really give anyone much and I'm sure that gets frustrating to deal with,
but I think it's great, and I think that they're all kind of
playing into this underdog, underrated persona where they're just going to put their heads
down, work, have fun while doing it, and then we'll see you
again in the finals. Well, look, Jimmy Butler gain some of my
respect over the off season because I found out he listens to Hot Mull again,
and so hats off to hats off to Jimmy Butler for that. Alan,
are you able to tell our listeners where they can find you on social
media? Absolutely? Alana tahow Ur all A n A t A c h
A U E are on Twitter and Instagram. And maybe I'll come out of
retirement again. We'll see. Yeah, please do it now. I know
you're in retirement. Don't be surprised by passing you at some point during the
middle of the regular seam. Let's try and get you to come out.
I will be here. Thank you so much, as always for doing this.
Thank you AC