At 34, Raptors’ Marc Gasol will carry Spain’s World Cup hope

Pat Riley had his end of season media availability on Friday and suggested that the Miami Heat could be embarking on a major offseason after they traded away Jimmy Butler and fell another tier in the Eastern Conference.

“We have to make changes philosophically and even personnel wise,” said Riley. “We probably won’t run it back. But players aren’t just going to show up. You have to make deals.”

The Heat will not have cap space until 2026 and will be “moving forward” with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

“We are going to look for something that will really help this team,” said Riley. “It might take years. [But] we are not going to deal with a long process, nor is ownership.”

Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks appear to need one another without much leverage in either direction, but both sides are prepared to negotiate as free agency opens. Irving will meet with the Phoenix Suns even though they lack realistic options to match the Mavericks financially.

“Kyrie Irving is trying to create a market out there,” said Adrian Wojnarowski. “It may just not be there for him. Certainly, Dallas, I think, is going to try to show some restraint, some discipline on what they’re going to offer Kyrie Irving with a new deal in Dallas. It’s going to be more than anybody else can offer him.

“I think he’s going to try to spend some time here trying to manufacture a marketplace of salary cap space and teams that might actually scare Dallas into thinking they have to up their offer. I’m not sure that’s happening. That will be an interesting process as it plays out. I still think Kyrie Irving inevitably will return back to Dallas on a deal to play with Luka Doncic.”