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Speaker 1: What is up Pelasiko's I'm Dan Valley coming at you

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with another twenty twenty five twenty twenty six NBA season

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look ahead, We are onto the Miami Heat. I have

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the distinct pleasure this year of being joined by Wes Goldberg.

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He covers the team for Locked on Heat. Is also

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the co host of the Locked On NBA podcast over there,

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so also the hosts of the Real GM podcast. He

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talks a lot, says a lot of smart things, as

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great at his job, credentialed in covering the Heat as well.

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Follow him on Twitter at WC Goldberg. It is on

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the screen or in our podcast description, Wes, how the

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heck are you doing?

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Speaker 2: I'm doing well, man, Thanks for having me on. I

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think the last time I was on the show was like,

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who knows? It feels like a very long time ago.

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Speaker 1: So it's in our DMS. I had seen you came

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on for our first ever Heat look Ahead series and

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then you proceeded to leave and cover the Golden State

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Warriors immediately after.

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Speaker 3: Oh, perfect good timing. You kicked me out of the

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Heat and I went to the word.

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Speaker 1: But now I don't know what we did that made

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you just want to stop covering the team in general.

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But I'm happy that you just didn't.

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Speaker 3: Handle the tough question.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, let's get into this team. I have to start

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with last season because it's the Jimmy Butler thing, felt

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like it lasted forever and also kind of feels like

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it was forever ago at this point, just given everything

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that happened last year, you bringing Davey on Mitchell, in

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the Jimmy Butler trade, all that stuff, what was just

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sort of your biggest takeaway or lesson learned that's still

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sticking with you about this team heading into this year.

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Speaker 2: As toxic and distracting as the Jimmy Butler thing may

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have seemed on the outside, it was even more toxic

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and even more distracting on the inside. That was such

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a bad situation by the end of it, where you

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had Jimmy Butler kind of quiet quitting on the court

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for a couple of games to start January. But even

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before then, this had been brewing. It had been brewing

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for months before that, even before pat Riley's comments during

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his end of season press conference where he kind of

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told him to shut his mouth, you know, when he

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was asked about something that Jimmy Butler said about you know,

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not being available in the playoffs. Everybody knew this extension

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was coming. Everybody knew that because of Jimmy Butler's injury history,

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that the Heat were going to be a little reluctant

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to just say yep, for sure, no questions asked. Here's

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all the money, full amount of years, no problem. And

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as we know with Jimmy Butler in the past, when

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it becomes when it gets to his money, he treats

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it like a business and all loyalty and anything else

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that you might think about. Jimmy Butler goes out the door.

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It's all about the money, and he got his money

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from the Warriors. He ends up getting traded. But I

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think even after that, the Heat were kind of traumatized

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after that. I think it was a really huge distraction,

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and even after Jimmy was gone, they were sort of

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left picking up the pieces there. And fortunately they make

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it to the playing tournament. They make it out of

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the play in turn thanks to this crazy Davion Mitchell

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hot streak in a playoff game on the road again

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in Atlanta, and then they get you know, annihilated by

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the Calves in historic fashion. And that was really more

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of what that team probably looked like at that point,

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which was broken. It was just a broken team. So

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they go in Toto the off season and it felt

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like they all had an opportunity to take a vacation.

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Eric Spolster went to the beach like for I don't know,

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the first time in forever. I don't know if he's

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ever seen a beach in his life. He's probably like,

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what is this sand and.

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Speaker 1: Grind in film? Though from it, I'm.

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Speaker 2: Probably looking at this Pina Colada and just being inspired

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by like, oh, you know what. But yeah, I think

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this team really needed a break, which was really the biggest.

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Speaker 3: Takeaway I had was it was a long, long saga.

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Speaker 2: They got a break, and now they come into training

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camp in preseason and frankly, I think they look a

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lot more refreshed, a lot more energized. Despite the zero

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to five preseason record. I just think that there's better

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vibes all around.

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Speaker 1: When you look at how they navigated the off season,

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where it's you get Norman Powell for nothing. One of

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the best moves of the off season re signed on

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Mitchell Flip Duncan Robinson for Simony von tek Yo. You

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end up extending nikole Jovich. What was what's the underline

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messaging that they're trying to send about their timeline or

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just their ultimate goal.

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Speaker 2: That's a great question, and I think it is one

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of the bigger questions right now in Miami.

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Speaker 3: And really what it is is it's a reset.

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Speaker 2: And they'll never say that, right they were competing for

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everything and it's always about winning heat culture.

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Speaker 3: It's a reset.

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Speaker 2: It's a reset and what they have really done here

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And I think one of the key maybe non moves

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that you didn't mention there was not trading for Kevin Durant,

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not taking all that stuff and offering it for Kevin Durant,

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because I think this front office looked at itself and said, look,

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even if we trade three of these young guys and

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some draft picks and some salary for Kevin Durant, we

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would love to have Kevin Durant paired with bam Adebayo

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and maybe even Tyler Hero depending on what it would

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take to go get them. But is that really a

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legitimate title contender?

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Speaker 3: Probably not.

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Speaker 2: Maybe we can make out of the East or not

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beating the team that comes out of the Western Conference,

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that's for sure.

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Speaker 3: And so why would you give up your whole future

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for that?

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Speaker 2: And I think they ultimately came to that realization, and

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in doing so, they also, I think came to the

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realization of we kind of have to build these guys up.

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It's all about development now. It's about turning jimahak As,

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Junior Kleel where Nikolai Jovich, Pela Larson, they brought back

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precious Achua in the offseason. They have all seven of

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their last first round picks now on the roster. It's

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about developing these guys and then just sort of seeing

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what happens after that. Do you develop them and one

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of them pops into something that was unforeseen in terms

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of maybe another all star type of player on this roster.

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Perhaps do they all pop and become really valuable trade

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pieces that they could eventually move in a guy who's

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a little bit more age appropriate for this roster and

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a superstar type of player. Maybe that's the case too,

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But right now, I think what they really want, without

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trying to forecast a head too far and maybe or

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even too specifically, is just to leave their options open.

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Whereas for a long time, based on where they were

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in the salary cap, and the tacks and all these things.

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Speaker 3: Their options weren't very open.

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Speaker 2: They reset the clock on the Peter tax, are under

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the luxury tax. Now they have some more of their

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first round picks coming by, They have all these young

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guys like they've signed them to extensions and rookie controlled deals.

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It's about resetting things and keeping your options open now.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, because when you say reset, in my mind immediately

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faking like a year's long process. But when you still

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have Tyler Hero and bam Adebayo, just as like the

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Core too. That's also not the message that this roster

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sends too. So the optionality, where I think, is spot on.

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It's just they're trying to be ready for I guess

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whatever directions that they could take at any given time

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is what it sounds like.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, and look they among a lot of other teams

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are like Yiannis would be the great option for us,

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right and.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, how many of his family members are they willing

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to sign?

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Speaker 2: So when they traded for Goren Dragic, they also traded

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for Zorn drag So there is a precedent here of

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them willing to do that, so maybe they could.

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Speaker 3: Maybe that's a selling point.

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Speaker 1: So they've talked a lot getting into the actual basketball

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of this team. Now, they've talked a lot this year

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about wanting to play faster. I watched a lot of

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heat preseason basketball, probably more than is healthy. Do you

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think that they are making an effort to do it,

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especially when you just look at the percentage of their

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offense that was coming in transition for like a good

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part of the preseason. Anyway, do you think that that

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is stick, will stick, or is sustainable or do you

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think that this is more so something that will fade away,

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not just coming out of the preseas, but maybe also

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when Tyler Hero comes back and they get their primary

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ball handler back in the lineup.

