The Miami Heat lost a key piece as NBA Free Agency opened on Thursday. With P. J Tucker leaving to go to the Philadelphia 76ers on a $30 million dollar deal, things got pretty interesting.
With all of social media thanking Tucker for what he brought to the Miami Heat this past year, it just didn’t feel right. Don’t be confused though, as you have to be extremely grateful for what Tucker did this past year for the Miami Heat.
Tucker is what Heat Culture stands for. He might be one of my favorite role players of all time and last season was one of the most joyous occasions in history as he was signed.
But, that was last year, and now for him to run to the Houston Rockets 2.0 just seems like a joke. Again, you get that Tucker left for more money.
You, absolutely, get that. He hasn’t made a lot of money compared to other guys in the NBA.
The Miami Heat will proceed without P.J. Tucker and it isn’t a good feeling. However, it stuns to know his mentality and to then see him choose the 76ers.
With him turning 38, cashing in now was the smart move. However, you don’t want to hear the tough talk or of doing it the hard way in Philadelphia, because that’s just not how that team is built.
As far as the Heat, it was a stunner to see him leave Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo after how close this team seemed. Tucker was only with Miami for one season but it just felt like from day one, he was meant to stay in Miami for the rest of his career.
Tucker, to his credit, is one of the few guys in the NBA who brings his own culture once he is on your team. Sadly, he is going to try and bring that to Philadelphia.
It’s not going to work when James Harden is on your team and Doc Rivers is your coach though. That’s not salt, it’s just truth based on their history.
Nobody, including P.J. Tucker, can think that Doc Rivers will use him as Erik Spoelstra did? Expect him to just sit in the corner as he did in Houston.
Again and in closing, you are very thankful for what Tucker did this year. He helped make it one of the most joyous Heat teams to watch.
However, you are extremely disappointed in him leaving because he felt like just a Miami Heat Guy. So, good luck next year P.J., just not against the Miami Heat.