Heat Veteran Breaks Silence on Future After Playoff Exit

Getty Images P.J. Tucker and Udonis Haslem of the Miami Heat.

For nearly two decades, Udonis Haslem has been a pillar for the Miami Heat organization. But after an exit in the Eastern Conference Finals, the 41-year-old big man is going to take some time to think about his future with the franchise.

Haslem took the Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Celtics hard and disclosed during his exit interview on Tuesday that he is considering retirement — which he has the last few offseasons.

“I’m not recovered from the loss to Boston, so as usual, I’ll take my time,” Haslem told reporters. “I want to be playing right now. I didn’t get what I want. I want to still be playing. So I’m not getting what I want at this moment. It’s time to take a mental break and decide after that.”

Make no mistake — Haslem isn’t sticking around in Miami for his on-court contributions. He averaged just 2.5 points and less than two rebounds per game this year. But where Haslem is most valuable is in the locker room, providing a link between the players and coaches.

While nothing is certain going forward — especially in regards to Haslem — Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes Miami will take another shot at a title with a roster that looks similar to this year’s crew.

“It is a [team president Pat Riley] thing,” Spoelstra said. “But look at the history of how we’ve done things since Pat and [owner Micky Arison] have created this culture. Anytime we’re close and have banged on the door, even if it ended in a disappointing loss, our history has shown that we usually bring the majority of the group back, the core back, and we take another shot at it.”

Haslem hinted at wanting to be an owner one day, but shot down the idea of coaching, saying he has too many projects outside of basketball to do that.

Haslem Believes Jimmy Butler is Overlooked as a Star

Haslem can provide a great point of view on the roster and the inner workings of the locker room.  That includes some insight into All-Star forward Jimmy Butler, who carried the Heat in the postseason, averaging 25.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists, also adding a pair of steals per game.

“Jimmy gets overlooked, for whatever reason. I don’t understand that,” Haslem said. “I think sometimes the heart of a champion gets overlooked. I think that’s something people overlook when it comes to Jimmy — his heart. His numbers were great. But I think Jimmy got everyone to believe. And once everyone believed they started to follow.”

Haslem also had some high praise for Bam Adebayo, saying he proved a lot of his haters wrong with a solid postseason.

“He’s capable. A lot of people questioned that. And he’s not only capable but capable of doing it on the big stage in big-time moments,” said Haslem, a three-time NBA champ. “Those were the questions people were asking.”

Haslem: Tyler Herro Improving in All Areas

Tyler Herro was another player under some scrutiny when the postseason came to a close for the Heat. While Herro’s outstanding regular season earned him the Sixth Man honors, he had a disappointing playoff run, with injuries playing a role in his slump. He averaged just 12.6 points in the playoffs and shot 22% from beyond the arc.

“I expressed to Tyler that he can help us win a series in more ways than just one,” Haslem said. “He’s improved with his passing, he’s getting better with his defense. But these are all things he just has to keep working on.”

Herro has expressed that he wants to start next season, but to do so, he’ll have to continue improving, particularly on the defensive end.