Live blog: What Spoelstra, Heat players are saying on exit interview day
The Heat is holding its final interview access of the 2021-22 season on Tuesday, beginning with Erik Spoelstra’s press conference at 1:30 p.m.
We’ll detail the highlights here from exit interviews, so please keep checking back for updates, with the latest updates to be added to the top. Keep in mind that players aren’t required to talk; only a handful opted to meet with the media, which isn’t unusual for teams around the league.
2:55 PM update: Max Strus, on his overturned three-pointer: “I don’t know how that was called that after I saw the video. They have that rule to take human error out of the game. And human error makes an error. Hopefully I don’t get fined. I’m not happy about it. It changed the game and the momentum.”
On Boston’s defense, he said: “Teams made adjustments to what we’re good it and what works. They made me do more than make threes. You can put the full blame on me for three point percentage. I should be the leader on that, as best shooter on the team.”
“To start the series, Marcus Smart was guarding me and he’s Defensive Player of the Year. That says something in itself that I did something [good] this year.”
What specific skill does he want to improve? “I’ve got to be more complete. Teams are going to force me to make plays inside the arc. I’ve got to get better there. I’ve taken leaps and bounds as a player in this league. Looking at the full year, I’ve had a pretty successful season personally. I’ve grown a lot and learned a lot. There are areas of improvement and that’s exciting about this game. Once you keep flourishing, the challenges that come with it and the ways you can get better.”
Defensively, he said: “I’m going to keep proving over and over I can guard.”
2:40 PM update: Gabe Vincent said “every player wants to play. I think I’ve shown I can be a rotational player in this league. I would love to play every game.”
What area is he most proud of this season in terms of his improvement?
“Playmaking,” he said. “The shot [which improved after he was permitted to shed his knee brace] was something I never really worried about. Playmaking on that side of the ball, being more of a point guard and showing I can really be a point guard in this league. That was a really fun challenge for me....
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the [gym] and trying to come back with something different. I’ve worn a lot of hats this year. Determining what hat is my best hat to wear, it’s been fun. I like to be valuable and be on the court as much as possible.”
As he left the court after each playoff series, opposing players and coaches acknowledged that “we played so hard. We didn’t shy away from it. A lot of the comments came from that. A lot of respect. We leave it our there.”
Vincent will spend the offseason working out in Sacramento and plans to work out with Kyle Lowry as well.
2:35 PM update: Caleb Martin, an impending free agent, was asked if he wants to return, check out what’s available in free agency or both:
“I want to be here. I got better here. I believe I’ll get better here. I want a great situation no matter what. I feel like my team and the staff believe in me and feel I’ll get better here.
“Being open minded going into free agency, this is my first experience with that. I want to be here. That’s all I’ve got my mind on right now,... until I see what experience I get in free agency. This is the place for me; that’s why I feel I’ve made a big jump when I’ve been here and will make even bigger jumps while I’m here.”
Martin - who began the season with a two-way contract and ended it with a standard contract - said he knew he had to be OK with a role where “things will fluctuate. I don’t think that will do anything but help me. It was tip of the iceberg with me where I feel I could be one of those guys and fluctuate whatever a team needs from me. I feel I can fill that void. My game expanded shooting wise, being more efficient and consistent.”
2:25 PM update: Tyler Herro was asked if it is important to be a starter next season. “Yeah for sure. In some way I would like to start. I think I’ve earned it.” He said it’s time for that entering his fourth season after winning Sixth Man of the Year.
Of his season, he said: “People forget I just turned 22. As I made a jump this year, I will continue to get better. Throughout early on in my career, there will be small setbacks that motivate me... Next time I’m in that situation, I’ll be more prepared or better...
“I need to get stronger than I was. That takes care of a lot of things... The playoffs for me were kind of a weird ride” -- including the groin injury that sidelined or limited him against Boston.
He’s eligible for a contract extension and said: “I’m not sure what’s going to happen. We’ll see what happens this summer. My agent will talk to who he needs to talk to and we’ll see what happens.”
2:10 p.m. update: Udonis Haslem said he’ll “take my time” this offseason to decide whether he’ll continue his playing career next season. He added that he’ll take a “mental break” and then figure it out.
Haslem said center Bam Adebayo proved “that he’s capable” this season and “he showed that he’s capable of doing it on a big stage and in big time moments.”
On Tyler Herro getting more defensive attention this postseason: “He was prepared for that. But unfortunately he had his injury.” Haslem added that Herro “can help us win basketball games in more ways than scoring the basketball.”
Haslem said that “it wasn’t personal” regarding Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green’s recent comments in counting out the Heat. But Haslem said he’ll always “speak out for my guys” and make sure they get their deserved “respect.”
Haslem on the disappointment of losing in the Eastern Conference finals: “For me, watching those guys be so close and not being able to get over the hump. It’s hurtful because I want them to feel what it’s like to be a champion.”
Does Haslem anticipate big roster changes this offseason?: “I don’t know how that’s going to work. That’s not my space. My space is to make sure we get the most and maximize the potential of the guys who do come in here. That’s where I stay at and I’m pretty good at that. ... We’ve been to two of the last three Eastern Conference finals and we’ve been doing well, all things considered.”
