# Heat 2012 Off-Season Thread



## IbizaXL

ohh yes, i went there.


The most compassionate thing our incompetent team can do for us fans is to end the season as quickly as possible, stay home and watch the big boys play. Even if for some miracle Miami advances to the conference finals, theres still many doubts this team and coaching staff we currently have can make it all the way. championship pretenders indeed.

what are some things you would like to see different next season, fixed etc? 

Any predictions about the team overall? Spoo getting replaced? more trades? Mourning's return?


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I absolutely will not root for this team next year if Spoo is back.


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## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> I absolutely will not root for this team next year if Spoo is back.


well, at least now ill know who to root for once we get eliminated. ive always liked The Spurs after MIA.


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## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Get some rebounders.


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Series isn't over.

I was on the anti-Spo wagon, but I will never support a player who tries to usurp a coach, so.... Bring Spo back.

Trade Wade.


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## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> I was on the anti-Spo wagon, but I will never support a player who tries to usurp a coach, so.... Bring Spo back.


What? That's like saying you can't support a child who runs away from abusive parents.


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## Bogg

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Riley's not afraid to think outside of the box. Have Ainge sign Doc to the mid-level and trade Wade for Ray Allen, Doc Rivers, and Greg Stiemsma, and just let Doc coach the team in his warm-ups.


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## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> Series isn't over.


do you honestly believe that without cracking a smile? lol

seriously, if you have even the slightest doubt, and youre going on just "hope"...then this series IS over. its ok man, its a tough one to swallow. we all have to learn to accept what our team really is.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> Series isn't over.
> 
> I was on the anti-Spo wagon, but I will never support a player who tries to usurp a coach, so.... Bring Spo back.
> 
> Trade Wade.


That's a smart post...



IbizaXL said:


> do you honestly believe that without cracking a smile? lol
> 
> seriously, if you have even the slightest doubt, and youre going on just "hope"...then this series IS over. its ok man, its a tough one to swallow. we all have to learn to accept what our team really is.


Well he did wear a Spoo avatar for a year and wants to start Patrick Beverley.


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## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Look at the bright side, Joel Anthony, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem are locked up for 3 more years and Shane Battier for 2 more.

Talk about anchors on a salary cap.


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## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Floods posted what I was going to say. Rebounders. Oh, and "shooters" that shoot well if that's not too much.

Also, Bosh moved for a solid role-player or two who do what he does well in pieces but more consistently between them.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> Look at the bright side, Joel Anthony, Mike Miller, and Udonis Haslem are locked up for 3 more years and Shane Battier for 2 more.
> 
> Talk about anchors on a salary cap.


I'm more frustrated about our 220 pound center. Does he plan on getting physically fit to compete in the paint?


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## myst

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

You guys are overreacting big time. If we win game 4 it's a 3 game series with 2 of the games in Miami. I understand being upset, but talk about overreacting.


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Floods said:


> What? That's like saying you can't support a child who runs away from abusive parents.


No comparison whatsoever. These are professionals. Acting like that is uncalled for. If you're angry take care of it behind closed doors.



Adam said:


> That's a smart post...
> 
> Well he did wear a Spoo avatar for a year and wants to start Patrick Beverley.


Seeing the Heat actually trade for my man crush then trade him? Heart breaking. Patrick Beverley = Gone but never forgotten.... (Russia Can't Be Fun) 

As far as Spoelstra and Wade? I'm not sure on Spo any more, but I will say I just don't want Wade back at this moment. I'll probably wake up and think, "It's Dwyane Wade, calm down Smithian." Right now? Move him.

We have a ridiculous record without Wade. LeBron James took Cleveland on multiple awesome runs with tons of trash players. Spoelstra is at least as good if not better than Mike Brown. Tomorrow if Wade is gone you already have Bosh who is better than anyone who ever played with LeBron pre-Heat. He averaged 20 and 10, was a 5-time All-Star, and was an Olympian with the Raptors. He has struggled as a third option but when the second option looks like a complete beast. Also, the rest of the roster has lots of solid veterans like Shattier and Haslem. Also, if you trade Wade to some NBA backwater like Toronto or Sacramento then you get at least one or two relatively good pieces, again better than anything than LeBron had in Cleveland. A team built around LeBron and Bosh contends for an NBA championship.

My problem tonight isn't just the loss but Wade getting in a COACH'S face. I don't care who the coach is, that can't happen infront of cameras.


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



myst said:


> You guys are overreacting big time. If we win game 4 it's a 3 game series with 2 of the games in Miami. I understand being upset, but talk about overreacting.


I look at it as as we have to win one in Indy and two at home.

We're in a definite panic, but not crisis mode. Series far from over.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

So... you guys are putting this on the coach?

Spo didn't make Wade play like shit. He didn't make Lebron go cold either.


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> So... you guys are putting this on the coach?
> 
> Spo didn't make Wade play like shit. He didn't make Lebron go cold either.


Blame isn't a zero sum game.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> No comparison whatsoever. These are professionals. Acting like that is uncalled for. If you're angry take care of it behind closed doors.
> 
> Seeing the Heat actually trade for my man crush then trade him? Heart breaking. Patrick Beverley = Gone but never forgotten.... (Russia Can't Be Fun)
> 
> As far as Spoelstra and Wade? I'm not sure on Spo any more, but I will say I just don't want Wade back at this moment. I'll probably wake up and think, "It's Dwyane Wade, calm down Smithian." Right now? Move him.
> 
> We have a ridiculous record without Wade. LeBron James took Cleveland on multiple awesome runs with tons of trash players. Spoelstra is at least as good if not better than Mike Brown. Tomorrow if Wade is gone you already have Bosh who is better than anyone who ever played with LeBron pre-Heat. He averaged 20 and 10, was a 5-time All-Star, and was an Olympian with the Raptors. He has struggled as a third option but when the second option looks like a complete beast. Also, the rest of the roster has lots of solid veterans like Shattier and Haslem. Also, if you trade Wade to some NBA backwater like Toronto or Sacramento then you get at least one or two relatively good pieces, again better than anything than LeBron had in Cleveland. A team built around LeBron and Bosh contends for an NBA championship.
> 
> My problem tonight isn't just the loss but Wade getting in a COACH'S face. I don't care who the coach is, that can't happen infront of cameras.


Bosh is a 220 pound pussy with the physique of Christian Bale in The Machinist. He got injured playing in the paint against Roy Hibbert. He frequently grabs less than 3 rebounds a game. When did he ever average 10 rebounds on the Heat despite us needing him and giving him the opportunity to?


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Bosh is a 220 pound pussy with the physique of Christian Bale in The Machinist. He got injured playing in the paint against Roy Hibbert. He frequently grabs less than 3 rebounds a game. When did he ever average 10 rebounds on the Heat despite us needing him and giving him the opportunity to?


He shouldn't be in the paint with Roy Hibbert. He should be in the paint with David West.

That's Pat Rileys problem for making a flawed team. Not Bosh's for having to play out of position. He's a 4. Not a 5.


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## PoetLaureate

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Losing a game sucks but this Wade thing just has me totally disheartened. I wanted to deny it and was hoping it didn't get to this point but man, he is one extremely unlikeable dude on the court and it's been like slow poison to this team all year. I'm at least glad it's out in the open and reporters have been asking Spo about his incessant whining and lazy play after supposed non-calls.


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## Ballscientist

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Sign Steve Nash to be the team offensive leader, then sign Greg Oden to be team defensive leader.


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## James Worthy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



myst said:


> You guys are overreacting big time. If we win game 4 it's a 3 game series with 2 of the games in Miami. I understand being upset, but talk about overreacting.


If the Heat were a team with "cojones" and a solid back-up center i would agree with your point of view, unfortunately they don't have both and its a wrap. Feel free to make a thread chiding me and other doubters if i'm/we're wrong.


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## James Worthy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Ballscientist said:


> Sign Steve Nash to be the team offensive leader, then sign Greg Oden to be team defensive leader.


Yes, the heat need a solid back-up/ reliable scorer like Nash and a solid big man but those two cats are too injury prone for my liking.


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## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I refuse to talk about next season as if no-one has ever come back from 2-1 down before smh


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## RollWithEm

*Nash?*



James Worthy said:


> Yes, the heat need a solid back-up/ reliable scorer like Nash ...too injury prone for my liking.


