Spolestra comfortable working with Riley on team personnel.

MIAMI — What matters, Erik Spoelstra says, is that he is in the room. Run of the room? Not in his thinking at the moment.

At a time when NBA coach as personnel leader has proven perilous and almost extinct, Spoelstra, to a degree, already stands with the Miami Heat close to where Doc Rivers, Stan Van Gundy and Tom Thibodeau recently stood -personnel voice as well as coaching voice.

But with Rivers shifted back by the Los Angeles Clippers to sole responsibilities as coach, Van Gundy replaced by the Detroit Pistons with a more traditional coachand-executive alignment, and now Thibodeau relieved of his coaching and personnel duties with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Spoelstra is in a unique position as a respected coach working alongside a 73-year-old executive mainstay.

It has led, amid Thibodeau’s recent dismissal, to speculation that Spoelstra eventually could emerge as the NBA’s next dual threat, as Pat Riley closes in on a quarter century with the franchise.

But as the NBA appears to be walking back such duality, Spoelstra said he finds himself walking back, as well.

The key, he said, is having a voice that assures continuity, as opposed to a seat on the bench and a suite in the executive wing, where Micky Arison’s primary conduits are Riley, CEO Nick Arison and General Manager Andy Elisburg.

“What’s interesting,” Spoelstra said as he stood against a wall on the Heat practice court at AmericanAirlines Arena, “as I’ve gained more experience and perspective in this league and being a head coach, I care about that and want that less than I used to. And what’s ironic about that is I’m involved, at least in the room, all the time.

“But there’s enough from this position to keep you busy and keep you up all night by itself. That’s why I’m extremely grateful to work for Pat and Micky and Andy, because it’s inclusive leadership. We all trust each other. We’ve all been through so much together. That just makes the communication so much more normal.”

That doesn’t mean Spoelstra hasn’t been an influencer or facilitator. He was the one who courted Greg Oden at an Indianapolis Chili’s, was on the phone immediately with Kelly Olynyk shortly after Gordon Hayward said no to the Heat, has hung back from summer leagues for the start of free- agency periods.

In other words, he already is in the personnel game, if not necessarily the one delivering the final pitch to a departing LeBron James.

“We’re pretty much on the same page about virtually all of it,” he said. “And, like I said, the last several years I’ve just focused even more at this time on coaching. Let me know what I need to know. I’ve got enough on my plate and I’m going to handle this box. I’m not even thinking about that as much.”

As for the draft, the Heat have a separate wing, with Adam Simon, Keith Askins and, still, Chet Kammerer involved in that search.

“We all work together a ton,” Spoelstra said. “I’m definitely not involved to the point of making any kind of decision. But a lot of really talented people spend a full year on that. It would be irresponsible for me to be involved in heavy decision making there.”

Eventually, though, there will be a Heat decision about ultimate personnel authority. Riley’s Malibu home certainly not built to remain vacant.

“You know what? I don’t even want to think about that day, when Pat’s not here. I really don’t,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t want to go there. I enjoy the way the setup is right now. And it’s obviously extremely unique in pro sports, the type of setup that we have and the continuity and the loyalty. We’ll deal with that whenever.”

Already a part of it has been dealt with.

“Being in the room,” Spoelstra said, “is enough for me.”

iwinderman@ sunsentinel.com.

Follow him at twitter.com/iraheatbeat or facebook.com/ ira.winderman

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Ira Winderman