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Speaker 2: I think seventy percent of it will stick. I do

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think they will play faster, and I just I don't

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even know if it'll be on purpose thing. I mean,

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Jimmy Butler played so slow and it was effective, but

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that was his style of play. It was just slow

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it down, get it to me in the post.

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Speaker 3: I'm gonna be a.

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Speaker 2: Jab step, jab step, shoulder shoulder shoulder push shot, get

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fouled and go to the line. And that was really

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what how Jimmy Butler played and Jimmy's not on this

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roster anymore, and so it's just sort of the faults too,

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I think a little bit faster. Bam likes to play fast.

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He always has Tyler Hero to get up and down

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and get up shots. Norm Palell did oh right, Andrew

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Wiggins wants to play fast. These all these guys around

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them want to play fast. So I just think they

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are going to naturally play faster. My question is how

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effective is it going to be. The pace has noticeably

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picked up, to your point, Dan, in the preseason here,

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it hasn't really resulted in a lot more shots, Like

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they're still in the bottom of near the bottom of

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the preseason in three point attempts. I think they're behind

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the Chinese team that just showed up for a.

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Speaker 1: Few can finish at the basket for shit. In the

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preseason either, for the most part.

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Speaker 3: The finishing has been poor.

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Speaker 2: The turnovers have been a real issue, and I think

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a symptom of trying to push the pace a little

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bit too much. I mean, I know they've just thrown

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the ball into empty spaces where I think they expected

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a player to be, but that player wasn't there. So

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I think eventually they might have to just slow it

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down just to get gain more control over the offense,

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right to kind of get your hands on the reins of.

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Speaker 3: The whole thing. But I do think they'll play a

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little bit faster than they did last year.

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Speaker 2: My question is like, how does it translate and is

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it enough to just play fast, Like everybody can just

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play fast, You kind of need somebody to control things,

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to control the chaos. And that's why guys like Tyrus

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Halliburton are so valuable, is that you could play fast,

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but also he's controlling everything and seeing things so far

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ahead of time. Even when you're playing at the fastest

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pace in the league. The Heat don't have a point

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guard like that Tyler Hero isn't that guy?

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Speaker 3: Bam Adebayo? Isn't that guy? Norm Pals? And that guy

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Wingings isn't that guy?

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Speaker 2: And they keep talking about, Hey, we're gonna we're gonna

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handle our ball handling.

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Speaker 3: Duties by committee here.

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Speaker 2: Okay, cool, that's all well and good, But at the

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end of the day, who's in control, who's pushing the pace,

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who's doing that? And that to me is the is

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the core question that I have about this offense.

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Speaker 1: Do you think It's more challenging for that because I

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think when we talk about playing faster, I mean I

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do too. It's all getting in transition, running after rebounds,

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running after makes even but a lot of it is

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just like, well, you're half court, like you're going up

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against set defenses, and you're running that faster. Do you

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think they have you already mentioned that they don't necessarily

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have that primary organizer good do it? Do they have

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the rest of the personnel to where if they get

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that guy or for some reason, someone whether it's cast

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developing into it or Tyler Hero comes back and levels

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up his passing again, have the personnel to kind of

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even operate at this clipp or Another element of that

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would be do they have like the defense of personnel

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to force a bunch of turnovers and just get out

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and easier transition opportunities.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll start with a defense part of it first,

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because that's where things always begin with Miami. Every time

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you kind of talk about offense, they immediately shift the Commandam.

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Speaker 1: Is a versatile defender according to that NBA GM survey.

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Speaker 2: So that's right, that's right, He's not versatile, not one

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of the better interior defenders.

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Speaker 3: In the league, even though he was last year in

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the GM survey and then just isn't anymore.

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Speaker 1: Not kidding a vote is weird. I not, I don't

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place too much stock in those things, and I'll have conversations,

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but him just not being on any of the other

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twenty nine gms' list is insane.

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Speaker 2: It does feel like they just sort of forgot about him.

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Speaker 1: Having their drop down menu or something.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, right, yeah, it felt like they, like, again, he

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was third in both of those categories last year on

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the GM survey. I don't know what BAM did last

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year and just be like, oh, actually, he's not a

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good defender at all. He was like top tops and

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all the advanced metrics again, like right, you.

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Speaker 1: Could actually make the case that maybe the past two seasons,

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having theory, been his most versatile seasons because of like

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they've had to use him in more of those traditional

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big man coverages, which is something everyone's like, oh, it's

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not where he's best or it's not where he's most effective.

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Speaker 2: I still don't know the center that can dominate as

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a drop center defender, as a switch one through five defender,

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and as a zone defender, as the anchor of a zone.

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Speaker 3: Defense like Daniels.

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Speaker 2: Apparently, Apparently Daniels Apparently, Amen Thompson's already the most versatile

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defender in the league. I love Amen Thompson, but like

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most versatile defender in the league right now, felt like

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a little bit.

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Speaker 1: Of a stretch him recncy bias is a hell of

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a drug. I love it too, But you're right, You're right.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I think I saw Thompson might even be a

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better defender. But that's a different take.

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Speaker 1: Hey he got a vote instead of as well. I know. Cool.

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Speaker 2: So going back to the defense question, though, you're right

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because for so much the Jimmy Butler defense, the Jimmy

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Butler era defense was stylized to force turnovers. Let's get

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turnovers and get out and run, because there was an

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understanding that they were only going to ever be at

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best in average half court offense, and they weren't even that.

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Andrew Wiggins is a different kind of defender than Jimmy Butler.

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Jimmy Butler is a get the ball type of defender.

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Andrew Wiggins is very much of a kind of, very standard,

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keep your man between you and the basket type of defender,

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and he doesn't force a ton of turnovers. Nobody else

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on this rosteruts out of Davion Mitchell really does. So

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we'll see if they're able to force some of these

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stort and tile like Hero strangely enough, actually averages quite

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a few steals. But we'll see if they're able to

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turn those turnover, able to create turnovers, if they pick

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up the pace and maybe force opposing offenses into a

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bit of a frenzy. I don't really think that that's

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going to be a staple of how it is that

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they generate offense. And then that leads us back to

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the half court. Here's a question, Dan, like close your

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eyes and imagine what the Heat's offense looked like last year,

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Like what's the play? What's the play that.

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Speaker 3: Comes to mind?

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Speaker 2: It doesn't, It doesn't. They didn't have a stable play.

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I don't know what the identity of last year's offense was.

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Like we're way past the dribble hand off stuff from

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the bubble. They didn't even run that stuff the last

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couple of years. Like close your eyes and do that

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for the Oklahoma City Thunder, you got shake build just

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Alexander running pick and roll with Isah Hartensteiner Chet homegrin

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or really usually a small, small type of pick and

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roll with Shay, do it with Denver. You've got Jokic

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facilitating right from the high post, like you could do

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it for so many of the good offenses.

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Speaker 3: Do it.

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Speaker 2: For Boston, you have them just chucking a three four

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seconds into the shot clock. But at least you know

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what it looks like. With Miami, I just didn't know

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what the offense was supposed to be on a possession

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of possession basis, and frankly, watching them in the preseason,

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I still don't really know what it is. And so

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that I don't know that they have the personnel, and

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I don't know that they have the identity offensively, and

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it feels like a little too haphazardly put together. But

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that's just based on the preseason. Maybe the regular Maybe

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Eric s Bolster is just spending the preseason trying a

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bunch of stuff and he knows exactly how he wants

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to run things when the regular season starts, and none

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of this matters.