Nash... a back-up? Injury prone? He hasn't missed more than 7 games in a season in the last 11 years. He hasn't been a back-up since the year before that.


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## James Worthy

*Re: Nash?*



RollWithEm said:


> Nash... a back-up? Injury prone? He hasn't missed more than 7 games in a season in the last 11 years. He hasn't been a back-up since the year before that.


you're right , my bad, he still a geezer though :laugh:


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Bosh is a 220 pound pussy with the physique of Christian Bale in The Machinist. He got injured playing in the paint against Roy Hibbert. He frequently grabs less than 3 rebounds a game. When did he ever average 10 rebounds on the Heat despite us needing him and giving him the opportunity to?


His numbers blow up as a second option.

I see your feelings on Hibbert haven't changed...



Dee-Zy said:


> I would love to have Hibbert here. I still think he is going to emerge as one of the best Cs in the league.





Smithian said:


> I would do anything for a 7'2 center with a complete game...
> ...
> Hibbert would be perfect for our halfcourt scheme. He is a very good passer, takes up a lot of room, sets hard screen, and has shown serious back to basket potential at times when the Pacers took time to slow it down and toss it inside to him. On defense he blocks some shots and tries hard.





Adam said:


> Hibbert sucks. Not to be a jerk, but the first time in 7 years that we get cap space and you guys are talking about scrubs like Roy Hibbert and Arroyo. Let's focus on talented basketball players.





Adam said:


> Please don't act like I don't know who Roy Hibbert is. I've seen him play since his first year of college. He's not a starter anywhere and probably not even a backup on a good team


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Adam would rather have deandre jordan.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> His numbers blow up as a second option.
> 
> I see your feelings on Hibbert haven't changed...


He's no Jarvis Varnado, I'll give you that.



Jamel Irief said:


> Adam would rather have deandre jordan.


Yes, I would because he's better.


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## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I wish Wade wasnt the face of the franchise, because we can get alot if we trade him. Dwight Howard, I don't care if he's a douche...He can rebound and defend better than anyone in the paint. 

Dwight controls the paint, Bosh pulls out the opposing team's Big man defenders because of his mid range game. And Lebron is Lebron. We would be so ruthless on defense and offense.


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## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Wade's 30, aging fast, and locked up for forseeable future. I don't know why another team would deal for him and give up anything close to good value.

So yeah, Orlando does sound like a logical landing spot.


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## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Fire Spotard. Trade Wade, preferably for a big that can score and board. Revamp this shitty supporting cast. Get it done.

If we can't get a legit big for Wade, then trade him for a handful of solid role players.


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## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If we were to trade Wade, I hope it is somewhere like Toronto, Sacramento, or Minnesota. Send him somewhere far, far away for a couple solid pieces.

I'd like an ending that kept the big 3 in place, but if we somehow fail at rallying this series? The Big 3 may already be done.


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## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> If we were to trade Wade, I hope it is somewhere like Toronto, Sacramento, or Minnesota. Send him somewhere far, far away for a couple solid pieces.
> 
> I'd like an ending that kept the big 3 in place, but if we somehow fail at rallying this series? The Big 3 may already be done.


We could still have a big 3. Just a more traditional one. As it is we have two of the same player (James/Wade.) We need a legit PG that can score or a big to fill out this unit.

Wade and James are fun to watch together, but they are just too much alike which makes them much to easy to defend. Especially with no, legit post game, you can just pack the paint on Wade/James and make them shoot jumpers.


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## RollWithEm

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Two Options: http://www.basketballforum.com/nba-...since-everyone-calling-dwayne-wades-head.html


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## AirJay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

As much as I hate watching this Heat team (compared to even worse versions, like 2007 and 2009, and as much as Wade as acted like a diva, is there no loyalty in sports?

The guy is a Heat lifer. He won us a championship. He stuck with the Heat through 3 terrible teams (2008-2010) without asking for a trade and playing his heart out (remember the back-to-back triple OT games against the Bulls and the Jazz? The Game 4 against Boston?). He recruited LBJ and Bosh here.

Now we want to kick him out because guess what, it's not working out and he's getting older?

I mean I want to win a championship as much as anybody, and I know Wade is the most logical piece to go, but it saddens me that winning really is everything to some fans. This would be like calling for Riley to trade Zo when he was diagnosed with his kidney ailment. It's sort of disgusting.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> He's no Jarvis Varnado, I'll give you that.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, I would because he's better.


No one in the world who watches basketball thinks DeAndre Jordan is better than Roy Hibbert.

Your basketball opinion is hilarious.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> No one in the world who watches basketball thinks DeAndre Jordan is better than Roy Hibbert.
> 
> Your basketball opinion is hilarious.


A starting frontline of nic batum, tiago splitter and deandre is elite to him.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> A starting frontline of nic batum, tiago splitter and deandre is elite to him.


Well who can really argue with that? That's championships right there.


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## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Replace Splitter with Luis Scola and we're talking. 



AirJay said:


> As much as I hate watching this Heat team (compared to even worse versions, like 2007 and 2009, and as much as Wade as acted like a diva, is there no loyalty in sports?
> 
> The guy is a Heat lifer. He won us a championship. He stuck with the Heat through 3 terrible teams (2008-2010) without asking for a trade and playing his heart out (remember the back-to-back triple OT games against the Bulls and the Jazz? The Game 4 against Boston?)


I'm not sold on kicking him to the curb over one main incident. I've still been thrilled with having him here over the past couple years, even through increased arrogance and stretches of diminished play. I have to say though, I don't think he completely played his heart out in '10. He sure as hell did in '09, which is when those two games you cited occurred. I think he viewed '10 as a transition year between re-proving himself in '09, and the next year, when he knew he'd be playing on a supremely upgraded team. His stats were still great, a testament to his greatness, but it definitely appeared he was pacing himself more and playing not to get injured. What frustrated me was his jumpshot regressed and he appeared overly pleased with himself in a very unappealing way. He developed a lot of bad habits that season that carried over, and I think his competitiveness has been blunted a little bit. He'll still have his spectacular plays, but he doesn't approach the game the same way in my opinion.

I still believe if he commits to his body the way, say, a 30+ MJ committed to his he could do a lot for his leg health and overall ability to get separation consistently again. That and his jumper. I like that he's added the floater to his game, but he takes a lot of bad ones when he's having trouble getting all the way to the rim. I'd also like to see even more post work from him...but I don't want to get into a full Wade critique right now. All I'm saying is while I was tempted to knee-jerk out of pure anger last night, I still wouldn't want to trade him already. He gets his shit together physically and mentally and he can still be a top-5 player for 3-4 years.


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## Knick Killer

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Wow this is embarrassing. You guys are down 2-1...chill


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## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If you watched the game you should have an idea why Heat fans are uneasy right now.


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## AirJay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Knick_Killer31 said:


> Wow this is embarrassing. You guys are down 2-1...chill


We have watched this team all year. I am fairly sure that barring Lebron turning in an unexpected 40-50 point game in game 4 that they will lose the series. They have no viable options for adjustment.



Jace said:


> Replace Splitter with Luis Scola and we're talking.
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not sold on kicking him to the curb over one main incident. I've still been thrilled with having him here over the past couple years, even through increased arrogance and stretches of diminished play. I have to say though, I don't think he completely played his heart out in '10. He sure as hell did in '09, which is when those two games you cited occurred. I think he viewed '10 as a transition year between re-proving himself in '09, and the next year, when he knew he'd be playing on a supremely upgraded team. His stats were still great, a testament to his greatness, but it definitely appeared he was pacing himself more and playing not to get injured. What frustrated me was his jumpshot regressed and he appeared overly pleased with himself in a very unappealing way. He developed a lot of bad habits that season that carried over, and I think his competitiveness has been blunted a little bit. He'll still have his spectacular plays, but he doesn't approach the game the same way in my opinion.
> 
> I still believe if he commits to his body the way, say, a 30+ MJ committed to his he could do a lot for his leg health and overall ability to get separation consistently again. That and his jumper. I like that he's added the floater to his game, but he takes a lot of bad ones when he's having trouble getting all the way to the rim. I'd also like to see even more post work from him...but I don't want to get into a full Wade critique right now. All I'm saying is while I was tempted to knee-jerk out of pure anger last night, I still wouldn't want to trade him already. He gets his shit together physically and mentally and he can still be a top-5 player for 3-4 years.


