Erik Spoelstra feels current Miami Heat can be a championship team
By Wes Goldberg
During the Miami Heat’s exit interviews, head coach Erik Spoelstra had glowing things to say of this season’s team.
The 2016-17 Miami Heat will be a team Erik Spoelstra remembers, but it doesn’t seem like he wants it to end. Why? Because he believes they can compete for a championship as constructed.
From the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson:
"“Hopefully this is dot, dot, dot continued and we can build on this. But all those discussions are literally months away.”He said this team can be a championship-caliber team.“We feel this group yes [can be championship caliber team].”"
Some of the core players from this season’s team will be free agents, but the team is opening its doors to them to work out in the arena. They aren’t clearing out their lockers, and they’re still spending time together.
Namely, James Johnson and Dion Waiters are set to become free agents and are in line to triple or quadruple their salaries. Spoelstra likes the growth both of them made, and seems to want them in Miami long term.
Simply wanting to keep this group together may be easier said than done. The Heat are expected to have just over $30 million after waiving Chris Bosh, and the market could make it tough to fit Johnson’s and Waiters’ new salaries in that room.
The Heat started the first half of the season 11-30, and finished the season 30-11 — a 60-win pace during the second half. Much of that was due to a 13-game win streak between January and February. The Heat missed the playoffs by one game.
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No matter what happens with this current group, it’s clear that it’s one close to Spoelstra’s heart.
“A group that came together as strangers really came together and developed a sense of community, of team. It became a season that we’ll remember.”
*All quotes via the Miami Herald.