The Miami Heat are currently in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018-19, the season before they acquired star wing Jimmy Butler.
At 37-45, they are looking to become the first team in NBA History to win two play-in games on the road as the No. 10 seed in the East, starting with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. Those seeds are 2-6 all-time in play-in games, so it’s inarguably going to be an uphill climb.
Though out West, the top-heavy Phoenix Suns missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019-20. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was fired after one season, and one ripple effect of their disastrous season poses an interesting question for the Heat heading into the summer.
Heat should entertain adding James Jones to a front office role if let go by Suns:
Jones, 44, is from Haileah, Fla., and has deep roots in the South Florida region. The University of Miami alum spent six of his 14 seasons with the Heat from 2008-14, helping the team win two titles in 2012 and 2013 alongside all-time greats Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
Jones also rose up in the Phoenix Suns’ front office after his playing career finished, beginning as the director of player personnel ahead of the 2017-18 season before elevating to the team’s general manager ahead of 2019-20.
However, another organizational move that hyper-aggressive owner Mat Ishbia could initiate this offseason is parting ways with the 2021 Executive of the Year, according to Doug Haller, Sam Amick and Fred Katz of The Athletic.
“The fate of president of basketball operations James Jones is not yet known, but his contract expires at the end of June,” the article read. “Ishbia is widely expected to consider new candidates for the role.
“Jones has been with the Suns since 2017 and has held the lead role in the front office since 2019, though league and team sources say Ishbia and CEO Josh Bartelstein assumed far more prominent roles in trade negotiations and team operations this season. It remains unclear if Bartelstein’s role will change.”
Since becoming the majority owner in 2023, Ishbia has been the lead engine of many of the team’s recent decisions, such as trading for Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Jones’s role as the architect of a perennial winner has appeared to all but vanish.
He took over a 34-win team and helped the Suns win the West the following season after spending multiple years in their front office. The Heat won 37 games this season and are transitioning into a post-Butler build. Could he provide an extra voice to Andy Elisburg, Pat Riley, Adam Simon and others in the front office as a consultant?
I don’t see why not if they give him the chance. Another voice with connections to the organization and city who knows how to establish a winning culture never hurts.
I don’t think his tenure with Phoenix was perfect, but he nailed the Monty Williams hire (at the time); he also did an excellent job drafting and developing Cam Johnson–who many thought was overdrafted at the time–and Mikal Bridges, plus acquiring Chris Paul and Jae Crowder for cheap.
The Heat operate with a one-voice philosophy publicly but have myriad decision-makers behind closed doors, including the aforementioned bunch plus Nick Arison, Alonzo Mourning and head coach Erik Spoelstra.
Should they add Jones to the mix? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
***
To check out our other content, click here.
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!
Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!
Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!
Further Proof of Suns Mismanagement
Phoenix Suns owner, Mat Ishbia can’t get out of his own way, and the Suns’ fan base is paying a hefty price for his impatience and ambition.
By dismissing Mike Budenholzer on Monday, Ishbia essentially committed to paying four coaches simultaneously. Entering the 2025-26 season, the Suns will continue to pay Monty Williams, Frank Vogel and Budenholzer — the trio of coaches they fired over the last two years —besides the fourth coach who takes up the unenviable job.
How many cooks in the kitchen
What the hell– ooooh… *cooks.* My bad, carry on.
I’d vote for RC and/or Sunman 😁
Yay!!! 😆😆
capologist not gm.maybe asst to sun
RC can be my wingman for a cool $400k.
Count me in! And I will bring in hfl for talent evaluation and to totally annoy the office staff.
And as motivational coach to keep everyone in a positive frame of mind.
im a rebel w/o a cause
400 K he thought dunc was better than athletic max.keep him in the cap room.give him an apron to work with
This season, Duncan scored more ppg, had higher fg%, higher 3p%, higher ft%. Max had slightly more rebounds and assists. Duncan may be a poor defender, but Max isn’t much better.
There is surely a place for overseas scouts in there. I can take Europe and Africa, you can take Asia and Australia. Deal?
need scout in france vagi.how far u from france
Not that far. I m heading in that direction tomorrow, but I ll stay in Italy this time.
I ll pass France this autumn on my way to Spain. If I ll find a 7 footer hidden in those wine cellars, I ll let you know.
Nice.
ill be in french riviera july 5-15
Nice.
Need to undergo training for scouting. Im a poor judge of abilities lol. That’s why I love Heat scouting team
Poor judge? Probably why you love hfl.
lol. You a baaaad man!
What they say even blind chicken finds its food.
Thangya vera mush. I’ll do it for $500k, not a dime less and only if I can telework.
