Former NBA sharpshooter Wayne Ellington will guide the Miami Heat’s entries in both the California Classic and the Las Vegas Summer League this July, marking the next step in his young coaching career. The 38-year-old, who ended a 13-season playing run with the Lakers in 2021/22, told South Florida reporters during a Friday teleconference that returning to Miami was “an easy decision” when he began coaching in 2023.
Ellington spent his first season on Erik Spoelstra’s staff in a player-development role and has served as an assistant for the past two years. Calling the summer assignment “the next step in my journey,” he added that long-term ambitions include becoming a bench coach and eventually a head coach. Ellington is one of four former Heat players now working under Spoelstra.
Riley maintains confidence after 10th-place finish
Team president Pat Riley recently argued that Miami was closer to another NBA Finals appearance than its 10th-place finish and quick play-in exit suggested. Speaking at his end-of-season news conference last month, Riley said he felt the Heat were “competitive as hell” and would only have been uneasy facing Western Conference powers Oklahoma City or San Antonio once in the Finals. The Knicks steamrolled their way through the East but avoided Detroit—who swept New York in the regular season—and Boston, and now prepare for a third consecutive opponent coming off a seven-game series.
Trade math complicates hunt for a star
In a subscriber mailbag, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel noted that Miami’s salary structure could hinder a run at Giannis Antetokounmpo. Tyler Herro is the club’s lone mid-tier contract beyond Bam Adebayo, whom the front office has deemed untouchable. Even so, Winderman called the moment “ripe” for a splashy trade, citing a collection of promising young players who may never carry greater value. He also weighed whether the Magic could outbid Miami for Antetokounmpo by centering an offer on Paolo Banchero.
Morant scenario draws a hard line on draft picks
Addressing a fallback pursuit of Ja Morant in another mailbag, Winderman advised Miami against attaching draft assets and instead suggested asking Memphis to absorb Nikola Jović’s four-year, $64 million extension to balance Morant’s salary. Herro would likely still be required in any multi-team configuration, a factor that could reduce Miami’s interest.
The Heat enter the offseason juggling Ellington’s developmental priorities with high-stakes roster calculations, seeking a path back to the Finals without sacrificing future flexibility.
Source: HoopsRumors