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Speaker 1: One of the things that stood out at the start

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of the preseason anyway, and they kind of got away

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from it that you know, heroes out Yovic is now injured,

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but they felt like they were very much trying to

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keep Norman Powell in that I call him like the

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perimeter play finishing role where it's like he is just

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making his decisions off the catch, whether it's shooting, whether

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it's driving. I know that's his optimal role. He showed

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that he could do a little bit more than that. Well,

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he was like in Los Angeles last year. But is

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that the role that you think they're gonna try to

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keep him into or well, the personnel is you've just

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talked about where you can't envision their pet player like again,

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even dealing with injuries, will that necessitate trying to force

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to put the ball in his hands for just longer?

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And I don't want to say as a playmaker, because

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that's not what he does, but as someone who might

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need to just break down set defenses.

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Speaker 2: It's a great observation and it's one we talked about

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on Lockdown Heat a couple different times. Is like they

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almost feel they're almost like stubbornly keeping him off the ball.

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In terms of a primary initiator, it's very much like

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swing to the second side, let norm palall attack event

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defense kind of plan. I'm a little surprised, especially with

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Tyler Hero out and by the way, On Mitchell just

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got back into the lineup. They haven't had cosparrasy Aka

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chonas their first round pick and a couple of these

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preseason games, so it's not like they've been flushed with

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point guards. But we're like, sorry, we just can't get

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it to Norm. Like the first couple of games, he

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was the only starting guard in the lineup. They started

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Kimiyakas Junior, who's a forward at the other two guard

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spot technically so and they still weren't running their offense

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through them. So they seem pretty content to not run

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offense through Norm Powell for whatever reason. I actually think

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he has a little bit of an ability as a

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pick and roll ball handler. I think he saw you

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saw that a little bit when James Harden was off

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the court for the Clippers last year. They just haven't

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done it, and so that's Powell's I think that's a

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great way to phrase it. He's sort of a perimeter finisher.

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And by the way, I think they look at Andrew

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Wiggins in a very similar way. They haven't run a

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ton of offense through Wiggins. They ran more offense through

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Wiggins when he first got here after the trade deadline

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than they have in the preseason. So in terms of

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who's in charge, I still don't really know. BAM's usage

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rate is way up and it still doesn't really feel

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like he's put his fingerprints on the offense.

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Speaker 1: That man, so many five questions to that. But the

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Norm Powell thing, I wonder if it's just like, do

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they not maybe trust the spacing around him because his

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numbers without Kuai and James Harden were insane last year

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on the court, But like the Clippers, is it a

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nod to maybe they don't trust the spacing around him?

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Speaker 3: I think that's what really needs that.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, but yeah, I think it's with Hero out, Powell

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becomes essentially the lone floor spacer.

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Speaker 1: With Hero out. Is there any concern about him coming

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back and whether it's November or December or whatever it is,

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and just oh, I have to familiarize myself with the

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new offensive principles and then like kind of a lot

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of new faces or do you just view him as

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someone who, based off how he played for a lot

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of last year too, is going to be able to

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come in and be super plug and play for them that.

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Speaker 2: Is a first world problem for good offenses to deal with.

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Speaker 3: But if what Tyler.

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Speaker 2: Hero and I don't mean to sounds super down on

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Miami's offense, I just again, I haven't seen it to

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the point where I have any level confidence in it.

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This is an offense, it's fault that's been in the

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bottom ten and offensive rating for the last three years

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and lost their best offensive player in Jimmy Butler, and

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I don't yeah, Norm Pal and maybe Niko Jovich makes

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a leap or hot Ma hack it. I just I

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don't know that the personnel is on this roster to

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be automatically to suddenly become a good offense. And so

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if Tyler Hero walks into things and he's like, yeah,

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I'm not really sure how I fit here, the offense

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might be like, there's not really anything to fit into.

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Speaker 3: We kind of stink.

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Speaker 2: Just take the ball score more than we've been doing

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it the last couple months.

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Speaker 3: So I'm not as concerned about it now.

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Speaker 2: If it was the Indiana Pacers offense, like with Tyris Halburton,

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for instance, and I was trying to like wrap Hero

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into that, fold Hero into that offense, yeah, I'd be

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a little worried about how he fits. But right now

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there's not much of an identity where I feel like

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there's there's gonna be a problem there.

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Speaker 1: Where do you think just because I don't think his

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season received enough appreciation. Maybe it's because of like he

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did go back to some of the mid range stuff

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by the end of the year. But where do you

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think that Tyler Hero improved the most or turned your

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head the most last year as.

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Speaker 2: A decision maker, especially when it comes to his shot selection.

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I thought, because you're right he started taking more mid

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range shots towards the end of last year, it's because

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Jimmy got you because they needed to try to figure

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out ways to juice the offense. They had the ten

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game losing the streak in the middle of the year,

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and they were just basically at that point, just do

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whatever you want, just score some points. Some done like

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Spoe just gave up on the five out system and

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everything like that. But I think for the first half

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of the year where he earned the All Star nod,

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you saw him really develop into a three level scorer

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who was getting to the basket more. He took more

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threes than he ever had, made more threes. There was

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three months where he was the best three point shooter

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in the league, and then all of a sudden, he

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wasn't anymore because he was everything. Every three pointer he

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was taking to in the second half of the year

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was off the dribble, pull up threes, and it's just

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not efficient offense. But I don't know that there's anybody

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outside the Bay Area that's a better three point shooter

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than Tyler hero Like. Qualitatively, I think he might be

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the second best three point year.

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Speaker 3: In the league. It, you know, just if I were

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grading things, but.

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Speaker 2: He didn't really have a chance to show that. And

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then and then yeah, you also saw him develop the

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elite floater.

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Speaker 3: Game that he has.

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Speaker 2: And then obviously he knows he's very comfortable in the

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mid range, and he started getting that too, started getting

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to the foul line a little bit more, started driving

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into defenders and is supposed to try and drive around

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those defenders. So I do think that Tyler Heroes developed

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himself into a legitimate three level score at the NBA level.

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He's never gonna get to the line the way that

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Shay does that rate, but he can right He's not

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gonna shoot it the way that Steph shoots it from three,

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but he gets pretty close right. He's really good, and

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his mid range numbers have been good. They've just been

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sort of skewed too far in that direction where it's

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the math just didn't work.

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Speaker 3: But he's a good mid range shooter.

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Speaker 2: So now that he's sort of balanced his shot chart,

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I think you're gonna see Tyler Hero be one of

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the more like one of the better offensive players in

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the league. The problem is who's handing them the ball,

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who's making it easier for Tyler Hero, because when he

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comes back, is it just gonna be a similar situation

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where he's still the primary initiator on offense, which I

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don't think is his best role.

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Speaker 1: Which that was one of my other I guess reads

476
00:19:52,519 --> 00:19:54,960
or thoughts about the way they're using Norman Powell now,

477
00:19:55,039 --> 00:19:56,799
is like, are they trying to prime him to play

478
00:19:56,799 --> 00:19:59,839
alongside Tyler Hero a bunch more than because when they

479
00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,720
he's got normal Powell. I was worried because I want

480
00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:03,720
to see those two together because I'm just I'm at

481
00:20:03,759 --> 00:20:05,680
the point where Miami it's just focused on your offense

482
00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,839
and I assume your defense will figure it out, right,

483
00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,400
And so if you're gonna play normal Powell off the

484
00:20:10,440 --> 00:20:12,440
ball a ton. That would seem to me like, Oh,

485
00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,319
you're prepping him for life alongside Tyler Hero.

