How is Haslem still in the NBA?

NDaATL · Post #1 » by **NDaATL** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:18 am

I just looked up his stats and was blown away. I totally understand keeping a player around for moral support and vet leadership a year or 2 after they stop contributing. But Haslem has averaged less than 4 ppg for the last TEN seasons. He has only played in 58 games in the last SIX seasons. Has there ever been another player with this type of longevity coupled with this lack of production?

I must be missing something. Is he really that good of a leader? If so, why don't the Heat just make him an assistant coach and open another roster spot?

MavfanAus · Post #2 » by **MavfanAus** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:20 am

It's embarrassing. He's been hungry to break the record for the longest "active" career with one team in NBA history and now he's eager to try and make the record unbreakable.

Big J · Post #3 » by **Big J** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:22 am

He's kind of a go between for the players and coaches, and a culture builder. I don't really see a problem with it especially considering the success that the Heat have had over the years. Maybe more teams should try it.

heatwillbeback · Post #4 » by **heatwillbeback** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:22 am

Heat basically told him he has a spot as long as he wants to play. He’s earned that respect.

I don’t think Heat expected it to last until this age, but it will continue to last as long as he wants it to.

hugepatsfan · Post #5 » by **hugepatsfan** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:23 am

The amount of undrafted players they develop was already insanely impressive but it’s a whole other level when you realize they’ve been spotting the rest of the league an extra roster spot the last decade lol

meekrab · Post #6 » by **meekrab** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:23 am

Because he wants to be there and the Heat org wants him there.

dc · Post #7 » by dc » Tue May 24, 2022 1:24 am

Big J wrote:He's kind of a go between for the players and coaches, and a culture builder. I don't really see a problem with it especially considering the success that the Heat have had over the years. Maybe more teams should try it.

I agree that it looks strange/weird, but they've gotten the results as far as player development and getting guys to buy into the team culture. If they feel having him on the player roster is part of that success, then that's their thing.

If any of the players were disgusted or bothered by it, we'd have heard it by now.

Charlie Sollers · Post #8 » by **Charlie Sollers** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:27 am

One of the best player coaches of all time.

miamiheat319 · Post #9 » by **miamiheat319** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:27 am

This thread comes up every few months. He barely plays. Why do some people care so much? I'd rather have him than another Haywood Highsmith

BoatsNZones · Post #10 » by **BoatsNZones** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:30 am

Just in case Dwight Howards tries to make another run.

Ckay · Post #11 » by **Ckay** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:31 am

He brings in that Heat culture.

dhsilv2 · Post #12 » by **dhsilv2** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:40 am

1,909,656.14 per hour this year of playing time! Pretty good gig. Lebron only got 1,185,620.27 an hour this year.

sp6r=underrated · Post #13 » by **sp6r=underrated** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:46 am

NDaATL wrote:I just looked up his stats and was blown away. I totally understand keeping a player around for moral support and vet leadership a year or 2 after they stop contributing. But Haslem has averaged less than 4 ppg for the last TEN seasons. He has only played in 58 games in the last SIX seasons. Has there ever been another player with this type of longevity coupled with this lack of production?

I must be missing something. Is he really that good of a leader? If so, why don't the Heat just make him an assistant coach and open another roster spot?

The Heat feel his value as a nominal player-coach out weigh his value as an assistant coach. Given the relative success of the Heat over the last quarter century, I'm willing to defer to them

GSWFan1994 · Post #14 » by **GSWFan1994** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:49 am

He's the team's official photographer.

sp6r=underrated · Post #15 » by **sp6r=underrated** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:51 am

MavfanAus wrote:It's embarrassing. He's been hungry to break the record for the longest "active" career with one team in NBA history and now he's eager to try and make the record unbreakable.

Do you have any proof for this? Haslem is rarely interviewed in the national press. He's still 2 years away from this record which I've never heard of as a record until you brought it up.

Why would the Heat indulge this if he isn't contributing?

Isn't just as likely he feels he's contributing at a job and continues to work at for the same reason some office workers like myself hang around in their 60s and 70s?

Basically I think you are way too cynical.

sp6r=underrated · Post #16 » by **sp6r=underrated** » Tue May 24, 2022 1:53 am

miamiheat319 wrote:This thread comes up every few months. He barely plays. Why do some people care so much? I'd rather have him than another Haywood Highsmith

Yup, I don't get why people are hostile to it. It is interesting to me but the most likely explanation hits me as correct.

1. He enjoys being part of the Miami Heat.
2. He thinks he can contribute more as a nominal player/unofficial coach than as an assistant coach.
3. The Miami Heat trust and value what he brings to the club

Blazing_royale · Post #17 » by **Blazing_royale** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:12 am

When Jimmy erupts, you need a guy like Haslem to put him back in his place.

LilLeeroy · Post #18 » by **LilLeeroy** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:16 am

Blazing_royale wrote:When Jimmy erupts, you need a guy like Haslem to put him back in his place.

I'm sure Jimmy totally would enjoy being put in his place by a guy who has been a complete waste of a roster spot for the last 7 years.

Blazing_royale · Post #19 » by **Blazing_royale** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:23 am

LilLeeroy wrote:
Blazing_royale wrote:When Jimmy erupts, you need a guy like Haslem to put him back in his place.

I'm sure Jimmy totally would enjoy being put in his place by a guy who has been a complete waste of a roster spot for the last 7 years.

One has 3 rings, the other doesn't. He better listen up.

stillgotgame · Post #20 » by **stillgotgame** » Tue May 24, 2022 2:26 am

Mickey Arison (Heat owner) has made millions avoiding income tax by claiming Carnival Cruise Lines isn’t based in the US. He did anything he could to avoid paying luxury tax back in the Shaq day for the Heat. So he gave Haslem a lifetime contract in exchange for taking below market money when resigning him back in 2005. This saved him huge luxury tax payments in exchange for having Haslem on the team indefinitely.

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2011/04/articles/taxes/is-carnivals-mickey-arison-a-greedy-corporate-pig/