ASK IRA: Is too much being put on Tyler Herro in the wake of the Heat’s demise?
Q: I can’t grade Tyler Herro on a couple of games against a team maybe destined to win a championship. We might see Boston sweep their way to a championship. Who knows? But I don’t want to sell low here. – Kristopher, Oceanside, Calif.
A: It’s interesting how in recent years, when the Heat have come up short, so much of the discussion became about what Jimmy Butler was surrounded with, how he had to carry such a burdensome load. But look at what Tyler Herro had alongside for the series against the Celtics, including when Jaime Jaquez Jr. went down, including with a limited Duncan Robinson. Tyler is a good player, a player who, like many NBA scorers, has his defensive shortcomings. But Tyler also is highly coachable, morphing into numerous roles as dictated by Erik Spoelstra. A superstar? No. A star? Well, he has yet to be an All-Star. But if the sticking point to some is the salary, then consider that among those who earned more than Tyler’s $27 million this past season were Jordan Poole. Gordon Hayward, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris and Zach LaVine, some of those a lot more.
Q: Experience tells me that big contracts for players over 35 (except LeBron James) rarely pay off. This year I noticed two things about Jimmy Butler’s game. He was not getting the foul calls he got in previous seasons. And he seemed to have less lift, so more of his shots were blocked or missed close to the basket. – Bob, Juno Beach.
A: And there is another factor, regarding the not-so-subtle change in how the game is being officiated, with hunting for foul calls now severely frowned upon. So the playing landscape, as well as Jimmy Butler’s age both are factors that have to be considered. The odd thing about the NBA is that it essentially has become a league where eligibility becomes reality. If you are eligible for a max contract, you get a max contract. If you are eligible for an extension, you get an extension. It’s as if all middle ground has disappeared.
Q: Do you think that the fact that Pat Riley is 79 years old is a factor in his willingness to trade future benefits (draft choices) for short-term gains? – Robert, Ocala.
A I think we need to get off the Pat Riley age element. Either you believe he remains a net positive for the organization or else the Arisons would subtly and graciously move on. But what gets lost in such discussion is that Erik Spoelstra has a major, major say in personnel decisions, that Nick Arison and Micky Arison have final say in financial decisions, and Andy Elisburg may be the one with the largest impact of all, because of the dynamically changing landscape with the new collective-bargaining agreement. Pat Riley is not the sole rubber stamp. And, increasingly, particularly with Spoelstra’s contract extension, the engine of the operation is the coach.