486
00:20:16,279 --> 00:20:17,799
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's exactly the right read.

487
00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,039
Speaker 2: The plan as soon as they traded for Powell was

488
00:20:20,319 --> 00:20:22,119
we're gonna play Hero and Powell together and we're not

489
00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:24,200
gonna have a primary initiator between the two of them,

490
00:20:24,599 --> 00:20:27,680
but between the two of them, we can generate enough offense.

491
00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,759
Between those guys Wigs and Bam, there's enough guys here

492
00:20:30,799 --> 00:20:32,599
at potentially Nico if he ends up being the starter.

493
00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,279
There Uh, there's enough guys who can who can play

494
00:20:35,279 --> 00:20:37,440
make where we can we can generate enough fisient offense.

495
00:20:38,319 --> 00:20:41,200
Speaker 1: What have you made of Nikola Jovic pre back injury?

496
00:20:43,319 --> 00:20:46,319
Speaker 2: Best player for the Heat in the preseason, he looked great,

497
00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,720
Like he's looked really good as a playmaker, He's looked

498
00:20:49,759 --> 00:20:50,079
really good.

499
00:20:50,079 --> 00:20:51,799
Speaker 3: Twelve assists to one turnover.

500
00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:53,920
Speaker 1: Like he's going downhill. Things happen.

501
00:20:54,559 --> 00:20:57,799
Speaker 2: I always the way I always described Nikola Jovich was

502
00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,559
it always felt like the Heat's offense was approaching a

503
00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:03,880
yellow light and slowing down, like they were just never

504
00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,200
gonna speed through the yellow light. Niko was the one

505
00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,920
guy who was just like fifty yards away from the

506
00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,119
yellow and was just like flooring it and just trying

507
00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:12,759
to get past it before I hit red And that

508
00:21:12,839 --> 00:21:14,720
was always kind of and just left the rest of

509
00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,799
his teammates behind him. And now it feels like the

510
00:21:16,799 --> 00:21:18,960
offense suits him a little bit more, where now he

511
00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,720
looks around and the teammates are running with him, whereas

512
00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:24,680
in the past that wasn't the case. So I think

513
00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,319
he looks really comfortable. Obviously, he was playing great for

514
00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,319
Serbia at EuroBasket. I talked to him at media day

515
00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,319
and talked a lot about just how much he learned

516
00:21:32,319 --> 00:21:35,119
from Nikola Jokic, just in terms of like positioning and

517
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:38,920
spacing and how to attack defenses. He picked his brain

518
00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:41,920
a lot. Nobody's sitting here saying that Yovich is going

519
00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,440
to be the next Jokich, but there are some similarities

520
00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:47,200
in the way that they I think approached the game

521
00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:49,759
in terms of wanting to push the pace, wanting to

522
00:21:49,799 --> 00:21:52,039
be selfless with the basketball, and all these things. And

523
00:21:52,319 --> 00:21:56,160
I think Nico is a really strong connecting piece for

524
00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:59,160
what I think ultimately will be Miami's starting lineup. But

525
00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,319
either way, whatever rotation, whatever lineupso decides to go with

526
00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,880
Nico always seems to be part of their better groups.

527
00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:08,160
Speaker 1: Do you like the idea of giving him like touches

528
00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,359
in the nail the post and facilitating out of there,

529
00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:12,160
Because I haven't looked at any of the numbers on it.

530
00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,680
I just don't know if that's I've seen him test it.

531
00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,079
I just don't. I don't see I like him more

532
00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:19,160
getting down like operating from the outside in. I guess

533
00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:20,480
I would cause where I feel like he could make

534
00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,759
the most plays for everybody else, not just himself.

535
00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,680
Speaker 2: I agree, because if you're gonna start feeding them in

536
00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,640
the post and start running like split cuts off of

537
00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,480
him or something like that, nobody's gonna buy it. He's

538
00:22:30,519 --> 00:22:32,400
not a physical post player, right. It's not like when

539
00:22:32,480 --> 00:22:33,880
Yokic gets in the post and you're like, well, he

540
00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:35,759
could just throw the elbow at me, so we got

541
00:22:35,799 --> 00:22:37,440
to be ready for that. Like Yovich isn't going to

542
00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,640
do that. He's gonna if he's in the post, he's

543
00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:41,960
probably looking to get rid of the basketball now as

544
00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,759
a play starter, as a play finisher. I've actually been

545
00:22:44,759 --> 00:22:47,319
really impressed at EuroBasket and a couple times in this

546
00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,680
preseason where he's looking to attack smalls where even in transition,

547
00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:52,599
instead of running to the corner, he's running to the

548
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:55,039
basket for those duck ins if there's a smaller guard

549
00:22:55,079 --> 00:22:58,000
on there in that space where he can post him up.

550
00:22:58,279 --> 00:23:00,799
So that's been part of the coach process with him,

551
00:23:00,839 --> 00:23:02,720
is trying to get him to use his physicality that

552
00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,160
a get him to be more physical in the weight room,

553
00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,119
and then b use that new physicality on the court.

554
00:23:09,079 --> 00:23:12,599
He's obviously just not there yet. And frankly, I'd rather

555
00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,839
have Bam in that spot and then have Yovic finishing

556
00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,000
plays off of Bam if those two guys are gonna

557
00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:18,960
be playing together, and if not, maybe it's coloe Ware

558
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,359
that's in that spot and Yovic is throwing it outside

559
00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,039
in to Coloware and for a post entry pass or

560
00:23:24,079 --> 00:23:27,880
something like that. But yeah, I think I still like

561
00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:31,680
Yovic as like the second guy who touches the basketball

562
00:23:31,759 --> 00:23:32,599
more than the first guy.

563
00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,519
Speaker 1: Yeah, and even with where it's do either of them

564
00:23:36,559 --> 00:23:37,920
and I guess they can develop it over time, have

565
00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,799
the strength to move people if they're starting plays from

566
00:23:40,839 --> 00:23:43,480
the inside. All right, Yovich feels like catch the ball, like,

567
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:45,920
turn around and fire type of guy more than a

568
00:23:46,279 --> 00:23:49,640
run it that way. My question for you not scientific

569
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,440
or thorough at all. What is khalil ware? What's his ceiling?

570
00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:55,680
What are your concerns he is among the players in

571
00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:59,319
the NBA that I readily mean, I just have one

572
00:23:59,319 --> 00:24:01,400
of the worst feels for just bar none.

573
00:24:01,759 --> 00:24:04,880
Speaker 2: Yeah, because the numbers are staggering sometimes. I mean, this

574
00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,480
is a guy that rolls out of bed and just

575
00:24:07,519 --> 00:24:10,160
gets nearly a triple double, a double double. And he

576
00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,160
did it in one of the heath his first preseason game.

577
00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:15,000
He got a double double, and Spoe in postgame media

578
00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:16,000
was just like, don't really care.

579
00:24:16,079 --> 00:24:17,799
Speaker 3: He was a minus twenty one. He needs to be better,

580
00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:19,640
he needs to impact winning. I don't care about the points.

581
00:24:20,640 --> 00:24:22,599
Speaker 1: This past few months have been incredible.

582
00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,160
Speaker 2: Big time, Right, It's been pretty crazy because you don't

583
00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,880
hear Spoe talk about the players like this, uh.

584
00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:28,920
Speaker 3: In front of the media very much.

585
00:24:30,079 --> 00:24:31,839
Speaker 2: The couple times he did it was Michael Beasley and

586
00:24:31,839 --> 00:24:35,119
Hassan Whiteside, which isn't a great track.

