The Best Of This Year’s Miami Heat Exit Interviews
The Miami Heat’s exit interviews, following a remarkable 2016–17 season, show the best has yet to come for the team’s current players.
Two weeks after the Miami Heat played their last game of 2016–17, an 110–102 victory over the Washington Wizards, the dust has finally settled.
There will be no postseason this time around for the men of South Beach, since the Chicago Bulls clinched the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Although both ball clubs finished the year at 41–41, Dwyane Wade’s new crew held the tie-breaker over Miami. Only to have recently played two abysmal games in a row versus the Boston Celtics, of course. But that’s another story, for another time.
Still, the Heat have plenty of reason to hold their heads high. And their future is certainly bright. White hot, if you will. A sentiment that fortunately, the guys themselves seem well aware of.
Take Dion Waiters, for example.
The guard recently put out an article via the Players Tribune that had much of the basketball world in awe.
“You know, it’s hilarious to me. I’m not a big Internet guy, but I see things. I see what people say about me. I see the GIFs and all that. They say, ‘He never seen a shot he don’t like. He’s got irrational confidence. He thinks he’s the best player in the NBA.’ Hell yeah I do. I have to.”
Detailing his first time meeting president Pat Riley, Waiters also told the story of how he got to be well… an island of one.
But he also had plenty to say during the team’s exit interviews.
When asked about his one-year contract, Waiters explained:
“I said it was never about the money. It was all about opportunity. I was able to play my game, I was able to show different aspects of my game. I was able to be in position where coach trusted me with the ball in my hands in late game situations. If I was on a different team, I probably would not have been in that situation to take that shot. We’re just getting started. It’s only the beginning.”
In other words, Heat Nation should certainly expect the 25-year-old to stick around.
The same goes for James Johnson. In fact, the forward has a very specific goal in mind for 2017–18.
“I just want to beat Rodney McGruder next year in the conditioning test. Mark that down or whatever, but that’s my goal.”
Noted.
As for the other half of the Brothers Johnson, an early offseason doesn’t signify more time off.
“I need some time to take my fam around and do some of the things we weren’t able to do during the season. But I’ve made it very clear to my family that just because it’s the summer time doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to be doing vacation like that. … I understand what we’re building here. It’s something real.”
And no, it also doesn’t mean it’s time for a haircut. When asked if he plans on visiting the barber after a much-needed trip to the dentist, the guard kept it simple:
“Nah.”
This summer is a little more complicated for guys like Wayne Ellington though. With Miami holding onto a $6.3 million team option on Ellington, his future is still up in the air.
But if it were up to him, there’s no question he’d return.
“…obviously, I understand the business. This is the place I want to be. This is the place that feels like home for me and feels really good to me.”
Big man Willie Reed is also not guaranteed a roster spot next year. Having an $1.6 million player option on his contract, Reed is expected to opt out, instead becoming a free agent.
His plan? Going with the flow.
“I don’t know what it’s going to be like for me, to be honest. I’ve never been in a position like this before, so I’m just trying to trust the process.”
Trust has been the backbone of Miami Heat Basketball for some time now, and it’s definitely a two-way street. Just as the players have learned to fully put their faith in both management and the coaching staff, they have full confidence in their guys as well.
And when asked about Justise Winslow, Riley made it clear he sees great things ahead for the young buck.
“I’ve been around players like Justise Winslow for a long time. He is a warrior, defender, cares about winning, has tremendous energy. The guy had a tough ride this year. He had a sprained wrist and played with it. Separated his shoulder, had that surgery. I took a look at a lot of those guys like Justise who came in as one and done guys. Kawhi Leonard averaged eight points a game his first year. Six years later, he’s 25. We are measuring this guy after 75 games. That’s unfair.”
So, he’s remaining a member of the Miami Mafia? Absolutely.
“He ain’t going anywhere. I’ve read where you can package him here, package him there. He has something to prove. There’s no doubt. He will prove it. He’s a winner.”
What about Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside, the team’s leading ballers? While Riley called Dragic the Heat’s “backbone,” head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke volumes of Whiteside:
“I think the growth that he’s made the last three years has been staggering, and as long as you were able to step out and look at the big picture where he was the first year, the jump to the second year, and the tremendous jump not only from the first three months of this year but then to the last three months, it really is staggering his improvement. Why would we put a ceiling on him? Why should he put a ceiling on where he could go?”
Think Spoelstra is a Lil’ Wayne fan?
If there’s an overarching theme to Miami’s current mindset, it’s that the team is ready to do bigger, better things next season. All while being in world-class shape.