I agree with all of this but in the end we are picking nits. Could he improve certain things? Sure he could. But he didn't. That's why he is on that 2nd-3rd tier of great players all-time.

He paced himself in 2010 because he knew it didn't matter. We all did. But if you think he wasn't competitive then you didn't watch the games that year.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> Well who can really argue with that? That's championships right there.


I honestly think he picks random players to hype up just to be different, so if they pan out he tells everyone he told us so.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> I honestly think he picks random players to hype up just to be different, so if they pan out he tells everyone he told us so.


Except I never hyped any of those players. I gave my opinion of their skills and I was right in each case it turns out.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Except I never hyped any of those players. I gave my opinion of their skills and I was right in each case it turns out.


You called all 3 of them elite. That is wrong. You were wrong.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> You called all 3 of them elite. That is wrong. You were wrong.


That's your opinion. You're entitled to be wrong.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> That's your opinion. You're entitled to be wrong.


It's the opinion of all rational people and not stubborn people who can't admit when they make a bad assessment.

You honestly think that elite starting front court can lead a team to the playoffs if they had an average backcourt?

Hopefully that franchise big man Tiago Splitter can lead the Spurs back, though it's hard to do when going against an elite center like Deandre Jordan.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> It's the opinion of all rational people and not stubborn people who can't admit when they make a bad assessment.
> 
> You honestly think that elite starting front court can lead a team to the playoffs if they had an average backcourt?
> 
> Hopefully that franchise big man Tiago Splitter can lead the Spurs back, though it's hard to do when going against an elite center like Deandre Jordan.


Post quotes that you want me to respond to or continue to have an argument with yourself.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I know you and I'm guessing it's not worth my time. I'll do splitter for now and see if it's worth it.



> The Spurs just added a franchise big man. As much as you dismiss Oden, he's an elite player.





> It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Tiago Splitter who was in that draft was a million times better than Noah. Why don't you use the search function and find my comments from that draft night where I said Noah shouldn't have been drafted in any round let alone the first.


I'm guessing you still stand by your assessment that Noah would be undrafted as well?


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## Knick Killer

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> If you watched the game you should have an idea why Heat fans are uneasy right now.


I watched the game and yes you guys looked awful but I highly doubt Dwyane Wade will put up another 5 point, 5 turnover performance. Should be a much closer game 4.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> I know you and I'm guessing it's not worth my time. I'll do splitter for now and see if it's worth it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I'm guessing you still stand by your assessment that Noah would be undrafted as well?


No, I was wrong about Noah. I admitted that once before in fact, fyi, and I also admitted I was wrong about Rose.

That post about Splitter in context was me replying to somebody saying the Spurs and the West had gotten worse and I told them the Spurs had improved with the addition of Splitter. I would say I was correct there. I don't think he's a franchise big man anymore, and have never once called him one since then. How do I hype him as you claimed? Please post the others too. Don't mention your time when you brought the matter up. Post the Batum one first if you would. I anxiously want to see if it's even possible for you to warp that one.


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## Jamel Irief

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Except I never hyped any of those players. I gave my opinion of their skills and* I was right in each case *it turns out.


Was said after I wrote about these three.



Jamel Irief said:


> A starting frontline of nic batum, tiago splitter and deandre is elite to him.


Then later you write.



Adam said:


> I don't think he's a franchise big man anymore, and have never once called him one since then.


You said you weren't wrong about Splitter when you called him an elite franchise big man? Ok.


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## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jamel Irief said:


> Was said after I wrote about these three.
> 
> 
> 
> Then later you write.
> 
> 
> 
> You said you weren't wrong about Splitter when you called him an elite franchise big man? Ok.


Where did I call him elite? Quote me directly. I said the Spurs added a franchise big man and improved during the offseason. That was the case. They added the Spanish League MVP. It would be no different than people saying the 76ers added a franchise big man in Elton Brand when they signed him. It's more an observation than anything. You act as if I'm slobbering all over him during the season analyzing his play and providing some gross hyperbole. Where's the hype you talked about? More posts on the Splitter subject by me please. I want to see them.


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## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



AirJay said:


> We have watched this team all year. I am fairly sure that barring Lebron turning in an unexpected 40-50 point game in game 4 that they will lose the series. They have no viable options for adjustment.
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with all of this but in the end we are picking nits. Could he improve certain things? Sure he could. But he didn't. That's why he is on that 2nd-3rd tier of great players all-time.
> 
> He paced himself in 2010 because he knew it didn't matter. We all did. But if you think he wasn't competitive then you didn't watch the games that year.


Didn't say he wasn't competitive, but clearly less competitive.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Except I never hyped any of those players. I gave my opinion of their skills and I was right in each case it turns out.


..... but you think DeAndre Jordan is better than Roy Hibbert?


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## myst

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

You guys are embarrassing yourselves. Everybody demanding to trade Wade after one terrible game is a joke. We watched a 15-67 season and two years of no moves in free agency to see this come together. You bail at the first time things aren't looking amazing? For shame.


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## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Roy Hibbert is alot better than Jordan, but Jordan can become a higher end C one day. He's like a smart Javale Mcgee.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> Roy Hibbert is alot better than Jordan, but Jordan can become a higher end C one day. He's like a smart Javale Mcgee.


Are we going to talk about how this hasn't turned out to be a sweep and the easiest series for the Heat? Or are we just going to pretend you didn't say that?


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## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Thanks for quoting me.

I have been a fan of Hibbert since his days in Georgetown. I wanted the Raps or Heat to draft him but with the 2nd pick, I didn't think Heat were going to get him. I was glad to see Raps draft him, he was the C they needed but saw that he was traded on draft day.

Many people thought that he would barely be a starter in the league but always pointed to the fact that big men takes longer to develop. Dude is legit. I was actually rooting for him when he was going up against Oden. I always preferred Hibbert to Oden.


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## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> Are we going to talk about how this hasn't turned out to be a sweep and the easiest series for the Heat? Or are we just going to pretend you didn't say that?


I said that before Bosh was injured. If he was healthy, sweepity sweep sweep no problem. But since Wade is injured also and our team outside Lebron is trash...we might win in 6.


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## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> I said that before Bosh was injured. If he was healthy, sweepity sweep sweep no problem. But since Wade is injured also and our team outside Lebron is trash...we might win in 6.


Wade is injured.... :laugh: 

Thanks Steven A Smith. 

Its the ****ing playoffs. Everyone is injured. 

Don't post again if you're going to be such a coward.


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## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jeez can't the HEat have a perfectly sane and logical next season thread in peace.:clown:


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## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> Wade is injured.... :laugh:
> 
> Thanks Steven A Smith.
> 
> Its the ****ing playoffs. Everyone is injured.
> 
> Don't post again if you're going to be such a coward.


Come on, you know first hand with Bosh we would sweep up Indiana


----------



## AirJay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Who wants to trade Wade now?


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If you're gonna break up the big 3, Wade is still the guy to trade. The Heat really need help on the boards and with interior defense, as well as outside shooting, and dealing Wade's the only way to shore that up sufficiently.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



AirJay said:


> Who wants to trade Wade now?


Still may want to. It depends on what we'd get in return. I love the guy, he will always be one of my favorite athletes of all time, but I'm someone who thinks about what is best for the team in the future. Wade is going to be 31 and is highly injury prone. He's also an identical player to Lebron with less body mass.


----------



## AirJay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Am I the crazy one for believing in loyalty and players spending their whole careers with one team? I HATE when my favorite teams dump player or cut them because they are getting older or injured. Yes, it's a business, but Wade is the face of the Heat franchise, the best player in its history, and you want to ship him out because he's getting older? When he orchestrated the formation of the Big Three? When he recruited Bosh and Lebron here instead of going to Chicago? I can't believe you guys.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> Come on, you know first hand with Bosh we would sweep up Indiana


So.... the game was tied going into the 4th in game 1 before Bosh was injured...... but it would have been a sweep.

