Who will Udonis Haslem pass the Heat torch to? – Reading the Eagle

Q: It’s a shame Tom Brady isn’t with the Dolphins this season to bring a fountain of youth to Miami along with Udonis Haslem. UD said this is his last year. Who will get the torch? — Stewart, Miami.

A: The twist is that Bam Adebayo has repeatedly said he wants to be the franchise’s next lifer. This, of course, means keeping him off the trading table. But aside from Adebayo, with all due respect to Tyler Herr, it doesn’t seem like the Heat have another new leader like that. Be that as it may, Jimmy Butler appears to be the heir apparent to Udonis Haslem’s captaincy. But Jimmy is also turning 33 soon, and I doubt he has any Haslem-like plans to play until he’s 42.

Q: Great to hear Udonis Haslem (Mr. 305) is back for his 20th season. In my opinion, UD embodies the true meaning of Heat Culture. – Greg, Jacksonville.

A: It actually sells Udonis Haslem to some degree. He embodies professionalism, of which there is perhaps no greater compliment for an athlete.

Q: One thing I’ve noticed about the Heat’s schedule this year is a few baseball-like streaks with back-to-back games against the same teams. I feel that while it certainly makes some trips easier for teams, it dulls those games and causes fan fatigue or lack of interest in those games. It is very difficult to win both of these games no matter who you play. – Aaron, Miami.

A: I’m not a big fan from a fan’s perspective either, but as I wrote in my Sunday column, if the reduced travel makes the league’s stars more available and thus less likely to practice load management, then it could prove to be be an acceptable compromise. But, yeah, playing the Hornets in back-to-back home games isn’t optimal.

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