ASK IRA: Are there points to be made this offseason by the Heat?

Q: Hey Ira, every time I find myself disappointed in the Heat I have no further to look than the so called “better” teams struggling to accomplish what the Heat did in 2020. Comparatively, the Heat’s two stars have accomplished quite a bit to other top two-star teams. That said, the Heat must acquire a true scorer to compete on a daily basis. Random scoring of 25 points from Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and Kendrick Nunn is nice, but a reliable 25 points per night from a No. 2 or No. 3 star is a must. Can the Heat find this player and keep Jimmy and Bam? — David, Venice.

A: When you are paying Jimmy Butler what you are paying Jimmy Butler, and when you are paying Bam Adebayo what you are paying Bam Adebayo, basically the only way to add that third piece is through a trade. And that means finding a player who possibly can be a once-and-again type of scorer. The reality is there have been several of those types on the trade market and likely will be again. But the risk with a Kemba Walker or a Kevin Love, or even a rehabbed Victor Oladipo, is that what once was there, and then was lost, might not resurface. It likely will take a gamble to make this team closer to a contender, with plenty of risk attached.

Q: How is Jimmy Butler on the All-NBA third team, making him one of the top 15 players in the league, when he wasn’t an All Star, meaning he wasn’t one of the top 24 players in the league? — David.

A: Mostly because of all the time he missed at the start of the season, including 10 games due to pandemic protocols. Plus, the Heat were out of playoff position when most of the All-Star balloting took place, compared to their overall No. 6 finish in the East. Basically, his second half of the season pushed into a place on All-NBA.

Q: Can Erik Spoelstra turn the Portland Trail Blazers’ interest in him as a coaching candidate into Damian Lillard coming to play for the Miami Heat; the same way Pat Riley turned the Lakers’ job opportunity in 2004 into Shaquille O’Neal coming to Miami? — Stuart.

A: Um, no.