ASK IRA: Has passive personnel approach put Heat at a deficit in East?
Q: Ira, I’m worried about the Heat being caught flat-footed again. After the Bucks got Damian Lillard and the Celtics got Jrue Holiday, they took off in the standings. Now it’s the Knicks getting OG Anunoby. – Ned.
A: I’m not sure I would equate OG Anunoby to Damian Lillard or Jrue Holiday, although I do agree that the Knicks got better in the trade with the Raptors, simply because they upgraded on RJ Barrett and have enough pieces to compensate for the loss of Immanuel Quickley. But, yes, the deal does further create competition with the Knicks for what appears to be the final homecourt playoff spot in the East, with the Celtics, Bucks and 76ers having somewhat distanced themselves. That said, I’m not sure the Heat are necessarily in the market at the moment. The Knicks were loaded with assets. The Heat? Not so much. As for the Knicks’ trade, it will be interesting to see if former Heat first-rounder Precious Achiuwa can provide a boost to a New York power rotation that has lost Mitchell Robinson.
Q: Erik Spoelstra needs to elevate Jamal Cain. He is a good player, good defense and OK offense. He’s young and healthy. I think we saw Saturday why Spoelstra has been hesitant to play Nikola Jovic. I have no idea why Spoelstra played Jovic and RJ ahead of Cain. – Pipsy.
A: With Kyle Lowry out, the thought apparently was to get more of a ballhandler into the starting backcourt, with RJ Hampton. While Jamal Cain is many things, a ballhandler or playmaker is not one of them. But I, too, was surprised that after his breakout performance against the Warriors, that Jamal did not sniff the court for the first time Saturday in Utah until the waning minutes of the third quarter. But when it comes to “elevating” Jamal, there simply is not much room in the rotation when the roster is healthy. As for Nikola Jovic, Saturday’s fouling shows that there has to be another step defensively before rotation minutes can become a factor. All of that said, I would not be surprised by more Cain minutes Monday as a defensive presence against the Clippers’ scoring wings.
Q: Why not bring in a true 3-and-D power forward, who can start next to Bam Adebayo? We had one in P.J. Tucker. – Carlos, West Park.
A: Actually, that’s what the Heat have been cycling through with Caleb Martin and Haywood Highsmith. The question is whether such an undersized 3-and-D power forward is too costly when it comes to rebounding. To some, it is why they await the 3-point shooting from Bam Adebayo, so that he perhaps can become that 3-and-D element. That, however, could be selling short the balance of his offensive repertoire.