Dubious growing Heat narrative stuck down by anonymous NBA player poll

"When polled on which team they didn't want to get traded to, Miami got less than one percent of the vote. It proves that the growing idea within some in the national media and among fans ( particularly on social media) that players don't want to play for Miami is unequivocally false. Has the Heat's front office fallen into some rough times? Absolutely. Does it mean that players are now turned off about the idea of playing for the Heat? Not at all."

"To a certain extent, I do believe that the two don't necessarily have to be tied at the hip. The Heat could have fallen on some tough times, but that doesn't necessarily suggest that the lure of Miami is over across the league. As Pat Riley echoed last month in his end-of-the-season press conference, the Heat is still a destination franchise. Just because they've struggled to seal the deal on some star pursuits over the last few years, that doesn't mean the magic of Miami is dead and gone."

"One thing that must be understood is that the business of the NBA has certainly shifted in a big way. And it's played a big factor in the growth of this narrative. With free agency not what it used to be, player movement, especially among star players, is now largely predicated on the trade market. The Heat have had a difficult time adjusting to that new reality in the Association. But that doesn't mean the interest is gone."

"If we had to place primary blame for the Heat's struggles with mediocrity of late, I'd put most of it on the front office's inability to close on trades more than interest from players. Over the last few years, Damian Lillard, Kevin Durant, and ev"

An anonymous poll of NBA players showed that fewer than one percent selected the Miami Heat as a team they did not want to be traded to. The claim that players do not want to play for Miami is presented as false. The Miami Heat may have faced rough times in recent years, but that does not mean the franchise’s appeal has disappeared. Pat Riley is cited saying the Heat remain a destination franchise. The NBA’s business has shifted, with free agency changing and star movement increasingly driven by the trade market. The Heat’s difficulty adjusting to that trade-driven reality is linked to their struggles, rather than a lack of star interest. The front office’s inability to close trades is suggested as a primary cause.

Read at All U Can Heat