It is already a known fact that Udonis Haslem’s playing career with the Miami Heat will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2022-23 NBA season, but that does not mean he plans on stepping away from the team.
Haslem recently made it clear that he intends to be around the Heat franchise every day next season and beyond despite the fact that his playing days are now very much numbered.
“When Udonis Haslem retires at the end of this, his 20th NBA season, it won’t mean a separation from the Miami Heat,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wrote.
“Haslem, the embodiment of Heat culture, told The Miami Herald that he still intends to be around the team every day next season and beyond. And he has a unique role in mind: as a hands-on minority owner, a cog helping bridge all levels of the organization.”
Surely, this is exciting news for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and the rest of the team’s coaching staff. For years, Haslem has operated as a crucial leader on the Heat’s roster, and though his roster spot will soon open up, it looks like that leadership will be sticking around for a long time.
“My commitment, even though I’ll be retired, is to be here just as much as the players and the staff and be committed to the process of the future and winning,” he said. “I look to take a path of ownership, but to be a working owner, not a guy who crosses his legs and sits on the sideline.
“I want to be a guy that connects the dots between the locker room and front office, connects the dots between the front office and the owners. Sometimes you can miss things in those area.”
It certainly seems like Haslem has an exciting future ahead of him with the Heat. This is far from the first time that fans have heard about Haslem being interested in an ownership role with the organization. It will be really interesting to see what that role actually looks like if and when an agreement finally gets done.
So far this season, Haslem has taken the court in just six games. The sight of Haslem in game action has been a rarity in recent years, but his value to the team and its success is unquestioned.
Surely, Haslem would love to see a bit more of that success right now. The Heat are currently fighting for positioning in the postseason picture, and things have not gone all that well since the All-Star break.
Miami has lost both of its games since coming back from the All-Star break, and it is currently on a four-game losing streak overall. The team would land in the play-in tournament if the regular season ended today, and if Miami wants to change that, things need to change quickly.