If there was any reason for solace in the Miami Heat locker room after the final game of the season in Philadelphia Lane Taylor Jersey , it was this: They knew they lost to a better team.

The Heat were good. They weren’t great.

Hence, the challenge of the offseason is clear: The Heat have to not only find ways to improve, but will have to find some creative ways to make it happen. They don’t have a pile of salary-cap space to play with, they don’t have any picks in this year’s draft and they know that fellow Eastern Conference clubs like the 76ers – who needed five games to oust Miami from the playoffs – might only get better.

”We gave everything we have,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. ”We have to be OK with that.”

And with that, there is Question No. 1 of the offseason: Does Wade have any more to give?

Wade is considering retirement, a decision that could affect some of the personnel decisions the Heat will make this summer, plus could also have an impact on whether Udonis Haslem returns to Miami for a 16th season. Haslem barely plays and insists that he still can help on the floor, but the Heat want him back to help provide locker-room leadership that teammates and coaches insist is necessary.

The Heat dealt with injuries and inconsistency all season, yet still got back to the playoffs and won the Southeast Division. Miami believes it has a core that can be better next season, and it’s clear that a total rebuild isn’t in the cards for Pat Riley and the Heat front office.

Also clear Kevin Hogan Jersey , though, is this: If a fourth title banner is coming to Miami anytime soon, some changes are going to be needed. Philadelphia was better than Miami at virtually every position in their first-round matchup, and that’s what will resonate in Heat land this summer.

”When it ends in this league, whenever it ends, whether you’re in the playoffs or not in the playoffs or you get knocked out in later rounds, it never ends well,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ”But it doesn’t take away from the experiences we had for six months with this team.”

Here’s five non-Wade-related topics to ponder going into the Heat offseason:

WHITESIDE DILEMMA

C Hassan Whiteside wants a bigger role, and it may be time for a trade. Moving him will not be easy, since Whiteside is owed about $25.5 million for next season and has a $27 million player option for 2019-20. There are selling points – he’s one of eight players in NBA history to be both a rebounding champion and a blocked-shot champion. But there are also injury and attitude questions, and those will hinder any trade talks Miami has.

INJURY WOES

G Tyler Johnson Jeff Heath Jersey , whose salary soars from $6 million this season to $19 million next season, likely needs surgery to repair his left thumb. He got hurt in the opening seconds of Game 3 against Philadelphia, but stayed in the series. Josh Richardson (shoulder) and Goran Dragic (knee) were also ailing in the playoffs, and G-F Rodney McGruder – a key part of Miami’s plan for the season – missed most of the year with a stress fracture in his leg. Plus, it’s unclear if G Dion Waiters (ankle surgery) will be ready for camp after getting shut down midway through this season.

ELLINGTON WATCH

Free-agent-to-be Wayne Ellington wants to stay and the Heat want the same, especially after he set the franchise record with 227 3-pointers this season. Problem is, how can they pay him? The Heat have $111 million earmarked for only seven players – Whiteside, Goran Dragic, Tyler Johnson, James Johnson, Kelly Olynyk Charles Clay Jersey , Waiters and Josh Richardson. They’ll find some wiggle room, of course, but Ellington is likely to get big offers from other clubs as well.

MAKE OR MISS

It’s part of the Heat culture that defense must be the priority, and this season was no different. The Heat gave up the fourth-fewest points in the NBA, with opponents averaging 102.9 per game. But the Heat offense could apparently use a boost. Miami was 15th this season in 2-point percentage, 16th in 3-point percentage and 22nd in free throw percentage.

DEFEND HOME

If the Heat are going to be better next season, they’ve got to be better at home. Including playoffs, Miami was 26-17 at AmericanAirlines Arena this season – that .605 winning percentage just 19th-best out of the franchise’s 30 years of play.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) There’s growing concern about Joshua Garnett’s knee injury, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, after the guard missed the last five practices of training camp.

”Josh said that he doesn’t feel right Jordan Mills Jersey , so that’s always worrisome when a player says he doesn’t feel right,” said Shanahan. ”And I know Josh is getting a few second opinions. So waiting until our doctors talk to other people and see what conclusion they come to.”

Garnett began camp in a heated competition to start at right guard after missing all of 2017 following surgery on the same right knee last August. The team said Garnett banged knees with a teammate July 28 and he was expected to return this week.

Part of the concern is the uncertainty surrounding the injury, which the team initially called ”not significant.”

”It depends who you talk to,” Shanahan said. ”That’s what we’re trying to find out and that’s what he’s trying to find out. Josh went through a lot last year with his knee.”

San Francisco signed Jonathan Cooper and Mike Person in the offseason to also be in the mix at right guard.

Cooper, who had offseason knee surgery, hasn’t participated in full-team drills yet after returning to individual drills earlier this week. Person has been given the majority of the work with the starters while second-year player Erik Magnuson has also been involved.

NOTES: CB Richard Sherman sat out the second half of Friday’s practice after feeling tightness in his hamstring, Shanahan sa6id . Rookie WR Dante Pettis was given the day off after tweaking his groin . Rookie LB Fred Warner sat out Friday after suffering a chest contusion earlier in the week . DE Jeremiah Attaochu (groin) was also given the day off . The 49ers will have the day off Saturday before returning to practice Sunday.

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