587
00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:35,920
Speaker 3: That's not great company.

588
00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,559
Speaker 1: Guy's got a nine figure contract at one point though, Right.

589
00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,359
Speaker 3: That is true, Right, that's true.

590
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,480
Speaker 2: But with Khalel I'll go back to my scouting report

591
00:24:44,519 --> 00:24:47,640
on him, I just thought too often he was doing

592
00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:51,119
a really badl Marcus Aldridge impression where he was using

593
00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:53,640
that he's got crazy. I think he's seven to one,

594
00:24:53,759 --> 00:24:56,160
seven two. I think he's listed at seven foot flat.

595
00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,319
He's got crazy, a crazy high release.

596
00:24:59,000 --> 00:24:59,880
Speaker 3: Point on his shot.

597
00:25:00,559 --> 00:25:03,480
Speaker 2: But he is, or he was in college, very much

598
00:25:03,519 --> 00:25:05,440
a finesse player, where it just always seems like he

599
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,839
was fading away from the basket twelve feet away, trying

600
00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,599
to shoot over guys. And you know, it worked for

601
00:25:12,599 --> 00:25:14,480
the Marcus Aldridge, it works for Kevin Durant. It doesn't

602
00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,240
work for Chloe Are he doesn't have that kind of touch.

603
00:25:16,759 --> 00:25:21,279
But in the NBA his first summer league, the coaching

604
00:25:21,279 --> 00:25:23,480
staff is basically like, stop stop doing that.

605
00:25:24,279 --> 00:25:26,359
Speaker 3: Go A to B. A is where you get the ball.

606
00:25:26,519 --> 00:25:29,359
B is the basket. That's it. And to his credit,

607
00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:30,160
he did a really good job.

608
00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,960
Speaker 2: I think he's received coaching really well, whether it was

609
00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:35,359
in front of the media or privately, he does receive

610
00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:37,240
the coaching really well. I do want to give him credit. There.

611
00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,079
There are still times, though, where I think he kind

612
00:25:40,079 --> 00:25:42,440
of defaults to his more natural state of the bad

613
00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:46,279
LaMarcus Aldridge impression, or like a bad DeAndre Ayton impression

614
00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,240
or something like that, where he really just needs he

615
00:25:49,279 --> 00:25:52,240
needs to be using his height and his and his

616
00:25:52,279 --> 00:25:55,440
catch rat is to just be slamming down lobs. There

617
00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,240
are times where he just doesn't feel like he's hustling

618
00:25:57,279 --> 00:25:59,640
for rebounds. There are times where he maybe he's chasing

619
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,359
blocks instead of positioning himself to be a better rim protector.

620
00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:05,200
But these are all things that you expect from a

621
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,279
young center, right. Eventually they get better at this, they

622
00:26:07,279 --> 00:26:09,839
get stronger, they understand positioning more, they understand that it's

623
00:26:09,839 --> 00:26:12,680
not about block shots, it's about you know, team wide

624
00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,000
defense and things like that. I think that's coming to him.

625
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,039
I actually think it's coming to him pretty quickly with

626
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:21,759
this coaching staff. But yeah, there's just I think there

627
00:26:21,759 --> 00:26:24,400
are times where his talent is so obvious that it

628
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,759
almost becomes frustrating when he's not playing up to his potential.

629
00:26:28,319 --> 00:26:29,640
But at the same time, I think people have to

630
00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,240
remember that it really is a slow process for big

631
00:26:32,279 --> 00:26:32,920
men in the NBA.

632
00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,240
Speaker 1: It does seem like they've kind of decided, at least

633
00:26:36,279 --> 00:26:39,599
what preseason shows us, that staggering Bam and Khalilware is

634
00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:40,880
the way to go. And I think when you just

635
00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,359
look at the big man rotation, it's okay, well, yeah,

636
00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:45,039
we don't want too many pressures to you a minutes.

637
00:26:45,079 --> 00:26:47,000
But also you're mentioning all these things that Khalil Whare

638
00:26:47,079 --> 00:26:49,440
can do on offense. I think it's a lot easier

639
00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:51,720
for him to do them on offense without Bam on

640
00:26:51,759 --> 00:26:54,200
the court, just like where you sometimes want to occupy

641
00:26:54,279 --> 00:26:56,519
the same space and rather than having Khalil Whare maybe

642
00:26:56,759 --> 00:26:58,759
be in place in space he's able to do more things.

643
00:26:59,519 --> 00:27:02,200
But shouldn't the idea of be like they want to

644
00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,160
get plenty of time with these guys together. And then

645
00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,079
also having Khalil ware in theory you have him by

646
00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,000
the basket and that allows bam At a Baio to

647
00:27:09,039 --> 00:27:10,720
be like the best version of bam At of Bio

648
00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:13,640
on defense. So my questions would be, like what do

649
00:27:13,680 --> 00:27:16,480
you make of just like how to balance this dynamic

650
00:27:16,519 --> 00:27:18,400
in this sort of just tug of war between maybe

651
00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:20,759
what's best for Khalil and what's best for Bam.

652
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:22,759
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's one of the biggest talking points right now

653
00:27:22,799 --> 00:27:25,000
in Miami because up until the last preseason game where

654
00:27:25,039 --> 00:27:27,880
Nico didn't play because of the injury, Bam and ware

655
00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,480
had not shared a single possession on the court together

656
00:27:31,039 --> 00:27:34,000
in all of the preseason until the last preseason game

657
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,880
where they did see a few minutes together. What they

658
00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:39,000
started together, and then that that lineup was a minus

659
00:27:39,039 --> 00:27:41,000
three against like the G League version of the Hawks,

660
00:27:41,039 --> 00:27:43,359
who weren't playing most of their rotation guys. But whatever

661
00:27:43,599 --> 00:27:45,720
they at least we saw it. We also saw it

662
00:27:45,759 --> 00:27:47,720
at the second half of last year. And the other

663
00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,359
thing you'll notice in the second half of last season

664
00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,680
when they started starting Khalel next to Bam, Bam playing

665
00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,400
more that power forward spot instead of having to try

666
00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,799
to shoot over other seven footers. He was able to

667
00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,720
use his size to his advantage and punish smaller power forwards,

668
00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,200
and you saw what was an underwhelming the scoring season

669
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,559
to start the year become a really good scoring season

670
00:28:07,559 --> 00:28:09,359
over the last couple months of the season after when

671
00:28:09,359 --> 00:28:12,720
he was starting with Where. But I think what's best

672
00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:13,680
for Bam is for.

673
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:14,319
Speaker 3: Where to start.

674
00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,480
Speaker 2: To your point, though, I think what's best for Where

675
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:20,000
is to play where in space, which means don't start

676
00:28:20,039 --> 00:28:22,319
him with Bam. At the same time, defensively, I do

677
00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,240
think Where thrives with Bam because Bam can literally just

678
00:28:25,279 --> 00:28:26,880
tell him where to go and where to be, and

679
00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,759
that's still something that we're trying to figure out. So look,

680
00:28:30,799 --> 00:28:34,160
at the end of the day, has Klowaer earned the

681
00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:36,119
starting spot? I think that's just where are expulsure is.

682
00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:37,960
He doesn't really care about the lineup data. He's not

683
00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:40,279
going to start. He's have you earned the spot or

684
00:28:40,319 --> 00:28:43,240
haven't you? And so far, based on some of the

685
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,079
comments that suppose made in the media and things like that,

686
00:28:45,119 --> 00:28:47,400
I think it's fair to assume probably not yet. And

687
00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:49,279
then also the way that he's talked about nicol Yovich,

688
00:28:49,319 --> 00:28:50,960
he has earned the starting spot right He got the

689
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,519
extension from the organization a couple of weeks ago.

