Ask Ira: Does Pat Riley Already Have The Heat On Notice About Trading Deadline?

Q: Trying to figure out Pat Riley’s “A telling year for this team” comment. Are we sticking with this roster for the entire year? Or if this thing goes sideways fast, will there be changes come the Feb, 8 NBA trading deadline? – Bob, Davie. A: Based on how difficult trading can be these days, especially with punitive luxury-tax apron restrictions (the Heat, for example, by being above the first apron, cannot take back a single dollar more in salary in a trade than sent out), change is not so easily accomplished midstream.