Hardwood Knocks

After finishing the 2016-17 NBA campaign on a 30-11 tear, the Miami Heat had two options: They could lean into their half-season detonation, reinvesting in a promising squad that didn't make the playoffs, or they could pivot into a quasi-rebuild or full-scale teardown. Surprise, surprise, Pat Riley chose the former. Except, he didn't just steer into the 30-11 Heatles. He cannonballed into them.  Both James Johnson and Dion Waiters got new contracts. Then he added Kelly Olynyk. And then he signed Josh Richardson to an extension. Clearly, Riley believes his squad can recapture the magic from last year's 41-game miracle. Well that, or he knows he won't be around much longer and doesn't want to spend the next one to two years losing a crap ton of games. Whatever, though. The Heat are all-in on this season either way—and, as of now, the next two to four, since they'll be lucky to avoid the tax in 2018-19 and 2019-20. But we digress. This podcast is about 2017-18, albeit with plenty of big-picture talk. We must dec