Q: Ira, why would LaMarcus Aldridge go back to Nets with Paul Millsap signing and Blake Griffin back again? We know he was looking at the Heat before. — Mel.
A: Because no team offers as much championship potential at the moment than the Nets, with all due respect to what the Lakers have with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. No, Brooklyn is not a sure thing, but there are worse places to work than alongside Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Beyond that, I’m not sure the Heat necessarily would have wanted to have to consider LaMarcus Aldridge, starting, of course, with the heart issue that took him off the court last season. The Heat already have dealt with a similar issue with Chris Bosh, and at every turn erred on the side of caution when it came to Chris’ blood clotting. And, of course, before that there was Alonzo Mourning and his kidney issue. So I’m not sure that is something the franchise would have wanted to deal with again, especially with so many new parts already added to the mix. Now the Nets basically can cycle through their power forwards for the agents, from LaMarcus to Paul Millsap to Blake Griffin. Yes, from a basketball standpoint there could have been something to be said about LaMarcus and the Heat. Recall, the Heat were expected to be his landing spot after last season’s buyout from the Spurs, before that sudden apparent change of heart. In fact, an argument could have been made for LaMarcus as the Heat’s starting power forward had he not jumped back in with the Nets. But, to reiterate, this is about more than just basketball, strategy and lineup permutations. And beyond all that was the reality of where the Heat stand against the luxury tax. So there also would have been a financial component to consider had LaMarcus considered the Heat this time around.
Q: The Heat should have given Tyler Herro a medium contract extension because he is going to ball out this season and demand a big contract next offseason. — Arjun.
A: Except that’s not how it works on the NBA rookie scale. The only decision this offseason was whether to pick up the 2022-23 team option on Tyler Herro’s rookie-scale contract. That, of course, was a no-brainer, such a no-brainer that he became the first 2019 first-round pick to have that happen. Only next summer can the Heat address an extension. So there still is time. But it’s not as if Tyler can “demand” a big contract next offseason, because the Heat otherwise can simply carry him into 2023 free agency. So there will be time for more money down the road.
Q: The unfortunate timing of Kyle Lowry going to the Heat coincides with the Nets roster looking too deep to fail. Barring a string of major Nets injuries, the Heat look to be the No. 3 seed in the East and a second-round playoff exit. — Bowse.
A: But just like the teams chasing the Big Three Heat, you still have to try, just as the Pacers and Celtics did back then. You certainly are not playing to be second-best to any team. So you live in the moment, put together your best team, and, as you point out, sometimes it takes only a single injury elsewhere to change the equation. So, mostly, you have to position yourself to pounce.
