Maybe it's better to chase unicorns (and generational ones at that) than whales.
The San Antonio Spurs have managed to pull that off, and they're seemingly set up for the next decade. The Miami Heat are hunting for a whale that, in a best-case scenario, would have the championship relevance for the next 3-4 years. But even that isn't a guarantee.
We're not just talking about Victor Wembanyama vs. Giannis Antetokounmpo, but we're talking about a much larger blueprint and philosophy here. The Spurs built what appears to be the league's next great dynasty via the draft, while the Heat are hoping to do so via trade.
Here's the kicker: Even if the Heat are successful in acquiring Giannis this summer, their championship relevance isn't in a position to last nearly as long as San Antonio's. And that's significant.
San Antonio is proving that there may be a new (and better) way to build in the NBA. Unfortunately, it's one team-building philosophy that it would be surprising to see the Heat embrace.
The Heat would rather trade for the star than tank their way to draft one
It's one of those topics that the fan base has grown frustrated with. Because even if the front office won't admit it, it does seem as if the franchise's philosophy is to wait for a star to get disgruntled and hope they can trade for them. In the eyes of some, it's based on a wish and a prayer.
Again, there are way more complexities that go beyond the fan's blind eye, but that's what it feels like.
But if the Heat were more willing to build through the draft, you'd see a lot more fans embrace the process than perhaps the front office believes.
In theory, the front office doesn't want to "tank" because they want to uphold this mantra of "never giving up" and always being competitive. That's well and good, until you realize that three out of the four conference finalists from this year "tanked" their way to the foundational cores that they currently have.
Tanking has paid off for the Thunder, Spurs, and Cavs
The Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Cleveland Cavaliers struggled their way for years until they drafted core pieces of their current build.
The Heat just won't fully commit to that level of team building. And, ironically, it could end up being one of the bigger reasons why they stay stuck in mediocrity over the next few years.
Because if it's not for Giannis, it's hard to envision how the Heat are going to break out of the Play-In lull anytime soon. And that's the biggest problem for the Heat, which leads one to believe that it may be time for some self-evaluation.
It's OK to change. It's good to shift. It's a necessity to evolve. Even if the Heat's front office isn't willing to admit it, the signs are clearly there. And, more than any other team in the league, the Spurs might've just proved the Heat's formula is completely wrong - and way too risky.
The problem is, they don't appear to be too willing to hear it.
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