Erik Spoelstra signs long-term extension with Heat

The Eastern Conference’s longest-tenured head coach will be extending his stay with the Miami Heat.

Erik Spoelstra has agreed to a new long-term deal with the Heat, as first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, ensuring that the veteran coach won’t be a lame duck in the 2019-20 season.

Story filed: Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has agreed to a long-term contract extension, league sources tell ESPN. Spoelstra, who had one year left on deal, quietly negotiated extension that's been finalized on the eve of his 12th season as head coach.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 28, 2019

Only Gregg Popovich has been coaching his current NBA team longer than the 48-year-old Spoelstra. The Heat coach is a two-time NBA champion, boasting a 523-363 record in regular season action. He’s 71-47 in the playoffs, having coached the LeBron James-led Heat to four Finals appearances. He’s extremely well-respected within the organization, so much so that there’s chatter of him getting something of a promotion whenever team president Pat Riley decides to step aside.