Are Miami Heat in a better place now at point guard?
Q: They turned Kyle Lowry and a first-rounder into Terry Rozier and Delon Wright. I’ll take it. – Klown.
A: I’m still not sure such was the best use of a future first-round pick in the Kyle Lowry trade for Terry Rozier. First-rounders tend to have the greatest value when they at least travel in pairs. Now the Heat’s available inventory is considerably thinned. But I do like that they regained some of Lowry’s defensive peskiness (which he still retained) with the expected signing of Delon Wright. Still, we have to see how it plays out in the postseason, which has been a period of exception in recent years for Terry and Delon. Kyle got the ball to the right place at the right time. The Heat at the moment do not have a similar pure point guard. But the addition of Delon in many ways completes the addition of Terry.
Q: Ira, was Delon Wright really the best player the Heat could sign in the buyout market? Why not wait a little more to see what shakes out? – Joel, Fort Lauderdale.
A: Because considering the Heat’s limitations, it would have been foolish not to pounce. Starting this season, teams that stand where the Heat do against the luxury tax cannot sign players earning more than the average salary of $12.4 million prior to their buyout. In other words, last season’s Kevin Love move on the buyout market would not have been possible for the Heat this season. Delon Wright had a contract that worked within the Heat parameters. As a matter of perspective, the Heat could not have made the move the Lakers did with Spencer Dinwiddie, or even the move the 76ers did with Kyle Lowry.
Q: All we need is a big, and I feel confident with this team – Marco.
A: The sense is that barring injury or some calamitous turn with the Heat’s power rotation, the Delon Wright move likely completes the Heat’s transaction season. Kevin Love stands as the backup center and Erik Spoelstra has shown a preference to go small at power forward as a means to create minutes for Caleb Martin, Haywood Highsmith or even Nikola Jovic. Now, should Love go down with an injury, that could change. Remember, players need only be waived by March 1 to have playoff eligibility elsewhere. They then can be signed on the buyout market until the final day of the season.
