Fox Sports Host Has Perfect, New Home For Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra

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The New York Knicks are the only team in the NBA without a coach.
There is plenty of speculation and rumors out there. One sports radio show host even included Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra in the mix. Jason Smith of Fox Sports suggested the Knicks at least make a call to Spoelstra.
"He and Steve Kerr are the two best coaches in the NBA," Smith said. "Erik Spoelstra has a resume you absolutely want. He is still considered a younger head coach because he got the gig when he was young. He's been there almost 20 years but look how successful he's been. Look how successful he's in the playoffs with teams that aren't any good. Spoelstra has been able to figure out teams with big egos, big contracts ... that overachieved, that underachieved. There's nothing the guy can't do."
Last week the Knicks surprisingly fired Tom Thibodeau just days after they lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. Spoelstra is considered one of the top 15 coaches in league history. He led the Heat to two championships during the LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade era. More recently, Spoelstra led two more Finals runs, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and Denver Nuggets in 2023.
The Heat were in the Play-In Tournament the past two seasons, losing twice in the first round of the playoffs.
"Who knows what's going to happen the next few years with Miami," Smith said. "Thirty-eight wins and you'll sneak into the 7-10 round of the playoffs?"
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Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star. TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here