Yea. Its that easy.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



AirJay said:


> Am I the crazy one for believing in loyalty and players spending their whole careers with one team? I HATE when my favorite teams dump player or cut them because they are getting older or injured. Yes, it's a business, but Wade is the face of the Heat franchise, the best player in its history, and you want to ship him out because he's getting older? When he orchestrated the formation of the Big Three? When he recruited Bosh and Lebron here instead of going to Chicago? I can't believe you guys.


I don't know about you, but I root for the logo and the city. Hypothetically if we trade Wade we could still retire his number when his career is over and he will have a special place in this franchise and it's fans hearts.

But at the end of the day the object of the game is to put yourself into position to keep winning. Like I said, I love Wade and what he's done for the Heat. Always have, always will.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

R-Star, Bosh was injured in the 2nd quarter. I believe it was late in the quarter and Indiana was up 5 at half.

Guys, seriously take a minute and think about the men in control of this team. Regardless of how you feel about it, we're not trading Wade unless he demands to be traded. How much do we hear the words "family," "loyalty," "trust," etc. echoed by Riley/Spoelstra/players? Riley/Arison have infinite respect for Dwyane for doing what he did for their franchise. The sad reality is he's earned himself some breathing room to slack. I don't say that because it means he won't be moved, but because he knows it and will use it to whatever means he'd like.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^ You are probably right Jace. I am just weighing options as a fan. Obviously I have no control over what happens. 

By the way for anyone mistaken by what I've said, I am not absolute in getting rid of Wade, I'm just saying it should be a possibility if we're offered fair compensation.

As for game 3, that was obviously just frustration talking.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Let's see how the playoffs play out.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> do you honestly believe that without cracking a smile? lol
> 
> seriously, if you have even the slightest doubt, and youre going on just "hope"...then this series IS over. its ok man, its a tough one to swallow. we all have to learn to accept what our team really is.


:laugh:

I'll admit, like I predicted, Wade shut me up.

So, you going to admit you were premature throwing in the white towel?


----------



## myst

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



myst said:


> You guys are overreacting big time. If we win game 4 it's a 3 game series with 2 of the games in Miami. I understand being upset, but talk about overreacting.





myst said:


> You guys are embarrassing yourselves. Everybody demanding to trade Wade after one terrible game is a joke. We watched a 15-67 season and two years of no moves in free agency to see this come together. You bail at the first time things aren't looking amazing? For shame.


I hope you guys are embarrassed now.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> Wade is injured.... :laugh:
> 
> Thanks Steven A Smith.
> 
> Its the ****ing playoffs. Everyone is injured.
> 
> Don't post again if you're going to be such a coward.


Does this mean we dont have to see your annoying ass around here anymore?


----------



## hobojoe

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Awesome thread on many different levels.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*












:borat:


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



ßen said:


> I refuse to talk about next season as if no-one has ever come back from 2-1 down before smh


:yep:

I didn't expect to be so impressed by the way we won the 3 straight though. That was Heat basketball I haven't seen for what seems like a long time.


----------



## 29380

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Heat fans should thank Tom Crean he fixed Dwyane Wade and saved your season. :laugh:


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> :laugh:
> 
> I'll admit, like I predicted, Wade shut me up.
> 
> So, you going to admit you were premature throwing in the white towel?


If the heat continue playing at the high level theyve been doing the last 3 games, with bosh back, then ill feel confident this team will win the title. Until then, its a toss up each game. Our team is not consistant. The first few games we looked dead and played horrible basketball, no urgency or passion etc. Then they suddenly switch it around. Wade went vintage, our shooters actually made shots, the proper adjustments were finally made.

Were NBAs version of Dr. Jackyll and Mr. Hyde. i can only hope they coninue this run of good form.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> If the heat continue playing at the high level theyve been doing the last 3 games, with bosh back, then ill feel confident this team will win the title. Until then, its a toss up each game. Our team is not consistant. The first few games we looked dead and played horrible basketball, no urgency or passion etc. Then they suddenly switch it around. Wade went vintage, our shooters actually made shots, the proper adjustments were finally made.
> 
> Were NBAs version of Dr. Jackyll and Mr. Hyde. i can only hope they coninue this run of good form.


Cosign


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

this thread still stands. sometimes i hate to be right.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I'm just gonna be blunt with this... you guys with your Spurs logo's are really trashy fans. Gtfo if you don't want to root for the Heat. We're all frustrated. But take off your ****ing clown shoes.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I refuse to think about next season until this one is over. Right now, we still hold a 1 game lead. Yeah, it's halftime and we're getting spanked...but it aint over.

2-2 at worst and coming home. I said this would be a 7 game series, so I could be right. If so, game 7 at home we will be tough to beat.

I expect Bosh to be ready either in game 5 or game 6 also.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> I'm just gonna be blunt with this... you guys with your Spurs logo's are really trashy fans. Gtfo if you don't want to root for the Heat. We're all frustrated. But take off your ****ing clown shoes.


theres nothing wrong with liking a second team in the NBA. Ive envied the Spurs for a decade and have always rooted for them when the Heat were out of contention. 

Anyway, switching my logo actually had more to do with superstition than anything else. if you go back to our older game threads againts the Pacers and then consider the history i have in this forum on changing up things for superstitious reasons, then you'd know its done in the hopes our team does better. What do you think this thread is about? theres a reason i started it.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> theres nothing wrong with liking a second team in the NBA. Ive envied the Spurs for a decade and have always rooted for them when the Heat were out of contention.
> 
> Anyway, switching my logo actually had more to do with superstition than anything else. if you go back to our older game threads againts the Pacers and then consider the history i have in this forum on changing up things for superstitious reasons, then you'd know its done in the hopes our team does better. What do you think this thread is about? theres a reason i started it.


It's about a respect for basketball played the right way. I'm a fan of the Heat but I'm not a fan of hero ball, Spoo, isolation basketball, and on and on. This team is garbage and being false and not saying what you believe about your team is what a homer would do and we're not homers.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> this thread still stands. sometimes i hate to be right.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

that bittersweet moment if Miami were to somehow win the title, and yet knowing Spoo-breath is not going away anytime soon because of it.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Would be worth it for me.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> that bittersweet moment if Miami were to somehow win the title, and yet knowing Spoo-breath is not going away anytime soon because of it.


I read this with a 50/50 view. Either you're being sarcastic.... Or you're speaking truth and it shows our fan base is awful.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> theres nothing wrong with liking a second team in the NBA. Ive envied the Spurs for a decade and have always rooted for them when the Heat were out of contention.


Then take yo ass to the Spurs forum. And yeah, rooting for another team... there is something wrong with that. But I guess that's subjective.

Do you know fan stands for "fanatic?" Look it up in the dictionary.

As for the Spurs playing basketball the right way, that's commendable. But at the end of the day that's the opposition.

You wearing that logo in this forum and calling yourself a Heat fan is pitiful, disgusting, embarrassing, and many other negative adjectives I'm too tired to list.

Sack up.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This thread











I'll salvage this. Hey, remember when we all wanted Acie Law IV real bad in the draft? He just won a couple championships in Greece after ending last year in GSW and signing overseas when the lockout started. In all seriousness, we're probably about the same off with Cole, unless we'd play Law at backup 2.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If your a heat fan...you cant really be a fan of anything else. The rest of the NBA is such an enemy to the heat


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I understand what Gio and Adam are saying though. It's not that they are fans of the Spurs, but they are fans of the way they play, and the style of coaching Popovich has implemented there. Every role player flourishes in that system, and their big 3 have been good for a decade. They are what we aspire to be.

Gio and Adam are *huge* Heat fans, they're long time posters on this board, so I don't know how anyone can dispute this. Being fans of basketball played "the right way" is not a crime or lack of "fandom".


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> I understand what Gio and Adam are saying though. It's not that they are fans of the Spurs, but they are fans of the way they play, and the style of coaching Popovich has implemented there. Every role player flourishes in that system, and their big 3 have been good for a decade. They are what we aspire to be.
> 
> Gio and Adam are *huge* Heat fans, they're long time posters on this board, so I don't know how anyone can dispute this. Being fans of basketball played "the right way" is not a crime or lack of "fandom".


I like the way the Patriots play football. I hate the ****in team and want them to die. 

So this logic is just terrible. You can appreciate another team's game without sporting their ****in logo.

If I'm the only one who has a problem seeing that shit, this fan base is worse than I thought.

