Miami Heat: No days off for the forever hungry 2016-17 squad
The 2016-17 Miami Heat have been on vacation for over a month now since missing the postseason, but have taken no days off since.
The Miami Heat’s 2016-17 run ended on April 12, when they were officially eliminated from the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Even though they managed to turn a 11-30 record into a 30-11 comeback. Despite finishing the season 41-41.
Disappointing to say the least, but not at all disheartening. After all, the team still had plenty to be proud of.
And one could argue being thrown into the offseason so quickly, only helped motivate the team.
Wayne Ellington, who recently gave an interview on The Joe Rose Show on WQAM, explained how unique it really is to have guys already be working out together.
"“I’ve never been a part or seen anything like it. Guys are hungry, guys are motivated. Guys feel like the way we ended that season, if we start the season the way we ended it and we stay consistent and continue to get better, the sky is the limit for our group. “I think [missing the playoffs] motivated guys already to get back in the gym early and continue to work and get better. It feels good when you get a little bit of that taste of success like we felt in the second half of the season. And when you come up short of one of your goals, that motivates you even more.”"
The craziest part being that no one even knows what the 2017-18 roster will look like.
Certain players a la Dion Waiters and James Johnson have made it clear they want to stay. And president Pat Riley seems to want to keep most of this group together. However, free agents like Gordon Haywood are becoming available. The likes of Willie Reed are looking for a payday.
So for now, only time will tell.
Nevertheless, the squad is sticking together. Taking group spin classes, for example.
Nevermind the guys continuously grinding it out on their own.
Exhibit A: Dion Waiters.
Exhibit B: Rodney McGruder.
Exhibit C: Udonis Haslem.
Exhibit D: Hassan Whiteside.
You get the picture, right?
It is definitely safe to say there are no fake gym rats on this team.
So what else will this summer hold for the Heat?
Well for starters, Miami has the No.14 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. Which means that by June 22, Riley needs to either decide who fits best within the organization’s culture, or trade the pick away.
There are also contract renewals to consider. Recently, Josh McRoberts opted into his $6 million 2017-18 deal, while Chris Bosh’s salary is finally coming off of the Heat’s books. But otherwise, there has not yet been any movement in Miami.
Yet being the key word.
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With Reed having to choose between brotherhood and a paycheck, Riley having to figure out how to best give Waiters and Johnson what they deserve and Ellington seemingly remaining a major question mark, expect much movement to come out of the franchise this summer.
No days off.