690
00:28:54,079 --> 00:28:55,519
Speaker 3: He has played really well in training camp.

691
00:28:55,559 --> 00:28:57,519
Speaker 2: We already you know, we talked about how he's looked

692
00:28:57,559 --> 00:29:00,200
in the preseason and how comfortable he's been. He's just

693
00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:03,559
earned that spot right now. So as long as he's healthy,

694
00:29:03,599 --> 00:29:06,680
I think he's there. What'll be interesting is when you

695
00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,960
get into a full forty eight minute rotation pattern, do

696
00:29:10,079 --> 00:29:12,599
we just start to see Bam and war together anyway,

697
00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:15,240
whether they start or close together. Are we gonna get

698
00:29:15,279 --> 00:29:16,880
in the middle part of the game where we're just

699
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,720
we're getting Bam and weear minutes regardless, I think we

700
00:29:19,799 --> 00:29:22,200
have to. I still think we're gonna end up there.

701
00:29:22,559 --> 00:29:24,559
And if it ends up looking a little bit like

702
00:29:24,599 --> 00:29:27,680
what what Houston does with Shangun starting at the five

703
00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,559
and then playing a ton of minutes with Steven Adams,

704
00:29:29,839 --> 00:29:31,799
I think that's fine. It doesn't matter whether or not

705
00:29:31,839 --> 00:29:33,319
it starts or is in the middle of the game.

706
00:29:33,519 --> 00:29:35,279
I just think you have to see it because you

707
00:29:35,319 --> 00:29:36,960
want the best of both worlds, right. You want to

708
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:38,599
have you want to have Bammed by himself. You want

709
00:29:38,599 --> 00:29:40,400
to have Kalel by himself. You also want to have

710
00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,680
Bam and Kalel together. I think that's really the only

711
00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,559
way to maximize that that that those two guys in

712
00:29:45,599 --> 00:29:47,680
the front court is to just see all the versions.

713
00:29:47,359 --> 00:29:50,200
Speaker 1: Of it where pressed for times are going to sandwich

714
00:29:50,200 --> 00:29:52,400
a few things together. When you're looking at Pele Lars

715
00:29:52,559 --> 00:29:55,599
and jimiyakas junior, who do you think has like a

716
00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:57,599
more important role for this team this season?

717
00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:04,279
Speaker 2: I may right now everything about Pella this organization likes.

718
00:30:04,319 --> 00:30:06,079
He has to keep the fouling down and stay on

719
00:30:06,079 --> 00:30:08,480
the court. I really like pel Larson. I wouldn't be

720
00:30:08,519 --> 00:30:10,599
shocked if he ends up being the better player long term.

721
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:13,920
But Hime's looked really good in the preseason, and I

722
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:15,440
think he's carved out a role for himself.

723
00:30:16,519 --> 00:30:19,119
Speaker 1: I love pel Larson. There's just like a there's like

724
00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,000
a Jimmy Butler and wave to what he can do,

725
00:30:21,079 --> 00:30:23,279
like inside the lane. Do you buy into his jumper

726
00:30:23,359 --> 00:30:25,720
being better than we've seen from not just three point range,

727
00:30:25,759 --> 00:30:27,960
but like his free throw percentage has been all over

728
00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:28,559
the place too.

729
00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:29,880
Speaker 3: Not really.

730
00:30:30,119 --> 00:30:32,440
Speaker 2: I think the jumper is the big swing skill for him, right.

731
00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:36,440
I buy his work ethic. I buy it eventually getting

732
00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:39,240
to where the heat would like it to be. I

733
00:30:39,359 --> 00:30:40,799
just don't know that that's going to be this year.

734
00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:46,839
Speaker 1: What are your early impressions of Casper shacaccionis.

735
00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:53,720
Speaker 2: Disappointed summer League, really impressed in the preseason. He might

736
00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,799
know he is already the best passer on the team,

737
00:30:57,759 --> 00:30:59,960
point blank. It's the best passer on in that locker room.

738
00:31:00,039 --> 00:31:01,839
He walked in day one in that locker room, I'm

739
00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,039
the best passer on the team. I love his competitive energy,

740
00:31:05,079 --> 00:31:06,960
which is not something that I expected. But talking to

741
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,119
people that knew him a little bit in college after

742
00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:10,759
he drafted him, they're like, Yep. This guy's just a

743
00:31:10,759 --> 00:31:12,160
total dog And I was like, no wonder that Heat

744
00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:15,200
drafted him. You know, he just sort of fits in

745
00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,279
in that way. And I love the way that he

746
00:31:17,319 --> 00:31:19,279
wants to play fast. He's pushing the pace. We mentioned

747
00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:21,680
Goran Dragic earlier. Dragics has taken him under his wing

748
00:31:21,720 --> 00:31:23,799
as somebody that's sort of affiliated with the Heat organization

749
00:31:23,880 --> 00:31:27,960
but not technically employed by him. And if he can

750
00:31:28,039 --> 00:31:31,200
kind of get some of that Dragach magic in terms

751
00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,480
of playing fast, getting to the basket, creating quality looks

752
00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:37,720
for teammates, I think that's huge. Really, I think they

753
00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:38,799
got to steal there at twenty.

754
00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:39,519
Speaker 3: I really do.

755
00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:42,720
Speaker 1: He interests me. Summer League I was concerned too, but

756
00:31:42,799 --> 00:31:44,759
you could see like the vision with the passing and

757
00:31:44,799 --> 00:31:47,359
now he's playing with inferior NBA caliber players who can

758
00:31:47,359 --> 00:31:51,119
catch the ball. And there was the one preseason game

759
00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:53,799
where he played a bunch. Just his ability to draw

760
00:31:53,799 --> 00:31:55,480
two to the ball when he's getting into the lane

761
00:31:55,559 --> 00:31:57,720
is just that's something that would help kolil wear. That's

762
00:31:57,759 --> 00:31:59,359
something that would help like a ton of people on this.

763
00:31:59,279 --> 00:32:01,799
Speaker 3: He had tennis. In that game, seven of assists went

764
00:32:01,839 --> 00:32:03,960
to Kollel seven of.

765
00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,200
Speaker 1: The tech did not realize that there is a that.

766
00:32:07,079 --> 00:32:08,920
Speaker 3: And that was the big I said this last year.

767
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:10,759
Speaker 2: I think Miami had the worst pick and roll attack

768
00:32:10,759 --> 00:32:12,519
in the league last season because it was like who's

769
00:32:12,519 --> 00:32:13,119
in charge of it?

770
00:32:13,200 --> 00:32:13,440
Speaker 3: Again?

771
00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:15,960
Speaker 2: Going back to the initiati the primary initiator, and you

772
00:32:16,079 --> 00:32:18,759
just saw a natural two man game start to form

773
00:32:18,799 --> 00:32:23,240
between Yakachonas and where in one preseason game, and it

774
00:32:23,359 --> 00:32:25,599
was pretty jarring just to be like, Oh, this is

775
00:32:25,599 --> 00:32:27,640
what a normal pick and roll with a guy who

776
00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:29,599
could throw a lob to a seven foot two guy

777
00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:32,319
can look like it should look this easy all the time.

778
00:32:32,359 --> 00:32:34,599
Speaker 3: Why doesn't it? But he makes it look easy both

779
00:32:34,599 --> 00:32:34,880
of them.