Flippin 4 teams left and the Heat and Spurs happen to be 2 of them.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Maybe it is because I am not from MIA but I am a die hard fan of The Heat since 04 and I am also a fan of OKC (but mainly due to KD). I don't believe in the "I'm a fan of one team so I want to kill all other teams".

At the end of the day, Heat are my number 1 and should OKC meet with Heat in the Finals, I will still be yelling my lungs out for The Heat.

I am fan of the game. Basketball. And I can recognize and like other teams without being a traitor to my own team.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I do have to agree that seeing the Spurs logo all over in here is bothering me too.

The only reason I got Lakers in my avatar is because of Rodman. I wouldn't be sporting another team's logo. No matter how much I like them.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I understand the idea of liking other teams. Hell, I like quite a few NBA teams. However, I'm partially agreeing with BlackNRed here (that's right). The Heat are still in the playoffs. How the hell do you even care about another team in that situation?

Right now I'm enjoying the Thunder and Spurs, but if the Pacers were still in the hunt the only thing I'd hope for is that those two teams beat the shit out of each other to wear them down for the Finals.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Why are we starting a debate on something that is being done tongue-in-cheek as a joke? There's way too much talk about level of fandom. ****ing enough with the e-toughness and message board cred shit. If you're posting on a basketball message board, for 7 or 10 years no less, there's no reason to even have a discussion of allegiance. 

The Spurs avatar stays. I don't give a **** if you don't like it.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Why are we starting a debate on something that is being done tongue-in-cheek as a joke? There's way too much talk about level of fandom. ****ing enough with the e-toughness and message board cred shit. If you're posting on a basketball message board, for 7 or 10 years no less, there's no reason to even have a discussion of allegiance.
> 
> The Spurs avatar stays. I don't give a **** if you don't like it.



It has nothing to do with e-toughness or whatever cop out you'd like to call it.

Your team is still in the playoffs. Still trying to win a title, and you're rocking not 1 but 2 Spurs logo's.

Whatever though. None of my business. Just strikes me as odd.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I never saw it as a show of fandom or allegiance to that team. I've viewed as a tongue-in-cheek, superstitious nod to a well-respected franchise, sparked by a woefully underachieving stretch of play from the team we all here (for the most part, at least) know they're passionate about. 

For instance, I don't think Gio or Adam are going to feel any bit dejected if the Spurs lose tomorrow. They're not sitting on their couches fist-pumping every good Spurs play and chastising refs for anti-SA calls.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Would be awesome if Andre Drummond took a DeAndre Jordan type fall to us.

Someone hack into his phone and tweet his self-shot, nude photos on his twitter account (he inevitably has some). Send a letter to Riles explaining what you did so they don't pass up on him because of it.


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> Why are we starting a debate on something that is being done tongue-in-cheek as a joke? There's way too much talk about level of fandom. ****ing enough with the e-toughness and message board cred shit. If you're posting on a basketball message board, for 7 or 10 years no less, there's no reason to even have a discussion of allegiance.
> 
> The Spurs avatar stays. I don't give a **** if you don't like it.


Dude, it's R-Star. You should know as well as anyone how seriously he takes the internet.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Floods said:


> Dude, it's R-Star. You should know as well as anyone how seriously he takes the internet.


You try so hard. 

It really is sad.


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> Would be awesome if Andre Drummond took a DeAndre Jordan type fall to us.
> 
> Someone hack into his phone and tweet his self-shot, nude photos on his twitter account (he inevitably has some). Send a letter to Riles explaining what you did so they don't pass up on him because of it.


Inb4 Orlando hires John Amaechi to fill their GM vacancy.


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> You try so hard.
> 
> It really is sad.


No. 'Sad' is taking the internet/BBF seriously enough to stalk people all over the site and bring up their fan allegiances or past threads they've created or whatever else you give people unwarranted shit for. You're right in the middle of every single flame war on this site. That should tell you something.

You'd think someone who supposedly has such a fulfilling life would have something better to do. But whatever, keep on flexing that small man's complex. We all think it's adorable.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Floods said:


> No. 'Sad' is taking the internet/BBF seriously enough to stalk people all over the site and bring up their fan allegiances or past threads they've created or whatever else you give people unwarranted shit for. You're right in the middle of every single flame war on this site. That should tell you something.
> 
> You'd think someone who supposedly has such a fulfilling life would have something better to do. But whatever, keep on flexing that small man's complex. We all think it's adorable.


:lol:

Seeing as it was you who quoted me in this thread, and have about 3 times in the past day or so without me acknowledging you, that's pretty funny.

As I said to Adam though, none of my business. I'll go post in the Celtics forum since I know I won't have to worry about seeing you there.


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> :lol:
> 
> Seeing as it was you who quoted me in this thread, and have about 3 times in the past day or so without me acknowledging you, that's pretty funny.


I'm already getting bored with it. I can't imagine spending every day of my life pulling like shit this, like you do.



> As I said to Adam though, none of my business. I'll go post in the Celtics forum since I know I won't have to worry about seeing you there.


Oooh. Ow.


----------



## Bogg

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> As I said to Adam though, none of my business. I'll go post in the Celtics forum since I know I won't have to worry about seeing you there.


Liar, nobody ever posts in the Celtics forum..............I never get to moderate anything........<kicks rock>


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This R-Star kid really needs to go. how his his trolling incompetent self not banned?


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This thread ended up being more right than i thought lol


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> This R-Star kid really needs to go. how his his trolling incompetent self not banned?



http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/irony


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

The proper corrections need to be made this offseason. starting with Spoo-brain, then work our way down. this Heat team is seriously flawed.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> The proper corrections need to be made this offseason. starting with Spoo-brain, then work our way down. this Heat team is seriously flawed.


Coming off a Finals appearance and may go to another this year. Seriously flawed? We're not perfect but even if we lose tonight there is a case the best action going forward includes minor tweaks.

Your shtick is getting out of hand. You along with others just whine and complain about everything and predict massive failure. It doesn't make you sound intelligent. It's just ridiculous.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> Coming off a Finals appearance and may go to another this year. Seriously flawed? We're not perfect but even if we lose tonight there is a case the best action going forward includes minor tweaks.
> 
> Your shtick is getting out of hand. You along with others just whine and complain about everything and predict massive failure. It doesn't make you sound intelligent. It's just ridiculous.


the team IS seriously flawed. the negatives outweigh the positives. weve gotten by on sheer athleticism and James alone. nothing more. The knicks are garbage, The Pacers lacked a superstar to finish us off and the old Celtics finally ran out of gas. I only hope the team can get it together at least against the thunder and play well. i will not conform to mediocre basketball. I want the Heat to hustle and play right day in and day out. not whenever they feel like it. so until then, i will continue to complain and point out every negative aspect the Heat continue to display.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



IbizaXL said:


> the team IS seriously flawed. the negatives outweigh the positives. weve gotten by on sheer athleticism and James alone. nothing more. The knicks are garbage, The Pacers lacked a superstar to finish us off and the old Celtics finally ran out of gas. I only hope the team can get it together at least against the thunder and play well. i will not conform to mediocre basketball. I want the Heat to hustle and play right day in and day out. not whenever they feel like it. so until then, i will continue to complain and point out every negative aspect the Heat continue to display.


:whatever:


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> :whatever:


Yea, I don't get it man. I'd figure most would be celebrating but I guess not for him. 

I've doubted the Heat, but at the very least you're going to the Finals twice in two years. That's the epitome of giving yourself a shot at the title. If you guys do end up losing you retool this offseason, trying to improve the role players, and hope Wade sorts out whatever the hell is wrong right now.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Well since this thread is all about next season...


> Chris Mannix ‏@ChrisMannixSI
> Prediction: KG retires, Ray Allen walks (Miami, NY are atop his list, I'm told), Pierce is dangled in a trade.


I'd happily trade an amnesty of Miller for Ray Allen.


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If he can get healthy, the guy can actually ****ing hit big 3 pointers. Momentum changing ones. We have no role player to do that.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Ray Allen would be _great_ off the bench here. I think if he could play less minutes you'd see him be very effective and deadly come playoff time.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah he has the proper mindset to hit big 3's, unlike our current lot of shooters.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

As much as I love Allen as a person, professional and his fit with the team, our greater need is still a big man. 

Stupid question because I don't really see it as a viable thing happening. 