When he’s done playing, Haslem said he still has no interest in coaching because he has “too much going on.” But Haslem pointed out that “impacting this organization” is always going to be important to him. He again pointed out that he would like to be part of Heat ownership once he retires.
Haslem on P.J. Tucker: “I was surprised at how hard and how consistent and how tough P.J. is. There are few guys that I feel approach the game every single night the way I did, and P.J. is one of them. ... I’m thankful for a guy like P.J. Guys like P.J. are overlooked. He’s a warrior.”
1:30 p.m.: Spoelstra,as he looked back at the season, said: “You want to be objective about all of it. We are all here in the locker room to produce a result. It’s bottom line business. We didn’t accomplish the goal we set out for ourselves.
“This is a tough business, a tough challenge. It’s the toughest thing any of us can try to do collectively in this business. Gratifying and memorable season. I enjoyed connecting with the guys in the locker room. Along the way we had a lot of joy and fun.”...
On whether Kyle Lowry met the team’s conditioning standards: “You have to take into account everything, the missed games, the injuries, ramp up in the middle of the series [coming back from a hamstring injury in the playoffs]. These are not excuses. It’s just reality. Kyle was in an incredible groove about six weeks before the playoffs. If we had started the playoffs now, it would be a perfect time for him. Kyle will come back next training camp in the best shape of his career. That’s important as you get further into your career and into your 30s... That is your ultimate opponent, Father Time, and Kyle understands that. He trains hard, works at it behind the scenes.”...
On Tyler Herro’s difficult postseason: “You look at the history of the game, there’s always a process to it. Tyler’s committed to studying and improving. As teams try to scheme against him, that’s the ultimate complement to him. They’re not going to just let him play. We’ve seen three different schemes against him [in three playoff rounds]. His skill level is so high and work ethic; he’s only going to get exponentially better. And that will translate to the playoffs. Skill and having a lot of different ways to attack always plays well in the playoffs eventually.”...
On P.J. Tucker: “He was so important all across the board. P.J. has a way of inspiring everyone in the locker room. He’s so unselfish, always taking on the biggest challenges. He will do all the dirty work. He never complains or talks about his shots. He’s completely selfless, an absolute throwback player. That’s why he’s beloved. If there’s something that surprises me, it would be the skill level offensively. He’s such a high IQ player.”
On Victor Oladipo: “Without a doubt [there’s another level for him to get to]. That stat in the last three years, how many games he’s missed. For him to do what he did in this playoff run is really unheard of. To have no regular season games and not have a base of weeks and months to get in rhythm and flow and test your health.
“He had some practices starting in January, February. We weren’t practicing a ton. It was mostly a bunch of work behind the scenes. The quickest way for him to find his rhythm was defensively. You saw immediately his presence defensively and how impactful he can be.
“In the playoffs, he’s getting in better rhythm in the most pressure packed moments. He hasn’t had that summer of work. Vic has a great work ethic. He lives in Miami and I saw it over the years. He hasn’t had a summer like this in four years. You are going to see a totally different Vic by the time he gets to training camp. He’s going into the summer able to work on his craft. He will get back to the player people are accustomed to seeing.”...
On whether he wants to keep this team together: He said when the Heat historically has come this close to a championship, “our history has shown we usually bring the majority of the core back and we take another shot at it. Of course, you’re talking 48 hours and an opportunity for make or miss to get to the next round. You want a chance to do it again with the same group. I love this group. I love the locker room. I’m grateful we had opportunity to work together. I’m grateful for this year and this season. I really enjoyed it:...
On the big drop in three-point shooting for the Heat from the regular season to the playoffs: “The level of scouting and attention to detail increases exponentially. Some of those looks that may have been described as open or lightly contested might be different a shot than in December or January. Our shooters will continue to work on making shots under duress with shorter windows. I’ll go into a full autopsy of that this summer, but my instinct is that [the three-point percentage drop, as a topic] was overplayed. We could have gotten into the next round regardless of the percentages.”...
With regard to each of the young players improving, Spoelstra will come up with a plan for each of them, but not imminently. He will take the players’ input on where they want to improve their games.
“That won’t happen tomorrow. I always connect with the guys. Communicate with the guys and communicate a plan for the summer and get their input. It ultimately has to be a collaboration. There will be an intentional plan with the end of it. Our young guys are going to have the stereotypical Miami Heat development program this summer.
“We get to ramp up for summer league [in San Francisco and Las Vegas]. By the time we get to early July, that will be an appropriate time to look forward to something and look forward to improvement of the young guys. We have so many examples of guys that have gone through summer like this and transform them into a better player and a more productive player. I love that process.
“For Gabe [Vincent] and Bam [Adebayo], we’ll put together a program for them and execute it.
“And same thing with our veteran guys, we will work with them and see where we can improve in the margins. It doesn’t matter what your age is. It doesn’t have to be big cliche that you can only make improvements the first three years of your career. We have seen guys in their 30s who have made significant improvements in their careers.
“Jimmy [Butler] is an example of that. In his 30s, he’s become much better player, not only from experiences but improvement in his skills, all the things he can bring to a game. For all the guys, we will be seeking major improvement. As a staff, some of the most fruitful improvements I’ve experienced as a head coach have come off really disappointing ends to a season. We’ll get together as a staff and learn from this and see where we can improve as well.”
This story was originally published May 31, 2022 at 2:04 PM.
