Q: Does this mean that Caleb Martin is our starting power forward? – Eddie.

A: I guess on July 7 it does. But we’re still almost three months from the start of training camp, with players such as Kevin Durant, John Collins and Myles Turner, among others, seemingly being dangled. Plus, there still is time for first-round pick Nikola Jovic to continue taking the world by storm (or not). What the signing of Caleb Martin did was provide depth and insurance. It also yet again sent a clear signal that the Heat stand by their player-development process and reward those who put in the effort (although the rewarding this time was not to Tyler Johnson levels). But I also can understand the trepidation of an undersized starting front line of Bam Adebayo, Martin and Jimmy Butler. The Heat may yet have to go to greater lengths.

Q: Now that we have signed Caleb Martin to a three-year deal, that seems to put the Durant rumor to rest, correct? – Bill, Palm Beach Gardens.

A: Not at all. I’m not sure the Caleb Martin agreement has anything to do with possibly acquiring Kevin Durant, since exception money would not have come into play. What does come into play is that Caleb’s price point at $6.5 million for next season keeps the Heat below the hard-cap line, making it easier to facilitate a potential trade. It’s not as if the Heat said, “We have Caleb, so now we don’t need Durant.” The pieces that could have been put into play for Durant remain pieces that could be put into play. And the one thing about Caleb is that he has shown an ability to complement a variety of players.

Q: Nikola Jovic has to hit the weight room, and also to move without the ball, instead of just standing in the corner. He does have really good passing instincts. He looks like he will benefit from spending and developing his game in the G League. – Joel.

A: Actually, this could be a rare case where the G League might be counterproductive, with its somewhat helter-skelter offensive approach. If Udonis Haslem does come back for another season, then he might be able to offer the same type of tutoring that he did last season with Omer Yurtseven. Beyond that, with summer-league coach Malik Allen also the Heat’s big-man coach as an assistant to Erik Spoelstra, continuity with Malik also could pay dividends. At 19, it might be better to allow Jovic to acclimate to South Florida than to South Dakota, where the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, is located.

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