2024-25 Regular Season Thread Vol. 2

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[SerialChiller]

AirP, you still gonna be around if we move Jimmy? Or are you gonna be a Sixers fan or whatever?

I was a Hornets fan bcuz of Zo. Moved to Miami with him. Never left.

I'll move on with Butler and then probably end up just following the local OKC team, I go to a few games a year but really don't follow them all that much as of now. Early on I thought I may stay with Miami but my idea of how Miami operated as a franchise and the reality I've seen in the half decade following them is dramatically different and quite disappointing. To be that close with nearly zero execution to try to make the team better with assets, almost always sending destressed players for older cheaper vets(asset wise). The Heat FO walked 2 timelines for some reason (present and future) and didn't maximize either.

This has been criminal...drives me nuts!

[AirP.]

Spoiler:

This chit is very real. The Jimmy era is soon to be over. We could have just given him an extension but if that would of happened there would have been a loud part of the base saying we killed our cap and would continue being mediocre which is kinda true as well. The era has been riddled with poor trade pieces, lack of draft capital to flip, and pressed up against salary cap. We easily got outbid in every big time trade mentioned the last few years. The whole couldn’t get him the proper help is well warranted but then again nobody was breaking down our door to trade for Duncan Robinson or any of the side pieces we had aside from Bam.

Spoiler:

Precious, Jovic, Jaquez Jr, Ware, the 1st that was traded for Rozier, that's 5 1st round picks that hasn't really resulted in too much and outside of Rozier, none that were meant to strengthen the current build. Some of those picks could have been traded for 1st round assets down the road, those who you couldn't straight up trade because of the Stepien rule you could have agreed to draft for a team to trade that player's rights for a future asset. There were moves that could have been made, CP3 was there for the taking a month after Miami acquire Butler but the FO thought Giannis might be open to signing with Miami vs signing a supermax in Milwaukee. Why resign starters who helped Miami get deep into the playoffs (Crowder, Vincent) for very fair numbers (who wouldn't want that 1st back and be paying Vincent only 11 million vs Rozier's 25 million). This FO has done a lot of cost cutting moves to put themselves in position to make a big move without making a big move in half a decade. It's crazy to me that I feel the 2019-2020 roster (the first season) was probably the best roster Miami had in the last 5 years, to this day, Miami hasn't had a consistent scorer like Dragic was in the playoffs since then and that's probably all Butler and Bam needed.

Sorely missing a PG like Dragic but to Lowry’s credit he also had the offense moving as well. Whatever it is the Jimmy build is over

Lowry was past his prime and honestly, there was nothing really interesting in that FA class that summer Miami S&T for Lowry, that money was supposed to be for Giannis which never got close to happening.

On the Butler era being over, I don't think it had to be but trading the 30 million expiring contract of Lowry's for a new big contract in Rozier meant someone was going to have to go by next season to get Miami out of the tax and Riley made sure Butler didn't feel comfortable in Miami anymore to get him to eventually ask out, now the FO doesn't have to send out an asset to get out of the tax. It didn't have to end like this, but the FO decided to do that bad Rozier trade which led to this point.

[AirP.]

AirP, you still gonna be around if we move Jimmy? Or are you gonna be a Sixers fan or whatever?

I was a Hornets fan bcuz of Zo. Moved to Miami with him. Never left.

I'll move on with Butler and then probably end up just following the local OKC team, I go to a few games a year but really don't follow them all that much as of now. Early on I thought I may stay with Miami but my idea of how Miami operated as a franchise and the reality I've seen in the half decade following them is dramatically different and quite disappointing. To be that close with nearly zero execution to try to make the team better with assets, almost always sending destressed players for older cheaper vets(asset wise). The Heat FO walked 2 timelines for some reason (present and future) and didn't maximize either.

This has been criminal...drives me nuts!

Golden State tried to do this with a much better roster and failed miserably.

[MettaWorldPanda]

AirP, you still gonna be around if we move Jimmy? Or are you gonna be a Sixers fan or whatever?

I was a Hornets fan bcuz of Zo. Moved to Miami with him. Never left.

I'll move on with Butler and then probably end up just following the local OKC team, I go to a few games a year but really don't follow them all that much as of now. Early on I thought I may stay with Miami but my idea of how Miami operated as a franchise and the reality I've seen in the half decade following them is dramatically different and quite disappointing. To be that close with nearly zero execution to try to make the team better with assets, almost always sending destressed players for older cheaper vets(asset wise). The Heat FO walked 2 timelines for some reason (present and future) and didn't maximize either.

This has been criminal...drives me nuts!

Should have cashed in some of these first for win now vets but we just didn’t have good attachment contracts. We’ve been stuck with Duncan’s contract eating up 20 million for so many years now. Now we’re stuck with Rozier. That’s essentially 44 million in dead money. That hurts

[MettaWorldPanda]

On the bright side both Rozier and Duncan are expiring 44 million in contracts next year that we should be able to flip with picks for something good.

[3ballbomber]

Spoiler:

While some thought what Riley said would put a fire under Butler to do everything possible to get an extension which could also get him hurt, maybe, just maybe Riley put Butler in a situation to do the opposite, to not go all out to make sure he doesn't get a major injury to screw him on free agency.

The one huge issue Butler has is respect and with how Riley went after him in a season where Riley knew Butler was dealing with his dying father and then also delt with his death during the season, it probably wasn't something Butler thought showed respect, it was quite the opposite.

