Erik Spoelstra is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NBA. The Miami Heat coach understands the pressures and pitfalls that come with patrolling the sidelines in the world’s most talented league.
However, that didn’t stop Spoelstra from being shocked at the Memphis Grizzlies’ decision to fire Taylor Jenkins on Friday, March 28.
“It’s incredibly disappointing,” Spoelstra said. “This profession is tough. You want to be in it together, through the good and the bad. And not the easy escape route to point blame. His record speaks for itself…He built a great culture there…They’ve won at a high level. They’re fourth in the West, and the West is so competitive. I don’t get it. I feel for Taylor.”
Spoelstra’s tenure in Miami has had its share of highs and lows. The Heat have struggled all season, yet Spoelstra’s job has never been in question. Unfortunately, that type of security is rare in the NBA. Of course, the fact that Spoelstra is widely viewed as the best coach in the world does go a long way toward that security.
Stephen A. Smith Calls for Pat Riley to Retire
While Spoelstra’s job is likely safe for the foreseeable future, Pat Riley’s time with the team may be winding down. Riley turned 80 earlier this month. The Heat’s roster has progressively worsened year-on-year. Now, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Riley should step down from his role within the franchise.
“There’s a lot of people that would love to come to Miami, one would think,” Smith said. “But LeBron James departed from there, Kevin Durant didn’t come there, and Damian Lillard, you couldn’t get there. Then, you made a colossal mistake. We already heard Dwyane Wade’s story all over social media about you messing with LeBron’s chocolate chip cookies. And when you look a guy like Jimmy Butler in the face and say, ‘We ain’t moving you,’ forcing him to become a bit truculent to force his way out, it looks like an organization that you’re not inclined to gravitate to.”
Riley stepping down could allow the Heat to bring in a fresh face with new ideas. The Heat must find a way to either re-tool or rebuild the current rotation. Because, regardless of Spoelstra’s coaching ability, there isn’t enough talent for the Heat to be considered contenders.
Heat Should Accept a Mini Rebuild
Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are great starting points for rebuilding the Heat’s rotation. Both players are young enough to sustain a short phase of reconstruction in the locker room.
The most important thing right now is finding a point guard of the future. Terry Rozier has struggled in Miami, having joined from the Charlotte Hornets‘ last season. He will likely be available via trade in the summer.
From there, adding a high-level forward and potentially a stretch big would help round out the starting lineup. Fortunately, the Heat are a proven commodity in terms of finding contributing talent on low-cost contracts. Therefore, their ability to create roster depth shouldn’t be a concern.
If the Heat embrace a mini-rebuild, they could be challenging for championships again within the next three or four years.
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