Why? Just because he played for Heat and is from Miami? Please? Based on what?
alien needs more knowledge can u give some to him
Don’t blame him. It’s not his fault he’s not from around these parts.
I don’t trust his decision-making after seeing what he’s done in Phoenix. The Suns gutted their team and gave up a ton of draft picks for Durant and Beal and failed to even make the play-in round. Gonna be a long offseason in The Valley of the Sun.
When I look at Heat’s pitiful standing, Suns situation always makes me smile and be hopeful lol
Yup. Things could always be much worse. Believe me. I was suffering with their horrible owner and management for years. They have wasted so many draft picks on overvalued players. Here’s a few of their lottery picks since 2009:
Dream team, indeed. Heat would do miracles with those picks
I think their system of selecting draft picks involved a dart board, alcohol and a blindfold.
well, they selected booker too, so that cant be entirety true.
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
heat should hire sunman.hes paid his hhh dues.
Would need to telework. I ain’t leaving SD.
https://www.threads.net/@sandiegohumor/post/DEWbd8DNstO/media
riley does it from cruise ship
have u ever been to miami?
No. Have you ever been to SD?
I looked up the halfway point. We can meet in Austin.
I have a daughter who lives near Austin. She hates it. Calls Texas the “Armpit of America.” The weather absolutely sucks and the people are…forgetaboutit! My “live and let live” west coast attitude wouldn’t go over too well in Texas (or in Florida for that matter).
should be hippies already on the list of stabile genius moving south?
I haven’t been to San Diego, but I suspect that we both were in the same place at some point. I lived in Lompoc, California for four years, and most people in the state visit Solvang at some point, which was about 15 minutes from where we lived.
I know that area. Santa Maria, Guadalupe (Far Western Steakhouse), Santa Inez Valley, Buellton. Lompoc. Were you stationed at Vandenberg?
I love Santa Barbara up through the central coast (Pismo, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Big Sur, Monterey).
Wasn’t stationed there, but knew many people who worked there. I was there 77-81. Vandenburg was the west coast test site of the shuttle at the time, as well as pole to pole satellite launches. My son was born in Santa Maria.
Anderson’s Pea Soup Buellton, haha. Pretty area. Spent some time in Santa Barbara. Didn’t get up to those beautiful places up north, was too poor at the time.
yes in the 70s went out with brother who went to michigan to see them play in rose bowl in pasadena ,took day trip to sd.dont remember much.went to the famous sd zoo.u guys only have one sports team what kind of sports town is that.one of the greatest football games was the ot game between chargers and fins chargers eventually won.kellen winsow had an unreal day.not sure if your a chargers fan btw.
Absolutely correct. Despite being the 8th largest city in the country, San Diego does not have an NFL, NBA or NHL team. Miami, ranked 42nd in population, has four major professional sports teams. I’m a Ravens fan these days.
NFL
I was born in Texas, so I was a Cowboys fan (from 60’s Don Merideth/Roger Staubach – 90’s Troy Aikman years). I also liked the Rams in the old days (Roman Gabriel/Fearsome Foursome). The last few years, I have followed the Ravens. My son lives in the Baltimore/D.C. area and likes the Ravens and the Caps.
MLB
I was a Dodger fan going back to the early 60’s (Koufax/Drysdale/Wills etc.) but lost interest in the Dodgers specifically and baseball, in general, when the team went corporate (Peter O’Malley sold the team to scumbag Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation in 1998).
NBA
I was a Lakers fan from the early 60’s (West/Baylor/Chamberlin, etc.) through the “Showtime” (Magic/Kareem/Worthy) eras. I grew up in Arizona so I also began following the Suns when they came into the NBA in 1968 (and lost the flip for Lew Alcindor aka: Kareem). I gave up on the Suns and began following the Heat when Phoenix traded Goran Dragic to Miami on February 19, 2015.
no earthquakes in miami
No hurricanes or humidity in SD.
been down here for 60 years never been effected by hurricane.worse thing was loss of power.calis a mess to many people to govern one state.id rather live where alien lives
Been in Cali since I was 19. I worked all my life and paid my dues. Wife and I live a nice, quiet, retired life up in the hills away from all the insanity of the urban areas.
P.S. Florida (like Texas) is a mess of a different kind. If Cali is far left, Fla/Tex are far right. I know which one I prefer.
If there is need for him and he has the tools, why not. His resume includes being one of the calm heads while wearing the Heat’s uniform. He once occupied the trusted position of treasury secretary of the National Basketball players association. An association that include multimillionnaires that says a lot. Also shows that he may have good understanding of the financial implication of trades which is the cornerstone of Heat’s recruitment drive, ‘a dozen for a cent’.