4 days ago
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Q: Ira, awfully curious that Trae Young gets put on the trading block and the Heat decide to bring Tyler Herro back. This can’t just be coincidence. – Marty.
A: Or it can, since Tyler Herro had been working for weeks toward Tuesday night’s return in Minnesota. In fact, you could look at it another way, that if a team was considering trading a player, why would you expose him to potential injury? (Of course, you also could say that another team would want to make sure he is healed and good to go.) But let’s just cut to the chase: Would/should the Heat be interested in Trae Young? While there are skeptics about the defense, the ball dominance and the same contract issues there would be with Tyler, there also is a bottom line with the Heat in all of these types of deliberations: If the price is right. If there is a value deal available, you accept the risk factor in exchange for the potential reward. That said, I would not, under any circumstance, include draft capital in any deal for Trae. And that alone would figure to be a deal killer from a Hawks perspective. Look, the Heat found a way to make it work with Tyler all these years, so there certainly could be projected value with Trae Young. But in this case, it would appear many other teams would/should have far greater interest.
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Q: With Tyler Herro returning, Erik Spoelstra has difficult decisions. Whose minutes get cut? Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jaime Jaquez Jr.? Nikola Jovic, who looks like he’s finally kept his mind from interfering with his talent, Pelle Larsson’s hustle and energy. Davion Mitchell’s defense and aggressiveness? Dru Smith’s impact with the second unit? Even some minutes for Kasparas Jakucionis’ development? Or might it just be that playing Tyler could increase his trade value this year, which has suffered with his absence? – Michael, Boynton Beach.
A: I find the consternation over injecting an All-Star back into the mix to be fairly comical, as if it’s a problem. But for those who believe such is the case, then you do what the Hawks apparently are doing with Trae Young and move beyond such a player for pennies on the dollar on the trade market. I just don’t see how the Heat can afford to do that, amid the possibility of Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins walking in free agency. You have to at least try to make it work. And it has worked before. Yes, Tyler is imperfect with his defensive deficiencies, but he’s also the type of shooter so coveted in today’s NBA. So how do the Heat make it work? By paying Erik Spoelstra the big bucks to make it work. On Tuesday night, it was Kasparas Jakucionis who got squeezed. When Jaime Jaquez Jr. returns from his ankle sprain (possibly Thursday in Chicago), it could be subtle minute reductions for a variety of rotation players.
Q: Two things regarding Kel’el Ware: One, he has to put on weight and strength so as not to get pushed around by the likes of Rudy Gobert and other tough big league centers. And secondly, since he is our most consistent 3-point shooter, why doesn’t Erik Spoelstra take him outside more often? He starts making those 3-pointers and those big centers have to come outside to challenge him. Forcing the opposing center away from the backboard creates space for our players to drive unimpeded to the basket. – Irwin, Boynton Beach.
A: You are correct about the spacing element with Kel’el Ware’s 3-pointers, but in today’s NBA, where crashing the offensive glass is bigger than in recent years, that also takes your prime length from the rim. As for weight and strength, just don’t see it on that frame. As with Nikola Jovic, a power player with that body type has limitations when it comes to bulk. Is some more bulk possible? Sure. But with Kel’el, it mostly will be about length.
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