Erik

Spoelstra

Due to condensation on the court, the Heat-Bulls game in Chicago has been postponed. No official makeup date has been announced yet, but that will be announced in the coming days. Both teams return to action on Saturday, with the Heat visiting the Pacers and the Bulls hosting the Mavericks.

Kerr has only been the coach for Team USA since 2021, when he took over following Gregg Popovich stepping down. Now, one of his assistants may take over, with Erik Spoelstra mentioned as the “strong internal favorite” to lead the squad during the 2028 Olympics. If Spo is given the job, Team USA will be in good hands and should be able to add another gold medal.

Spo made the list as one of the league’s 15 greatest coaches back in February of 2022 and has two ECF appearances and an NBA Finals appearance since then. He has coached Miami since 2008, and he will likely continue to coach as long as he chooses to. He is arguably the best coach in the league right now and continues to work wonders for the Heat. A report from Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel says that the extension is for five years and is worth over $10 million annually.

Since the Nets have made it clear that they want an All-Star back, a deal for Mitchell makes more sense for Miami. If they trade away some guys that aren’t named Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo for some firsts, they make be able to make a package centered around Tyler Herro and picks for Mitchell. A lineup of Butler, Adebayo, and Mitchell would vault the Heat into title contention if they can figure things out quickly.

One of the players is Derrick Jones Jr., who tested positive on June 23. The other two players have tested positive in recent days -- their names aren’t being disclosed, but Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes they are both “rotation players.” The Heat will travel into the Orlando bubble without these players, and will be without them until their self-isolation is complete, they’ve passed two negative tests, and they’ve been cleared to play by a physician.

Derrick Jones Jr. is the first positive test, and it’s currently unknown who has also tested positive on the Heat. Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel does add that it is a rotation player. The Heat are headed to Orlando on July 8, and they will resume activities in the Disney facilities.

Per a Monday report, Jimmy Butler, Andre Iguodala and Solomon Hill were out of state, so that means almost the entire team was able to make it. It’s also possible that one of the three players mentioned above could have made travel arrangements to get back to Miami.

The report adds Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Friday that the Heat will be allowed to hold workouts at its downtown Miami arena if the NBA reopens practice facilities this coming Friday. The Heat is still finalizing details for its plan to reopen the arena to players. Jimmy Butler had sent out basketball hoops to teammates, but obviously getting back to a normal practice facility would help get things back to normal.

Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that the extension is for four years. Spo is heading into his 12th season as the head man in Miami, a stint which includes multiple championships. He sits behind Spurs coach Gregg Popovich as the second-longest tenured coach in the NBA. The Heat have missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons, but Spoelstra and company are on the way up with the recent acquisition of Jimmy Butler.

The pick did belong to the Hawks after getting it from Charlotte, so the Hawks get an early jump on their hopes to make trades this week. The Hawks have too many picks, so it would’ve been impossible to add all their picks to the roster.