Offseason success draws rave reviews from GMs
In the view of NBA general managers, the Miami Heat are the NBA’s best-coached team, had the most successful offseason, and made the league’s biggest-impact addition. To them, that equates to third place in the Eastern Conference.
In an annual rite of the preseason, NBA.com surveyed the league’s front offices for a variety of forecasts, several of which had the Heat near or at the top of the polling.
In the polling for best coach, the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra received 77% of the vote, easily outdistancing the Phoenix Suns’ Monty Williams, who received 17%. Spoelstra also was voted top coach in the 2020 poll.
The respect for Spoelstra came for his in-game adjustments, where he polled third, behind the Los Angeles Clippers’ Tyronn Lue and the Indiana Pacers’ Rick Carlisle, as well as for his offense, where he polled fifth.
Elsewhere, some of the greatest respect from the front offices came for the Heat front office.
Asked, “Which team made the best overall moves this offseason?” — league executives picked the Heat, with 47% of the vote, well ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, who were second at 17%.
As for “Which one player acquisition will make the biggest impact?” — the Heat’s signand-trade acquisition of former Toronto Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry was at the top of the list, receiving 77% of the vote. Next was the Lakers’ acquisition of Russell Westbrook, at 17%.
It added up to league executives forecasting the Heat for a third-place finish in the East, after the Heat went into last season’s playoffs as a No. 6 seed. In order, the executives forecast the top of the East race as: 1. Nets, 2. Bucks, 3. Heat, 4. 76ers, 5. Hawks, 6. Celtics, 7. Pacers.
Overall, 77% of the polling forecast the Nets as eventual 2022 champions, followed by the Lakers (17%) and defending-champion Bucks (10%).
The Heat did not receive votes for best player at any of the five traditional positions.
In the polling for best perimeter defender, the Heat’s Jimmy Butler placed third in a tie with Kawhi Leonard, behind Jrue Holiday and Ben Simmons, with the Heat voted the fourth-best defensive team, behind, in order, the Bucks, Jazz and Lakers.
Of which player is best moving without the ball, the Heat’s Duncan Robinson placed second to the Warriors’ Stephen Curry.
When asked which current player would make the best coach, the Heat’s Udonis Haslem tied for fourth with Mike Conley, behind, in order, Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and T.J. McConnell. Haslem has gone on record as having no interest in coaching.
Preseason plans
Spoelstra said not to read anything into Butler being held out of Monday night’s preseason opener for what the team listed as “rest.”
“I won’t be playing everybody every single game,” he said.
He indicated establishing continuity largely will transpire on the practice court.
“We already have been,” he said.
Among those otherwise available, only undrafted free-agent additions Micah Potter and D.J. Stewart did not play in the opener, with fellow undrafted rookies Javonte Smart and Dru Smith seeing action.
“I love seeing those guys put in the time and they’ve grinding behind the scenes,” Spoelstra said of those four, who all likely eventually will be moving on to the team’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
“They’ll get some more opportunities to play this preseason. The guys that didn’t get in, I’m going to work to try to get them in at some point.
“But it’s all those hours when nobody’s around, nobody’s watching. But I love the development of young players and seeing the improvement.”