Getting Inside
Erik Spoelstra, a 37-year-old wonder kid of sorts, is the Heat’s new head coach. Pat Riley, elected to the Hall of Fame in early April, resigned after 24 years as a head coach on April 28. Riley will remain with the team as president, thus getting the final word on all personnel decisions.
But Riley said he’s done coaching. Forever.
“I am officially retired,” he said.
Riley resigned days before the 2003 season. But he came back in December 2005 after his replacement, current Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, suddenly resigned for family reasons.
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After winning the 2006 NBA title, his fifth, Riley returned to the bench the following season, only to take a 22-game break to have hip and knee surgeries. Also, he later admitted, that he wanted a break from his team’s lackadaisical attitude. Miami, the defending champions, finished 44-38 and got swept by Chicago in the first round.
The Heat followed that with a horrible 15-67 performance this season, the worst record in the league. Riley said he’s sick of the grind.
“The last five years I’ve been a little bit conflicted with whether I wanted to or not wanted to (continue coaching),” he said. “Today, I am definitely sure I do not want to do this anymore.”
Spoelstra, the son of former Portland marketing executive Jon Spoelstra, has been with the Heat for 13 years. A four-year starting point guard at the University of Portland, Spoelstra spent two years in Germany as a player/coach.
He started with the Heat in 1995 as a video coordinator and eventually worked his way up to assistant coach/director of scouting. Spoelstra has been Riley’s handpicked successor since at least January 2007. That was when Riley hinted as much when a rumor surfaced Riley would retire and name Mike Fratello his replacement.
Spoelstra is credited with helping Dwyane Wade perfect his jump shot, now a featured part of Wade’s game.
“I believe in coach ‘Spo’ and have complete confidence that our team will succeed with him at the helm,” Wade said in a statement.
Season Highlight: Not many. Perhaps securing the worst record in the league. Seriously. It assures a top-four pick and helps move along the rebuilding process.
Turning Point: The November practice run-in between coach Pat Riley and former center Shaquille O’Neal. Alonzo Mourning had to intervene before it got physical. It was at that point the relationship between Riley and O’Neal hit the breaking point. That led to the February trade that brought Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks and signaled the Heat was giving up on the season.
Notes, Quotes
• Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he’d employ the defense-first mentality began by coach Pat Riley, carried on with coach Stan Van Gundy, and maintained again by Riley.
“I’m a product of the Miami Heat culture and philosophy,” he said.
Spoelstra hopes the offense can take advantage of its athleticism.
“When healthy, I think we can play at a quicker tempo and pace provided we do it efficiently,” he said.
Spoelstra won’t use the low-post offense Riley relied on with C Shaquille O’Neal and C Alonzo Mourning. Rather he wants a sleek, perimeter-based attack, taking advantage of the “young, athletic, quick core of guys.”
• Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s roster is well-stocked with talent. Looking at players under contract, Miami brings back players who could comprise a starting lineup of Marcus Banks and Dwyane Wade at guard, Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem at forward and Mark Blount at center. Two top reserves could be forward Dorell Wright and guard Daequan Cook.
Guard Chris Quinn, a free agent, will likely be re-signed. There’s some question as to whether Alonzo Mourning will return from his knee injury. There’s also some question whether swingman Ricky Davis, an unrestricted free agent, will re-sign.
Regardless, the Heat has a first-round draft pick guaranteed to be no worse than No. 4, and it has the $6 million mid-level exception and the $2 million veteran’s exception.
On the other hand, no matter how you spin things, rebuilding a team that went from NBA champions in 2006 to 59-105 (.360) in the following two years is a big job.
“I understand the challenge that’s ahead of us,” Spoelstra said.
• Pat Riley will end his coaching career third on the NBA’s all-time victories list with a record of 1,210-694 (.636) in 24 seasons. In 11 years as Miami’s head coach, Riley was 454-395 (.535) and won six division titles.
His 1,210 career victories trail only Lenny Wilkens (1,332), now retired, and Golden State’s Don Nelson (1,280) on the NBA’s all-time list. Riley’s 171 postseason victories are second only to Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson (183 and counting). Riley’s 282 postseason games coached is most all-time. And his five titles tie him for third-best all-time with John Kundla.
Quote To Note: “It’s been an incredible run.”—Former Heat coach Pat Riley, at his retirement announcement.
Roster Report
Most Valuable Player: G Dwyane Wade will likely be the MVP as long as he’s on the team. But this season you could make a case for G/F Ricky Davis, the only player to play all 82 games. Skeptics might say Davis, an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, might have used his contract status as motivation to play all 82 games. Regardless, he rarely displayed a bad attitude despite playing alongside borderline NBA talent. His presence didn’t affect the won-loss record greatly, but he showed up for work every day and played through back and groin injuries.
Runner-up for MVP might be trainer Ron Culp. With six of the Heat’s top eight players going down to season-ending injuries, Culp stayed busy. By the way, Culp is retiring at season’s end after 37 years in the NBA with Cleveland, Portland and Miami. He’s the only three-time NBA trainer of the year and the blazer he wore at Wednesday’s season finale will be sent to the Hall of Fame.
Most Disappointing Player: C Shaquille O’Neal. Easy choice. He was injured during training camp. Then he returned and griped about not getting the ball enough. Then he almost got into a skirmish with coach Pat Riley in November, demanded a trade, got the trade, and trashed coach Pat Riley, the Heat training staff and former teammates Ricky Davis and Chris Quinn.
Free Agent Focus: F Shawn Marion is the biggest domino. If he opts out and leaves with Miami getting nothing in return, the Heat is in big, big trouble. Most likely, however, Marion will return. It’ll be either for the final year, which pays him $17.8 million, or for a few years after signing a contract extension.
G Jason Williams is an unrestricted free agent and will most likely depart.
G-F Ricky Davis is an unrestricted free agent but could be back. He’d be a valuable member of the bench. Davis earned $6.8 million this year but he could be looking at a huge pay cut, maybe in the neighborhood of $2 million.
F Dorell Wright, a part-time starter the last two seasons, is a restricted free agent who will likely return. He’s a key to the Heat’s bench success. Wright is athletic and can defend and rebound, although he still hasn’t found consistency.
G Chris Quinn is an unrestricted free agent and he’ll likely return. The second-year man from Notre Dame proved capable the last two years when called upon, and he’s cheap labor.
C Earl Barron is an unrestricted free agent who might not return. Barron, a third-year player from Memphis, is cheap labor, which is a benefit for both him and the Heat, but he hasn’t shown much.
C Alonzo Mourning is an unrestricted free agent and if the 38-year-old decides to play again it will be for the Heat.
Player Notes:
• G Dwyane Wade finished the season averaging 24.6 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and 6.9 assists per game. None were career-bests or career-worsts.
• C Alonzo Mourning, who sustained a torn patella tendon and torn quadriceps tendon in his right knee on Dec. 19, might return next season. If not, he’ll finish his career 10th on the NBA all-time blocked shots list with 2,356.
• F Shawn Marion, whose season ended early due to tendonitis in his left foot, played just 16 games for the Heat and averaged 14.3 points per game and 11.2 rebounds per game.