So, this is now the 3rd high level player in Miami that Riley's pushed away from Miami in the last decade... LeBron, Wade and now Butler? Riley's had a historic career but his last 10 years haven't been nearly as good as the previous years he's had in basketball. If it wasn't for Wade selling Butler on Spoelstra, Butler probably doesn't end up in Miami, he'd gone to Houston in 2019.

Everybody knows im a big Wade fan but you think Riles does everything to try to please Wade if he wasn’t cooked before leaving? Lebron f*cked us & you blame Riley? Wade knew Ledouche was leaving but didn’t inform FO as he sided w/ his bf. Besides Wade came back which shld let everybody understand there are no resentments. Love Jimmy too but dude is old & often injured. Riley’s decisions past decade equates to 3 ecf’s & 2 nba finals w/ lack of talent. Imagine the same roster on another organization who f*ck up regularly w/ better takent.

Riley's decisions equated to 3 ECF and 2 NBA Finals? No, that happened because Butler raised his play to a level that this FO didn't expect (since they kept looking for that #1). Almost any FO could have had this amount of success since acquiring Butler and probably more with a team lead by Spoelstra, Butler and Bam. Miami got to the finals with players starting like Nunn and Vincent who both were so in demand Nunn got 5 mil a year and Vincent 11 million a year 1 season ago. I hope someone writes a tell-all book with some dirt on the FO and Butler for this Butler/Miami era.

You’re badly mistaken bruh. Butler thrived in the Heat ‘Culture’ that fit his mindset. The same culture Riley created. Why Miami was his most successful destination. Don’t get it twisted. Reminder also Spo is another Riles decision. W/out Spo it prob doesn’t matter how Butler performs here. Miami was the right fit for Butler who had been misunderstood everywhere else. Miami helped Jimmy clean up his reputation. So quickly we forget.

[MettaWorldPanda]

If we pay out OKC and manage to get some draft assets for Butler we can possibly offer up to 3 1st maybe a young player and expiring contracts for Fox next year or another young star player.

[marson]

On the bright side both Rozier and Duncan are expiring 44 million in contracts next year that we should be able to flip with picks for something good.

Coincide with Luka's player option year and can be a free agent

[MettaWorldPanda]

On the bright side both Rozier and Duncan are expiring 44 million in contracts next year that we should be able to flip with picks for something good.

Coincide with Luka's player option year and can be a free agent

Robinson and Rozier deals might FINALLY pay off. Seriously 44 million in expiring’s is no joke. Get some quality assets for Butler then you can move aggressively next year in the market.

[Wiltside]

Sad about Jimmy. My guy was a lifer. We had a good run though, and incredible memories. Jersey will be in the rafters.

[marson]

Sad about Jimmy. My guy was a lifer. We had a good run though, and incredible memories. Jersey will be in the rafters.

I hope he gets a championship before retiring, but I don't see that happening with Phoenix. Draymond, Curry, and Butler in the Finals? That's a nightmare scenario for the Celtics.

[Beenie]

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Good D by Bron lol

[Heat3]

Hello, gentlmen. Nice to see you again.

Hello, misery, my old friend....nice to see you again.

This Jimmy thing is going to turn into a sheit show, and there's almost no way that we come out looking good. I advocated for trading Jimmy after he went nuts against the Bucks. Granted, you don't trade your best player on a team that just went to the finals, but it was clear that we just weren't good enough and Jimmy's stock was so high at that moment.

Having said that, we will be known around the league as the team that doesn't take care of it's stars.
-Shaq had an issue with Pat RIley ---Shaq gets traded
-Lebron decides to leave, Pat burns that bridge
-D Wade should have been given whatever he wanted for as long as he wanted. Heat didn't want to budge, Wade goes.
-Chris has to medically retire, but the optics make it seem like we just didn't want to clear him so that we could get his massive contract off the books
-Jimmy situation has yet to end, but its heading towards being contentious.

We failed Jimmy at every opportunity. We've been hunting that final championship piece for too long, and somehow we always fail. We, quite resoundingly, have been exposed as a poorly managed organization that survives on the back of its coaches and overachieving players.

Short of giving Jimmy whatever he wants, which I don't think will happen, we really will not look good at the end of this. Sad days ahead, gentlemen...sad days.

Nobody failed Jimmy. He has had more success in Miami than anywhere else. He is also on pace to play 60 or fewer games this season again. He’s missed over a season’s worth of games just on the Heat. Can’t expect much success when the top guy misses so much time.

We had our run and it went as far as it could go. Not everyone wins a championship. That doesn’t mean someone was failed.

[Wiltside]

Watching this warriors game and scouting them as potential Heat

[Flash4thewin]

Watching this warriors game and scouting them as potential Heat

This game is so much more fun than most of our games. What a clutch 3 by Curry.

[marson]

Watching this warriors game and scouting them as potential Heat

This game is so much more fun than most of our games. What a clutch 3 by Curry.

They badly need a 2nd scorer.

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[MettaWorldPanda]

I would toss in Jovic with Jimmy if it meant getting an extra 1st rd pick from the Warriors. Intrigued by the athletic ability of a front court of Bam and Kuminga with Ware and Keshad off the bench. No shortage of dunks.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

I’ll be honest, Jimmy in golden state doesn’t win a championship. His best chance is with Phoenix, they better be getting on the phone looking for a team for Beal if Patrick doesn’t want him