NBA general managers continue to think highly of Erik Spoelstra, but not of Heat’s roster

NBA general managers think very highly of Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, but not highly of this season’s Heat roster.

In this year’s NBA preseason survey of general managers, Spoelstra nearly swept the coaching categories for the third straight season.

Spoelstra was voted the best head coach in the NBA (69 percent of vote), best manager/motivator of people (37 percent) and the head coach with the best defensive schemes (23 percent). He also finished second (24 percent) to Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue (28 percent) for the head coach who makes the best in-game adjustments.

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But the survey of general managers does not have the Heat finishing this upcoming regular season among the top seven in the Eastern Conference after Miami needed to qualify for the playoffs through the play-in tournament in each of the past two seasons. General managers predict the East to finish like this: No. 1 Boston Celtics, No. 2 New York Knicks, No. 3 Philadelphia 76ers, No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers, No. 5 Milwaukee Bucks, No. 6 Orlando Magic and No. 7 Indiana Pacers.

The Celtics are also the overwhelming championship favorite among general managers, receiving 83 percent of the vote to repeat as NBA champions.

The general managers responded to 50 questions about the best teams, players, coaches and offseason moves. General managers were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel, and percentages are based on the pool of respondents to that particular question rather than all 30 general managers.

With the results of the survey released Tuesday, here are the other categories that the Heat received at least one vote in:

▪ Heat center Bam Adebayo finished tied with Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and Boston’s Jrue Holiday with the second-most votes (10 percent) for the best defensive player in the NBA. The only player who received more votes was San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.

▪ Adebayo also received the fourth-most votes (7 percent) for the best interior defender in the NBA behind Wembanyama (40 percent), Gobert (37 percent) and Los Angeles’ Anthony Davis (10 percent).

▪ In addition, Adebayo came in fourth (10 percent) in the voting for the most versatile defender in the NBA behind Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (17 percent), New York’s OG Anunoby (13 percent) and Wembanyama (13 percent).

▪ Along with nearly sweeping the coaching categories, Spoelstra was among those who received votes for the head coach who runs the best offense. The top four in this category: Indiana’s Rick Carlisle (47 percent), Boston’s Joe Mazzulla (17 percent), Minnesota’s Chris Finch (13 percent) and Golden State’s Steve Kerr (10 percent).

▪ Heat associate head coach Chris Quinn finished tied with Clippers lead assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy with the fourth-most votes (7 percent) for the best assistant coach in the NBA. Only Boston’s Sam Cassell (17 percent), Minnesota’s Micah Nori (17 percent) and Dallas’ Sean Sweeney (10 percent) received more votes.

▪ The Heat was among those that received votes for which team’s level of success this season is toughest to predict. The team that received the most votes for this category was the Los Angeles Lakers (17 percent).

▪ Adebayo was among those who received votes for which player is the most athletic in the NBA. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards received the most votes (45 percent) for this category.

▪ Heat three-point shooting forward Duncan Robinson was among those who received votes for which player is the best at moving without the ball. Golden State’s Stephen Curry dominated this category with 83 percent of the vote.

▪ Adebayo was among those who received votes for who is the most versatile player in the NBA. Antetokounmpo took this category with 30 percent of the vote.