Miami Heat 1-on-1: Is tanking really the right answer?

But do you think the organization is actually actively trying to do so right now?

Ebrahim: I actually don’t think they’re trying to tank, which is what makes the current record of the team and the losses they’ve accumulated even worse. They’re losing to Eastern playoff contenders, long-time Eastern bottom-feeders, and everyone in between at times. And yes, injuries have plagued the team (as they seemingly always do to this squad), but the ceiling doesn’t break through the roof, even if the whole team was healthy. And with every good break, there always seems to be bad news. To the point where head coach Erik Spoelstra is being thrown to the wolves more than ever. If they were tanking, you’d see a lot more of Bam Adebayo playing, Justise Winslow startling, or call-ups of Duncan Robinson. Not making that deal for Butler, even though that was the Minnesota Timberwolves’ mistake, will be a turning point for the franchise. It’s time to officially embrace the tank.

Rahming: We do have to clear a few things up, and I intend to do that here. There are obviously many shortcomings with the roster the way it’s currently constructed. With Goran Dragic missing games, there are no other point guards on the roster. Even when he was available, he only averaged 4.7 assists per game, which is right in line for his career mark in that category (4.8). That puts him in some in some bizarre company this season. Look at what his contemporaries have in common around the league: Spencer Dinwiddie, Derrick Rose, Victor Oladipo, Lou Williams, Joe Ingles, and Patrick Beverly, all share the same thing in common. These are hybrid guards that have another player on their team that is the primary ball handler. By saying all of that, I want to point out that the roster is broken and it’s undeniable without Waiters. He’s the engine that’s supposed to make all these parts go. The Heat are not tanking on purpose, but they are smack dab in the middle of no man’s land, and they need to do something about it. They are sneakily tied with the Washington Wizards in the win/loss column, just without the drama. Before I press the panic button (you bet the glass box is open), I’m’ thankful we aren’t the Sixers, who dragged their fanbase through years of purposeful losing to get three All-Stars, yet still have an incomplete roster with a cloud of mystery and injury around their number one draft pick. Fans forget that the only reason the Sixers stopped tanking, is because the league threatened to intervene. We could be the Sacramento Kings, who have seemingly come out of nowhere (thanks to the new rules), but the coach is still somehow on the hot seat. They’re not tanking, but they need to be thinking of moves that will get them out of this mess ASAP.