780
00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,680
Speaker 1: Do who has the bigger role for this team, Simontey

781
00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:40,680
fontect Here or Drew Smith, Which I think the answer

782
00:32:40,759 --> 00:32:42,880
to that is like kind of points towards a philosophical Oh,

783
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,759
how many three guard lineups are actually going to be

784
00:32:44,759 --> 00:32:46,160
on the court for Miami this season?

785
00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:47,480
Speaker 3: I think it's Drew.

786
00:32:48,519 --> 00:32:50,319
Speaker 2: I'm not really sure how many minutes fin Techio is

787
00:32:50,319 --> 00:32:51,799
going to get because he is competing with guys like

788
00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,400
Jaime and Pella and Jovic and he's played a little

789
00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:55,720
bit of three a little bit of four here so

790
00:32:55,759 --> 00:32:59,119
far in the preseason. This Heat organization loves them some

791
00:32:59,240 --> 00:33:03,119
Drew Smith. Dude, they love them some Drew Smith. Season

792
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,200
ending injury doesn't matter, Come on back. Season ending injury again,

793
00:33:06,319 --> 00:33:10,240
doesn't matter, Come on back. They've invested a lot of

794
00:33:10,279 --> 00:33:12,920
time and development into Drew Smith. I think you're gonna

795
00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,559
basically see him, especially with Tyler hero Out. I think

796
00:33:15,599 --> 00:33:17,680
you'll basically see Davion or Drew Smith on the court

797
00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:19,680
for ninety percent of the game at this point. I

798
00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,920
just think they like having that point of attack defender,

799
00:33:23,799 --> 00:33:26,960
set the table type of point guard out there on

800
00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:29,759
the court to just help pal be in that place

801
00:33:29,759 --> 00:33:32,599
that we were talking about, help and help get guys involved.

802
00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,640
Speaker 1: Mega Lightning round. Portion of the podcast time looking at

803
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,680
this roster and among things that we haven't talked about,

804
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:43,079
what is their single biggest need that we haven't discussed yet, that.

805
00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:44,119
Speaker 3: We haven't discussed yet.

806
00:33:45,319 --> 00:33:47,519
Speaker 2: I do worry about the three point shooting with hero Out,

807
00:33:48,359 --> 00:33:51,559
that that to me is a concern. Who pops as

808
00:33:51,599 --> 00:33:54,720
a high volume three point shooter? But other than that,

809
00:33:54,759 --> 00:33:57,480
it really is just a primary playmaker this team. It

810
00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:59,359
feels like a lot of things would be unlocked. If

811
00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:01,079
this team just had one guy who can create an

812
00:34:01,079 --> 00:34:03,759
advantage consistently, what.

813
00:34:03,759 --> 00:34:05,839
Speaker 1: Would be the biggest strength of this team to you?

814
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:14,239
Speaker 2: Defensive versatility with BAM anchoring, I think you could play

815
00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:16,280
a lot of different looks. I think you also had

816
00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:18,760
the Cololwaar seven foot fly swatter element to it. I

817
00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:20,920
think you have a lot of really interesting perimeter defenders.

818
00:34:21,559 --> 00:34:24,199
I think there's more size than people give this Ronster

819
00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:26,599
credit for. Right now, this has historically been a small team.

820
00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:30,880
They've kind of quietly turned themselves into a younger, longer team,

821
00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:33,000
so I think they have and then obviously being coached

822
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,920
by Spoe, they're gonna be able to show offenses a

823
00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:35,719
lot of different looks.

824
00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:37,840
Speaker 3: So I'll go that defensive versus.

825
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:39,679
Speaker 1: I think they also just might be sneaky deep, Like

826
00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:40,920
I think you go through a bunch of names that

827
00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:42,840
you just want to see on this team on the floor.

828
00:34:44,039 --> 00:34:46,960
Is there something about this team that's flying under the

829
00:34:47,039 --> 00:34:48,960
radar that you think deserves more spotlight?

830
00:34:51,320 --> 00:34:53,400
Speaker 3: That's an interesting question, is it.

831
00:34:53,440 --> 00:34:55,800
Speaker 1: Davion Mitchell continuing to shoot a trillion percent on pull

832
00:34:55,880 --> 00:34:57,320
up threes? Yeah?

833
00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,920
Speaker 2: I think I think the Devon thing is that's a

834
00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:02,679
good answer. I mean, he's not going to shoot forty

835
00:35:02,679 --> 00:35:06,280
five percent on threes again, is it real?

836
00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:06,880
Speaker 1: Like?

837
00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:08,079
Speaker 3: Can he make.

838
00:35:08,000 --> 00:35:12,079
Speaker 2: Threes consistently even if it's not at forty five percent? Offensively?

839
00:35:12,119 --> 00:35:14,679
I think he really fits the uptempo stuff that they

840
00:35:14,679 --> 00:35:19,280
want to do. Defensively. Is he Patrick Beverlely or is

841
00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,239
he actually a really good defender? Because I want to

842
00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:25,360
see the on court metrics match the eye test with him,

843
00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,000
the on off stuff match the eye test with him.

844
00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:30,000
But that's the thing.

845
00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:30,480
Speaker 3: And then I do.

846
00:35:30,679 --> 00:35:33,920
Speaker 2: This team is sort of primed for a trade deadline

847
00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:36,159
deal if they want to make it, because that Tira

848
00:35:36,239 --> 00:35:39,760
Rozier contract is still out there. We haven't mentioned Rosier yet.

849
00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,320
He is still on the roster on an expiring deal.

850
00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:46,960
They can move him as an expiring in January or February,

851
00:35:47,639 --> 00:35:50,000
help another team get out of maybe a luxury luxury

852
00:35:50,079 --> 00:35:51,760
tax situation, maybe improve their roster.

853
00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,599
Speaker 1: You're building a ten man rotation for this team at

854
00:35:55,599 --> 00:35:57,760
full strength. Who are your five starters? Then who end

855
00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:59,320
up being the five most used reserves?

856
00:36:00,119 --> 00:36:03,320
Speaker 3: So I think the five starters are we including Hero?

857
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:04,800
Speaker 1: Yeah? So full strength.

858
00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:09,599
Speaker 4: When they're all okay, I'll go Hero Powell Wigs, and

859
00:36:09,639 --> 00:36:11,480
with Hero back you might be able to get away

860
00:36:11,519 --> 00:36:13,840
with starting where with BAM just because you have enough

861
00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,079
offense there, whereas with Hero hurt, you might have to

862
00:36:16,079 --> 00:36:19,280
go Nico and that's starting five to balance out the offense.

863
00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,559
But let's let's so let's call it Hero Powell Wigs BAM,

864
00:36:22,599 --> 00:36:25,920
where Nico is sort of the first reserve slash maybe

865
00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:26,440
other starter.

866
00:36:27,159 --> 00:36:32,400
Speaker 3: Hi may Davion Mitchell, I think I gave you eight.

867
00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:33,320
I'll go.

868
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:39,679
Speaker 2: I'll go Pella, Yes, And then I'm gonna so it's

869
00:36:39,719 --> 00:36:42,599
between Drew Smith and Casparis Yakachonas. I'm gonna be an optimist,

870
00:36:42,639 --> 00:36:44,800
I'll go kaz Here. I'll go Cosparras Yakachonas.

871
00:36:45,159 --> 00:36:47,280
Speaker 1: All right, I mean, look, seeing him get reps would

872
00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,800
be good. This was a problem for this team last year.

873
00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:52,840
Wes what should be their go to closing unit. I

874
00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,519
know it's matchup dependent, but you have to pick a

875
00:36:54,559 --> 00:36:55,599
go to closing five.

