Heat executive leaves after 22 years with the team

The Purple and Gold wanted some Heat culture and now have a new assistant general manager, per ESPN. Results won't show immediately, but this will end up being one of president and GM Rob Pelinka's best moves off the offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Eric Amsler is not as well known as Andy Elisburg, Pat Riley and other members of the committee, but he was an integral part of the machine for 22 years. He worked his way up in Miami from a scouting and information coordinator to vice president of player personnel while being general manager of the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team’s G-League affiliate. He was one of the team’s top scouts for the draft, and was known for traveling throughout the country and overseas, looking for talent.

The Lakers wanted Amsler in part because of his international contacts, so that they could be tipped off to unknown talent quicker, plus his keen eye for it. Notably, the Skyforce made one Western Conference Finals trip and two to the semis over a five-year period while Amsler was GM. He likely saw a path to a greater role down the line somewhere else since it’s hard to see anyone in the committee retiring or moving on. 

It’s unclear if the Heat will replace both of these positions with one person, yet they are important tasks to fill. Perhaps the next person stepping up could be Keith Askins, who worked directly with Amsler. Askins is currently the senior director of college and pro scouting plus the assistant GM of the Skyforce. 

Chad Kammerer, the team’s director of NBA scouting, could be an option. He, like Askins, does not live in Miami, and it’s also unclear if being local is a requirement for taking both roles, since Amsler lived in Biscayne Park. 

Having someone in Amsler's former role(s) soon, who can have a significant say in what low-cost players get signed, is a big deal because the team will need to stay fresh over the years now that they’ve brought in Giannis Antetokounmpo. Keep in mind that guys like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Haywood Highsmith were in Miami an average of 3.6 years, and if everything goes smoothly, maybe Antetokounmpo will be with the team longer than that. 

 If not Askins, Kammerer, or even the older Chet Kammerer, who is the senior advisor of basketball operations, it would be a surprise if the Heat picked someone out-of-house since they have so many scouts already to choose from. Nonetheless, the next person has big shoes to fill.