Wayne Ellington says “it was an easy decision” to rejoin the Heat when he started his coaching career in 2023, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The former NBA shooting guard played for nine different teams during his 13 years in the league, last suiting up for the Lakers in 2021/22.
Ellington, who had some of his best seasons as a player in his two-plus years with the Miami under head coach Erik Spoelstra, will be the Heat’s summer league coach in July for both the California Classic and the league-wide competition in Las Vegas.
“This is the next step in my journey, and I’m super excited for it,” Ellington said Friday during a teleconference with a few South Florida reporters. “I’m super appreciative of the opportunity and the confidence that Spo and the front office has in me, allowing me to do this this summer. So I’m looking forward to it.”
As Chiang notes, Ellington was a player development coach in his first year on the Heat’s staff and has been an assistant for the past two seasons. The 38-year-old, who is one of four former Heat players on Spoelstra’s staff, says he has learned a lot over the years from his own coaches and aspires to become a head coach.
“Obviously, my next step is to be a bench coach. And then, yeah, I do have the ambition to be a head coach one day,” Ellington said. “I’m still growing and still learning, obviously. But that is my goal in the end.”
Here’s more from Miami:
- Based on the way the Eastern Conference playoffs transpired, Heat president Pat Riley may have been right in his belief that the team wasn’t as far from making another trip to the NBA Finals as it appeared on the surface after a 10th-place finish and a quick play-in exit, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Riley expressed a belief that Miami could have been a player (or a few lucky breaks) away from being near the top of the conference. “I think we were competitive as hell,” Riley said at his end-of-season press conference last month. “Yes, do I think we might have got up there? The only two teams that I would consider that I would be uncomfortable playing against would be OKC and San Antonio. And they’re out there (in the Western Conference). But if I can get into the (NBA) Finals, just like we did in ’23, then I would be happy.” As Winderman writes, while the Knicks were absolutely dominant in their run to the finals, they were also fortunate in the sense that they didn’t have to play the Pistons (who swept New York during the regular season) or Boston, and will now face their third straight opponent coming off a seven-game series.
- In a mailbag column (subscriber link), Winderman observes that the Heat are in a tricky spot from a salary-matching standpoint if they try to trade for a star player like Giannis Antetokounmpo, since Tyler Herro is the only mid-to-large salary currently on their books aside from Bam Adebayo, who is said to be off limits. Still, Winderman thinks it’s a good time for Miami to make a trade from an asset perspective, since the team has some appealing young players who may or may not continue to improve. He also answers a question about whether the Magic would be able to trump the Heat’s offer for Antetokounmpo if Orlando is willing to give up a package headlined by Paolo Banchero.
- In another subscriber-only mailbag, Winderman says the Heat shouldn’t offer any draft picks to the Grizzlies if they pursue Ja Morant as a fallback option. In fact, Winderman says he would require Memphis to take on Nikola Jovic‘s four-year, $62.4MM extension to offset some of the money owed to Morant. Herro would still likely have to be involved in that framework though, Winderman notes, likely in a multi-team deal, which makes it less appealing from the Heat’s perspective.
If Riley actually believes that he has lost it
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM
Riley has a point. Given the state of the east this season adding Giannis with this core roster would likely be a finals team. Hopefully that comes to fruition for next season.
…..
No.
You’re not adding Giannis with “this core” because you have to give to get. Bam is off limits so Herro would most likely be in the deal. Bam + Giannis + “shambles of the core” good enough to win a title? East may not have Spurs and Thunder but they still have Knicks Cavs Celtics Pistons. It’s no cake walk
Only non heat fans will say the core would be shambles around Giannis. The deal would be Herro, Jaquez, Ware and probably Jovic along with a bundle of pick for Giannis. Herro & Powell were interchangeable at times last season given injuries. If they trade Herro as part of the deal, Powell will likely be back and fill the SG role. Doubtful that Pelle Larrson would be part of the deal and bet he improves next year along with Jackucionis (look them up). Giannis would be a 1 for 1 swap of Ware in the front court. The only piece that they would have to fill that would not return in the trade is the role Jaquez played. The mid level can be used to bring in someone like Rui Hachimura or Ayo, maybe Tobias Harris and/or someone like Middleton if he wants to rejoin Giannis. This would alleviate the loss of Jaquez
Giannis + Bam front court would be THE BEST in the East and it wouldn’t be close. I do worry about the backcourt a little honestly given the inexperience, but Miami has a way of getting the best of UDFA and lower picks. Max Strus and Duncan Robinson come to mind. I know it’s not a cake walk, especially with the presence of Wemby and SGA out west, but the East will probably be anyone’s for the taking next year again. NYK doesn’t scare me and it’s tough to win a title when your best player is the PG (look it up) . Boston will likely trade Brown. Pistons haven’t proven they can win the big games. And Cavs have the inconsistencies of Harden. Unless they get LeBron to join Mitchell, they’re not going to win a championship. I like the Heat’s chances in 2027 if they get Giannis.
They aren’t getting Giannis for free.
funny how this article pretends that grizzlies will give up Morant for nothing.
It says Morant for Jovic and Herro?
More teams coming off the “viable options for Giannis” board. I posit GSW will end up being the team with the best offer for him. Always have, always will. I saw it coming from that far away…or I didn’t, if he does go somewhere else lol
Why would the warriors want Giannis for 1 year with the high cost of trading for him? that would be just a horrible trade.
Because it’s the Warriors, duh?
MDJ already said he doesn’t want to trade draft picks. Better option is wait until next year when Giannis is a free agent and sign him. The warriors will be 1 of only a few teams that can fit him under the cap. they have 0 chance of winning anything even with Giannis so might as well wait.
Do you honestly trust the Warriors front office? It’s their MO to lie lie lie lie 24-7 about everything. I do agree that its easier and cleaner to just sign him in FA in a year.
I don’t think they are a lock to trade their pick, but I can see it happening.
Thanks for not being a scum poster/pure troll/fake GSW fan like giants47 and Gary are, arc. You are a rare good one on here.
Miami should keep Herro and trade Powell instead. Powell has been playing greatly, but Herro is a part of the identity. Also, Powell may not have less trade value now that Herro.
Herro, Bam, Jaquez and Mitchell are keepers. May Kawhi be gettable? How about “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” 2?
Trading players when their value hasn’t cratered into the Mariana Trench goes against the principles of the Heat.
Pat Riley is living on another planet if he thinks this Heat team is anywhere near competing.
The Heat is what happens when the feelings of one old man who “just wants one more parade” can take over an entire franchise.