Ira Winderman: Quarter century later, devastation in Charlotte again requires rebuild

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As he exited the arena bowl into the unknown of the offseason late Tuesday night, it was as if Miami Heat president Pat Riley had been here before.

Because he had.

A quarter century ago.

Also in Charlotte.

As aware then, as he must be now, that change was necessary, inevitable, mandated by the moment.

That was in 2001, when then, as in now, the Heat found themselves devastated at the start of the postseason by the Charlotte Hornets, Riley in the bowels of the arena those 25 years ago questioning the direction of what led to that moment and what had to come next.

Then, it was as coach. Now, it solely is as team president.

Then, it was being swept out of the best-of-three first round by the Hornets, the instant death by playoff lightning at the time. Now, it was Tuesday night’s gut-wrenching overtime loss to the Hornets in a win-or-go-home play-in game.

Then he said, “We haven’t been able to handle the expectations.”

Now the reality is there aren’t even expectations, just a team that for the second consecutive year tried to advance as a No. 10 play-in seed and was slammed back to postseason reality.

Then, it was attempting to push through with a center in only the formative stages of returning from kidney disease, with that same center, Alonzo Mourning, this time looking on from the stands in Charlotte on Tuesday night alongside Riley as a team executive.

This time it was the Heat losing franchise center Bam Adebayo for the night to a back injury in the opening ticks of the second period.

“If I was my boss,” Riley said back then in a different Charlotte arena those 25 years ago, “I would probably fire me. But I’m not going to fire myself.”

Nor is there any such sense this time around with Erik Spoelstra, who for yet another season pushed all the buttons afforded, when arguably not enough buttons were afforded.

Then, there were no excuses, just an ongoing churn of the roster that offseason, a churn that had started the previous summer with the of dealing of P.J. Brown and Jamal Mashburn and then that 2001 offseason with the offloading of Mourning’s iconic Heat running partner Tim Hardaway.

Now, something similar assuredly awaits for a team that has gone three seasons with a single playoff win — not playoff-series win, but playoff-game win (against the Boston Celtics, in 2024).

As the Heat departed Spectrum Center on Tuesday night, they exited with Norman Powell headed into free agency, with Andrew Wiggins with a player option for next season, with Tyler Herro with another extension window about to open, and with extension decisions in short order at hand with Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Pelle Larsson.

The decision could be for another all-or-nothing swing at the highest level of talent.

In 2001, the Heat were still three years away from Shaquille O’Neal. Now, there again is the Giannis Antetokounmpo option, but also the reality of swings and misses in that direction previously.

But in 2001, there wasn’t the option of turning to the youth already on hand, then merely a roster aging out.

Now, as Tuesday night’s start and impressive performance by Kel’el Ware showed, there is the ability to turn to youth. But that also would require commitment to youth.

Yes, Larsson came up with an overtime steal that nearly turned the season. Yes, Jaquez again persevered as sixth man. But it also was a closing night when rookie Kasparas Jakucionis never got off the bench, and injury/prone former first-round Nikola Jovic was unable to get off the bench.

In 2001, the crossroads was dramatic. Brown and Mashburn already were gone, with Hardaway about to be cast aside. Riley knew something had to change. Five years later, the franchise’s first championship followed.

Now, another crossroads, with a franchise that has a previous blueprint for what is necessary, a reality dealt with a quarter century ago following similar Charlotte-induced consternation.

To this point, the Heat arguably have been too stubborn, or too arrogant, in belief that the quick fix was just around the corner. But Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Antetokounmpo have not walked through that door.

When his back was against the wall the last time there was a humbling loss at the hands of Hornets, Riley took the boldest of steps.

Now, something brash is required again, a quarter century later, after another devastating exit in Charlotte.

All these years later, the sting of the Hornets remains quite real.

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