How do you guys feel about getting a 1-2 year deal out of Garnett? I hate him but watching him this season, tells me that he can still help the heat for another 2-3 seasons.


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Garnett will not leave the Celtics. It's another contract from there or retirement. He's not a guy to jump on a contender. 

Even though I hate him though, it'd be amazing.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Spo says its time to release the beast. Curry is active.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

...For what? Practice? Lunch? Sexually?


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> Spo says its time to release the beast. Curry is active.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Garnett here would be amazing, but yeah, do not see that happening. Celtic or bust for KG i'd say.

Big man is priority #1. If we can get a competent big and another quality vet (my pipe dream is Steve Nash, but that's a HUUUUGE long shot) - we'd be great.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Miami Heat guard Mike Miller on Monday denied a report that he would retire at the end of the NBA Finals, reports the Palm Beach Post‘s Ethan Skolnick.
> 
> The 32-year-old, in his 12th NBA season, has battled back injuries throughout the season. He also had thumb and shoulder surgery last offseason and missed the start of this season after hernia surgery.
> 
> “At this point, everybody’s a little banged up,” Miller told the Post. “Everybody’s going through things. I’ll re-evaluate my health after the season. But I don’t have anything set up. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”


Link


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Mike Miller lurches around like Frankenstein out there. I mean you have to respect his drive and the fact he always looks like hes trying hard out there, but man I hope for your sake he retires.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He is breaking down BAD. Shame, because if he ever was healthy, he'd be a great fit.

Wouldn't be all that surprised to see him retire if we won the chip, honestly. Would probably be a good thing for both parties.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

If Allen jump ship, Pierce is traded. I don't see why KG would retire. I think he should chase a ring with Miami.


----------



## MarioChalmers

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Ben said:


> Garnett will not leave the Celtics. It's another contract from there or retirement. He's not a guy to jump on a contender.
> 
> Even though I hate him though, it'd be amazing.


What do you mean he's not a guy to jump on a contender? Did you forget all about his move to the Celtics?


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



R-Star said:


> Mike Miller lurches around like Frankenstein out there. I mean you have to respect his drive and the fact he always looks like hes trying hard out there, but man I hope for your sake he retires.


Yeah, Miller is like a sputtering old car running on fumes.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



gian said:


> What do you mean he's not a guy to jump on a contender? Did you forget all about his move to the Celtics?


I forgot if it was Mike Breen or who, but the other day I remember hearing someone say Garnett didn't want to leave Minnesota. No, he didn't want to go to Boston until they traded for Allen. He demanded Minny trade him.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> Then take yo ass to the Spurs forum. And yeah, rooting for another team... there is something wrong with that. But I guess that's subjective.
> 
> Do you know fan stands for "fanatic?" Look it up in the dictionary.
> 
> As for the Spurs playing basketball the right way, that's commendable. But at the end of the day that's the opposition.
> 
> You wearing that logo in this forum and calling yourself a Heat fan is pitiful, disgusting, embarrassing, and many other negative adjectives I'm too tired to list.
> 
> Sack up.


 Lol easy kiddo. like i mentioned before. theres reasons why i switch logos and do other weird things on this board. been doing it since day 1 here. it was never suppose to be taken seriously. however if it still bothers you that much Mr #1 Heat-Fan, then gtfo.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jamal Crawford opted out of his deal and is looking at Miami 


> Teams said to be on his radar include the Heat, Clippers, Kings, Knicks and Cavaliers.


No way we have enough to get him. But he is very good friends with Lebron.

Also, Brandon Roy said he's planning a comeback next season. Doubt he'll be able to play starters minutes, so coming off the bench might be his role. If he's healthy enough, hope the Heat look at him.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> Jamal Crawford opted out of his deal and is looking at Miami
> 
> No way we have enough to get him. But he is very good friends with Lebron.
> 
> Also, Brandon Roy said he's planning a comeback next season. Doubt he'll be able to play starters minutes, so coming off the bench might be his role. If he's healthy enough, hope the Heat look at him.


That can improve our bench so much. Any way either of them are willing to take in less cash? Theyve made millions already.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jamal Crawford, Heat Killer, on the Heat?

My brain just exploded.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> Jamal Crawford, Heat Killer, on the Heat?
> 
> My brain just exploded.


His fg% and chucker history scare me.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jamal Crawford isn't taking a paycut to go to the Heat.

B Roy, who knows. If he hits a training camp and shows he can still play at anything close to who he used to be, expect teams to throw him a large 1-2 year deal.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> Jamal Crawford, Heat Killer, on the Heat?
> 
> My brain just exploded.


Jermaine O'Neal proved that Heat Killers don't always translate to being good actual Heat players.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> Jermaine O'Neal proved that Heat Killers don't always translate to being good actual Heat players.


Jermaine O'Neal was never a Heat killer and he was a shell of his former self due to injury when he played for Miami.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jermaine a heat killer? um no.


----------



## R-Star

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

You guys know he had many dominant games against the Heat for the Pacers right?


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I thought he was on the list for his 2009-2010 postseason vs the Celtics.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

That whole Pacers team of the early to mid 2000's were Heat killers.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> That whole Pacers team of the early to mid 2000's were Heat killers.


? They were the one of the top 3 teams in the league and we were a lottery team. They didn't kill us any more than they killed the rest of the league. A Heat killer is somebody who plays better against Miami specifically. They actually underachieved against us in the 2004 playoffs.

I guess later on we had that huge streak where we couldn't win against them even when we got good, but none of their players individually would go off against us. JO was also dead by then.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> I guess later on we had that huge streak where we couldn't win against them even when we got good, but none of their players individually would go off against us. JO was also dead by then.


That's what I was referring to. So I guess that was more mid to late 2000's. 

Conseco fieldhouse was the Heat's house of horrors for a long stretch.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Exactly. I feel like he and SJax hit a lot of big shots on us during that Shaq, pre-brawl era. Tinsley killed us a lot too. It was like no matter how well we might play they wouldn't let us win there.


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Guys. Were losing this series so far. Okc just took back home court!


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

:meditate:


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

epic thread


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This will be revisited many times.

For now? CHAMPIONS


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

The reverse jinx worked in the summer of 2010 and it worked again this year :cheers:


----------



## IbizaXL

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Works like a charm. :laugh:


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Unreal this thread. I hated it when it happened, love it now.

Oh, and I credit my Leonard Smalls "Road Warrior" avatar I switched after G5 vs. Boston. I think Adam deserves credit too for the Spurs/Celtics/Thunder gear. Clearly we're responsible.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

We need to get after Steve Nash. I think there's a good chance he would play with reduced salary to play for a championship team. I love Mario but he's no Nash. Having him setting up the big 3 would be a thing of beauty. He also brings solid 3 pt shooting. He's one of my hopes in the offseason.

Also, hopefully Wade gets plenty of rest in the offseason, I want to see more old D-Wade. I refuse to believe he's on the downslope at 31.


----------



## MarioChalmers

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> We need to get after Steve Nash. I think there's a good chance he would play with reduced salary to play for a championship team. I love Mario but he's no Nash. Having him setting up the big 3 would be a thing of beauty. He also brings solid 3 pt shooting. He's one of my hopes in the offseason.
> 
> Also, hopefully Wade gets plenty of rest in the offseason, I want to see more old D-Wade. I refuse to believe he's on the downslope at 31.


Nash is a smart defender but he's not nearly "high octane" enough for us. The very reason we won the championship was because of our D, and a PG that can chase the other team's PG, and that has long arms, if not a natural sense of where the opponents are passing the ball, is vital. 

We do need someone with great blocking, though I can see how people would argue that Wade and LeBron do that good enough.


----------



## BigWill33176

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I say Riley works some of his magic and leverages this championship into getting Ray Allen for the LLE and Marcus Camby for the MLE. Or if MM retires use some of his money on them. Oh god I'm getting wet just thinking about that.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Just read that Harris is being assigned the task of learning PG all summer while also playing Summer League (obviously.) I don't see this as us trying to develop his as a PG. As many of us remember, they've done this with Caron, Dorell, Daequan, and, essentially, Dwyane. He's basically a swingman with the potential to play like a combo-guard, so why not develop better playmaking skills?