876
00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:58,440
Speaker 2: I hope it's not matchup dependent. I want this team

877
00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:00,400
to just I want Spoe to pick a star closing

878
00:37:00,440 --> 00:37:02,039
group and then just go with it so that that

879
00:37:02,079 --> 00:37:04,159
group can develop some chemistry. Because I just didn't know

880
00:37:04,239 --> 00:37:06,280
what to expect from this team at end of games.

881
00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,440
By the way, played the most clutch time games in

882
00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,400
the league last year. If any team had an opportunity

883
00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:13,599
to develop a closing lineup that they felt good about,

884
00:37:13,639 --> 00:37:15,039
it was Miami, and yet they didn't.

885
00:37:15,079 --> 00:37:16,639
Speaker 3: That was more due to personnel and having a tree.

886
00:37:16,679 --> 00:37:22,400
Speaker 2: Jimmy Butler, to answer your question, I wanted to be Bam, Wiggins, Powell, Hero,

887
00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:26,039
Davion Mitchell. Okay, that's what I would like the closing

888
00:37:26,079 --> 00:37:26,519
line it to be.

889
00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:29,280
Speaker 1: Is there a whack a dudal, weird, quirky lineup? You

890
00:37:29,400 --> 00:37:31,599
really want Eric Belstro to run out this season?

891
00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,000
Speaker 2: I want Kollel at the five, I want Bam at

892
00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:35,679
the four, I want Nico at the three.

893
00:37:36,239 --> 00:37:37,639
Speaker 1: Do it wait?

894
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:39,719
Speaker 2: I want Hero in one of those backwards spots, and

895
00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:41,159
I really don't care who's in the other one.

896
00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:44,559
Speaker 1: I would like to see khalil Ware with just four

897
00:37:44,639 --> 00:37:47,239
guards so they could be bigger, Like let's go with

898
00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:51,639
pele cast like, let's get really weird. Who else would

899
00:37:51,639 --> 00:37:54,480
be throw in there? And Hero? That's why me. I

900
00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:55,960
don't know what the defense looks like, but the offense

901
00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:59,960
will be funny, not very good. Most important question, how

902
00:38:00,119 --> 00:38:02,320
many games. Do you have this team winning, and where

903
00:38:02,360 --> 00:38:04,079
do you think they end up landing in the larger

904
00:38:04,119 --> 00:38:05,079
context of the East.

905
00:38:05,639 --> 00:38:08,760
Speaker 2: I think Tyler comes back sooner than expected. I think

906
00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:10,880
he should be back. Maybe let's let's call it the

907
00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:15,079
beginning of December. And if that's the case, this is

908
00:38:15,079 --> 00:38:17,079
always gonna be a rough start to the year for Miami.

909
00:38:18,079 --> 00:38:19,760
I think there's a soft part of the schedule where

910
00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:22,000
Hero will be back and they maybe could take some advantage.

911
00:38:23,320 --> 00:38:26,840
I have them winning forty five games and getting the

912
00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:27,760
sixth seed in the East.

913
00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:30,239
Speaker 1: I'm at forty four. We just did our over we

914
00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,119
just did our win projection, so we're kind of I

915
00:38:32,199 --> 00:38:33,760
just think they're deeper and are going to win more

916
00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:34,840
games in the regular season.

917
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:36,440
Speaker 3: Did you have him play in or playoffs?

918
00:38:36,920 --> 00:38:39,000
Speaker 1: I had their sixth in the East for me, Yeah.

919
00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:40,800
Speaker 2: That's where I have them. So we're saying the same thing.

920
00:38:41,440 --> 00:38:44,159
They're over under according to most sports books is like thirty.

921
00:38:44,119 --> 00:38:45,679
Speaker 1: Thirty seven and a half. See, yeah, I know they

922
00:38:45,679 --> 00:38:47,519
won thirty seven last year, but I think you just

923
00:38:47,559 --> 00:38:51,119
removed the idea of like this trade drama superstar holding

924
00:38:51,159 --> 00:38:54,559
out is big for them. Yeah, do you have time

925
00:38:54,599 --> 00:38:57,440
to give me one additional Heat prediction for this season.

926
00:38:57,519 --> 00:39:00,719
Speaker 3: Let's go, oh anything, yeah, and it could be whatever

927
00:39:00,760 --> 00:39:04,679
you want. Oh, the roster right now won't be the

928
00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:05,760
roster at the end of the year.

929
00:39:06,639 --> 00:39:09,360
Speaker 1: But are we talking like closing unit edition or are

930
00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:12,039
they selling someone that we're not I hate selling people,

931
00:39:12,039 --> 00:39:14,440
but trading like an Andrew Wiggins to get back picks

932
00:39:14,519 --> 00:39:14,960
or something.

933
00:39:15,559 --> 00:39:17,360
Speaker 2: It's a it was a little bit of a fake

934
00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,599
prediction because they're a couple of million dollars over the

935
00:39:19,679 --> 00:39:21,440
luxury tax, so they're just gonna get rid of a

936
00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:24,400
salary to get under But it might just be waving

937
00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,199
precious Atchua whose salary is not guaranteed.

938
00:39:27,239 --> 00:39:30,039
Speaker 3: But other than that, that's an easy one. I'll give

939
00:39:30,039 --> 00:39:30,639
you something better.

940
00:39:33,199 --> 00:39:39,599
Speaker 2: I think that somebody on the Heat will finish on.

941
00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:45,280
Speaker 3: An All NBA team.

942
00:39:46,119 --> 00:39:49,960
Speaker 1: Ooh, there is there more than two candidates for that,

943
00:39:50,039 --> 00:39:52,159
because Tyler writs, honestly, is there more? Is Tyler herro

944
00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:53,119
even gonna qualify?

945
00:39:54,119 --> 00:39:55,760
Speaker 3: I think it'll be Bam.

946
00:39:56,000 --> 00:39:58,480
Speaker 1: I mean that's I mean, he's an All NBA caliber player,

947
00:39:58,519 --> 00:40:00,800
So I dig it. Wes, this was great. I know

948
00:40:00,840 --> 00:40:02,239
you have to go where you're able just to tell

949
00:40:02,239 --> 00:40:03,800
our audience where they can find you and all the

950
00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:04,599
great work that you do.

951
00:40:05,639 --> 00:40:06,639
Speaker 3: Thanks for having me on DAN.

952
00:40:07,239 --> 00:40:09,360
Speaker 2: If you want more Heat stuff, Locked on Heat Monday

953
00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:11,320
through Friday over the lockdow on podcast network. Find us

954
00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:13,920
on YouTube wherever you get your podcasts. Also Locked on

955
00:40:14,039 --> 00:40:18,760
NBA daily Monday through Friday. We post every every afternoon

956
00:40:18,800 --> 00:40:21,599
at one pm Eastern Time, covering the biggest news of

957
00:40:21,599 --> 00:40:24,440
the day with Matt Moore and Hayes. And then check

958
00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:27,559
out Real GM Radio. If you love great you know

959
00:40:27,840 --> 00:40:30,840
longer form NBA podcasts like Hardwood Knocks, You're probably a

960
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:32,000
like REALGM Radio too.

961
00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:34,880
Speaker 1: Wes, thank you so much. This was great. Really appreciate

962
00:40:34,920 --> 00:40:36,400
your time, and as you know by now, I will

963
00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,079
be pressuring you again down the line, and it won't

964
00:40:38,119 --> 00:40:40,559
take seven years for me to ask them. Please do.

965
00:40:40,599 --> 00:40:42,119
Speaker 3: Hopefully I'm not covering the Warriors tomorrow.