Windhorst just brought up Ray Allen as a FA addition when talking to Greeny. :drool:


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Greenberg is saying expect us to be in the hunt for Ray Allen, Steve Nash and/or J Kidd.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



gian said:


> Nash is a smart defender but he's not nearly "high octane" enough for us. The very reason we won the championship was because of our D, and a PG that can chase the other team's PG, and that has long arms, if not a natural sense of where the opponents are passing the ball, is vital.
> 
> We do need someone with great blocking, though I can see how people would argue that Wade and LeBron do that good enough.


Nash can go hard for 20-25 minutes a game, that's all we need him for. Split minutes with Rio. Nash would not hurt our defense nearly as much as he would help our offense. That's like saying we shouldn't have went after 3 point shooters like Miller because they can't play D. (In hindsight Miller was pretty bad most of the season but we didn't know that)


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

PS I'll take Nash over Allen and JKidd 365 days a year. Besides Allen already has championships, he's looking for the biggest contract he can get. Nash might be looking for a championship team.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> Nash can go hard for 20-25 minutes a game, that's all we need him for. Split minutes with Rio. *Nash would not hurt our defense nearly as much as he would help our offense*. That's like saying we shouldn't have went after 3 point shooters like Miller because they can't play D. (In hindsight Miller was pretty bad most of the season but we didn't know that)


There's absolutely no way for you to know that. I don't see the benefit taking the ball out of LeBron's and Wade's hands and giving it to Nash. Makes no sense. Best case scenario he averages 50% from three and is a better spot up shooter than Mario Chalmers? Chalmers shot 40% from three. So were going to throw away all the intangibles Chalmers provides in our system for 10 more threes per 100 attempts? You're playing NBA 2k here. Nash would be better off going to the Lakers or OKC, and I suspect we would as well.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> There's absolutely no way for you to know that. I don't see the benefit taking the ball out of LeBron's and Wade's hands and giving it to Nash. Makes no sense. Best case scenario he averages 50% from three and is a better spot up shooter than Mario Chalmers? Chalmers shot 40% from three. So were going to throw away all the intangibles Chalmers provides in our system for 10 more threes per 100 attempts? You're playing NBA 2k here. Nash would be better off going to the Lakers or OKC, and I suspect we would as well.


Nash is a true PG. Lebron and Wade wouldn't have to work as hard running the offense. I guess you are underestimating how valuable a true PG is to a team. Imagine the numbers the big 3 could put up if they could focus 100% on getting to the rack and not setting everyone else up. Not to mention, less wear n tear. Lebron is over worked as it is. Eventually he will break down if he has to "do it all" every game.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> Nash is a true PG. Lebron and Wade wouldn't have to work as hard running the offense. I guess you are underestimating how valuable a true PG is to a team. Imagine the numbers the big 3 could put up if they could focus 100% on getting to the rack and not setting everyone else up. Not to mention, less wear n tear. Lebron is over worked as it is. Eventually he will break down if he has to "do it all" every game.


You're just assuming Nash would have a positive impact. Things like chemistry and fit matter. He's not a good fit here. For the same reason James Jones doesn't play over Shane Battier. We don't need offense, we need defense and rebounding. There's no way in hell I want a terrible defensive point guard giving up dribble penetration in today's small ball league when we have no shotblocking or rebounding.

Nash is a much better fit in LA where he would have a big like Bynum, or OKC where he has Durant spotting up and Ibaka watching his back. Plenty of other examples of better fits.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Nash would be a great fit on the Heat. It will allow wade lebron and bosh post up in the paint alot more. Defense will be fine since Heat rotate on D and play D as a team.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> You're just assuming Nash would have a positive impact. Things like chemistry and fit matter. He's not a good fit here. For the same reason James Jones doesn't play over Shane Battier. We don't need offense, we need defense and rebounding. There's no way in hell I want a terrible defensive point guard giving up dribble penetration in today's small ball league when we have no shotblocking or rebounding.
> 
> Nash is a much better fit in LA where he would have a big like Bynum, or OKC where he has Durant spotting up and Ibaka watching his back. Plenty of other examples of better fits.


And you're just assuming he wouldn't. We could argue about this all day but it's a waste of time. I want Nash here, apparently you don't, let it be.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Kind of hard to believe anyone would think Wario is a better PG for this team than Steve Nash. And Wario is no world beater on defense either.

It's all about continuing to improve, just because you become champs doesn't mean you can't get better.

Since this is the offseason thread, I'd love to hear who you think we should go after that's a realistic possibility Adam. It's not like we have a ton of cap space.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> And you're just assuming he wouldn't. We could argue about this all day but it's a waste of time. I want Nash here, apparently you don't, let it be.


My question to you is why you want Nash here. You haven't explained how his game would _improve_ the Heat. You said he's a true PG and would take the burden off the big three. Only problem is LeBron and Wade actually like handling the basketball. They love it. They've posted some of the greatest seasons in NBA history playing that brand of basketball. They don't want to give up the basketball, and frankly they're not great off the ball players. That's not their game.

Anyway, it's not about me not wanting Nash. It's about me being skeptical about whether he would actually improve the team, and it's not financially possible or responsible to try such a needless experiment. It would be bad for Nash and us.


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Aren't the big 3 all due at the olympics? That would amount to basically a one month break between last fall and next June, which I would think puts a real damper on their repeat chances. Maybe if Riley pulls off another heist and gets Camby for the MLE and Nash or Ray or someone for the vet minimum, like someone already mentioned, they could do it.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> My question to you is why you want Nash here. You haven't explained how his game would _improve_ the Heat. You said he's a true PG and would take the burden off the big three. Only problem is LeBron and Wade actually like handling the basketball. They love it. They've posted some of the greatest seasons in NBA history playing that brand of basketball. They don't want to give up the basketball, and frankly they're not great off the ball players. That's not their game.
> 
> Anyway, it's not about me not wanting Nash. It's about me being skeptical about whether he would actually improve the team, and it's not financially possible or responsible to try such a needless experiment. It would be bad for Nash and us.


I already did explain it. And I disagree that they are poor off the ball players. Nash's drive and kick, and drive and drop passes to Bosh would increase production in these areas. It would also relieve Lebron and Wade of so much ball handling. You say they like to and maybe they do, but what you like is not always what's best for them or the team going forward.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> I already did explain it. And I disagree that they are poor off the ball players. Nash's drive and kick, and drive and drop passes to Bosh would increase production in these areas. It would also relieve Lebron and Wade of so much ball handling. You say they like to and maybe they do, but what you like is not always what's best for them or the team going forward.


So you wanted to trade Wade because LeBron and Wade are the same player, and now you want to add another ball dominating player to the lineup? Are they playing with two basketballs? LeBron and Wade have been top 5 usage players their entire careers, and now you want them to either change their play or try to fit another ball dominator? They don't need to be relieved of ball handling. They're not changing the way they play and they shouldn't. You want Nash because of his name not his game. If I told you that you could have a nameless player and he will negatively affect us defensively and conflicts with our offensive chemistry or at best doesn't do anything LeBron and Wade already do then you wouldn't want him, or you shouldn't at least. You mentioned drive and kicks and drop passes. Wade and James already do that.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Anyway, I can respect that you think Nash would run the point and straighten out our offense. It's possible. 

I guess it depends on the role. I don't think a Nash-Wade-LeBron lineup is going to be dropping dimes to Wade and LeBron spotting up. They're not spot up shooters. I wouldn't be against him as a backup to Chalmers/Wade and running the offense for 20 minutes a night. That would work of course. It's not like Nash would or should ever be a backup to Mario Chalmers but that role would obviously work.

Nash for his entire career in Phoenix has set up shooters for open shots. I don't see that as a strength of Wade or LeBron's game. But maybe he plays off the ball, Chalmers current role, and makes the spot up shots better and handles the point duties better. It could work. I'm not hating on the idea. I just don't think it's the missing link people have made it out to be.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



BlackNRed said:


> Kind of hard to believe anyone would think Wario is a better PG for this team than Steve Nash. And Wario is no world beater on defense either.


Well, he's good enough to win a championship with.....


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Heh, I like his name and his game more than Mario Chalmers. I like Chalmers but he's not an elite 1 guard, Nash is. I don't think I can agree with your logic that Nash would not be beneficial because LeWade like to dominate the ball. I see where your coming from, but I think they could adjust, especially with Nash only playing 20-25 minutes a game. They have 82 games to generate that chemistry.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Nash would make thing for Dwyane and LeBron sooo much easier. So it seems at least, would def be an adjustment. 

If u want a better defender, Kidd is a better option, but I think Nash is def the better pg. like I said, he'd make things so much easier. No way we get Marcus Camby, Ray Ray and Nash. That's a dream. Even 2 of those wont happen


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Q: How much impact of the Heat winning the championship will help to attract even more top free agents? Actually seeing this team win it all has to be even more enticing now to players chasing a ring such as Steve Nash, Ray Allen. -- J.Z.

A: I'm not sold on that, because there have been just as many who have bypassed the Heat during the Big Three era in favor of a bigger payday. Even Shane Battier said the decision to pick the Heat over the Thunder came down to the third season on his contract. Based on how Mario Chalmers produced, and based on Chris Bosh seemingly resigned to a life at center, the Heat appear relatively set in their starting lineup, even if Udonis Haslem is swapped out at power forward for Battier. Based on their position hard up against the luxury tax, I'm not sure the Heat make much of a free-agency splash even if there is heightened interest.


^^ Ira


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Oh, Ira. Always the pessimist.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Adam said:


> I absolutely will not root for this team next year if Spoo is back.


:reporter:



Adam said:


> Bosh is a 220 pound pussy with the physique of Christian Bale in The Machinist. He got injured playing in the paint against Roy Hibbert. He frequently grabs less than 3 rebounds a game. When did he ever average 10 rebounds on the Heat despite us needing him and giving him the opportunity to?


He had 47 rebounds in 5 Finals games. Very close to 10 a game. LeBron out rebounded him, but I think he had more rebounds than any Thunder player.



PoetLaureate said:


> Losing a game sucks but this Wade thing just has me totally disheartened. I wanted to deny it and was hoping it didn't get to this point but man, he is one extremely unlikeable dude on the court and it's been like slow poison to this team all year. *I'm at least glad it's out in the open and reporters have been asking Spo about his incessant whining and lazy play after supposed non-calls.*


:yes:



IbizaXL said:


> this thread still stands. sometimes i hate to be right.


:laugh:



IbizaXL said:


> that bittersweet moment if Miami were to somehow win the title, and yet knowing Spoo-breath is not going away anytime soon because of it.


:lol:



doctordrizzay said:


> If your a heat fan...you cant really be a fan of anything else. The rest of the NBA is such an enemy to the heat


:clap:



IbizaXL said:


> This thread ended up being more right than i thought lol


:laugh:



Smithian said:


> This will be revisited many times.
> 
> For now? CHAMPIONS


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Perkins and Collison killed Bosh with their offensive boards, and LeBron led us in rebounding.

I don't like Spoo or his small ball but I've stomached him for years now.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I too was calling for Spo's head earlier in the playoffs. I really do think this team is still used to its potential. I feel like the offense is too much wade/lebron iso, rather than them feeding off one another. WITH THAT SAID he did a terrific job in the finals coaching. He made the right adjustments. We won close games so he clearly did something right. Give him his credit. He just won a championship, he definely deserves to be back


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This thread is actually pretty funny in hindsight :laugh:

That Bosh gif is epic too


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

@AlexKennedyNBA: Miami targeting Steve Nash, Chris Kaman, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Jermaine O'Neal this summer: http://t.co/NZl3oUoz


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I was breathing fire all season about Spoelstra's small ball lineups but it worked in the Finals, no doubt. I'll take the egg on the face for that.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Dwyane Wade said:


> @AlexKennedyNBA: Miami targeting Steve Nash, Chris Kaman, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, *Jermaine O'Neal* this summer: http://t.co/NZl3oUoz


:lol:

No.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> I was breathing fire all season about Spoelstra's small ball lineups but it worked in the Finals, no doubt. *I'll take the egg on the face for that*.


Randy Marsh style? :yep:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah, no need for JO's corpse. Already got enough of those. 

Roy is definitely intriguing. Its not like he was bad, then got hurt. He just had to stop playing for fear of something very bad happening to his leg. But i'd only consider him if it were for the vet. minimum, not the mini MLE. 

The most intriguing name is Lamar Odom. Too bad he has all that baggage and who knows if he would want to be down here.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah, Roy or Odom are both intruiging. Odom (when motivated) is a very handy player, I wonder if we could get that out of him.

Does Battier continue to start next season?


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> Does Battier continue to start next season?


I can't imagine that being a good thing.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^ Agreed. I think it worked well for us in the postseason, but I can't see it being a good 'full year' decision.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I still think we have to eventually find a 7 footer who can play at both ends. Not even play well, just compete at both ends. Joel is defense only, Dexter likely is offense only. I can't imagine Bosh being better at 5 than 4 long term.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Dwyane Wade said:


> @AlexKennedyNBA: Miami targeting Steve Nash, Chris Kaman, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Jermaine O'Neal this summer: http://t.co/NZl3oUoz


Only ones I want is Nash, Kaman and Allen. 

If we can only get Kaman, I'll be happy. 

Gtfoh with JO. 

I don't like Roy or Oden because of their injury history. An injured player is useless and takes up a roster spot. It also ****s with chemistry when they are in and out constantly of the line up. 

Andre doesn't make any sense. He has no 3pt shot. Teams will pack the paint all day and kill an Andre/wade/bron line up.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I doubt Battier starts the season as the starting 4, but what's funny is that we'll probably start the season, getting the rings, against the Thunder.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Dwyane Wade said:


> @AlexKennedyNBA: Miami targeting Steve Nash, Chris Kaman, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Jermaine O'Neal this summer: http://t.co/NZl3oUoz


Jermaine O'Neil is a hell ****ing no.

The rest of those players seem great...All really old though cept Roy but he's a big question mark.

I know Nash says he wants to play with Grant Hill badly again. So if we get one...The other will likely come. Grant can still play defense very well, Nash is an offense relief. 

My main choices though would be.

Andre Miller Ray Allen Chris Kaman.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Great Riley article by LeBatard


> Riley likes the storm. Needs it. He is truly terrible at being satisfied. He doesn’t trust the calm. He wants the water rising and the kingdom on fire, and he’ll make it so even as everyone is floating and feeling safe, especially if everyone is floating and feeling safe.
> 
> “I'm past Thursday night,” he says. “It is over. We’ve got the draft coming up.”
> 
> So you aren’t like Wade, who has printed up Team No Sleep T-shirts while careening between South Florida parties?
> 
> “I’m going to put out Sleep Management T-shirts,” Riley says. “We’ve got a championship in our back pocket. Just one. One of the things you don’t want to do after it is in your back pocket, you don’t want to start reminding everyone how you did it. That is the start of the team on the demise. I remember when we won in 1987, best year we ever had with the Lakers, Mychal Thompson was our Shane Battier. We won the championship, had a great night, celebrated, a really great night, and he was in the weight room at 7 a.m. the next morning. I remember that 25 years later. You don’t want to get too drunk with your success. You don't want to waste a lot of time telling everyone how you mastered it. Simply, euphorically, quietly, enjoy it. That is hard for the contemporary generation today to understand."
> 
> Come on, Pat. You sound like an old man telling those partying kids to get the hell off your lawn. Let them enjoy it.
> 
> “I will ... for a week,” he says. “We will. Party. Celebrate. They’ve already had three all-nighters. It is absolute joy. They should totally immerse themselves in the good feeling. Share it with family and friends and everyone who stuck with you. Enjoy the golden glow for another week. But it can’t be a party every night all offseason with someone slapping you on the back. They’re beyond famous now. I hope we deal with it how Mychal Thompson did. LeBron met with [Hakeem] Olajuwon last offseason to improve his game. Is he going to do something like that again this year? Is Wade going to do something about his health now that he’s 30? Maybe think of a different night-to-night approach? Is Chris, God bless him, he’s our center? Our best lineup, the one we go to war with, is with him at center. Is he going to be OK with that now that he has won? Now our guys have to get better in the head, and they need to know how to handle and defend the championship, and win more. I'm going to wait about a week, and then I'm going to send them letters and reminders.”
> 
> He laughs at himself, softening as he approaches 70.
> 
> “Maybe two weeks,” he says.
> 
> Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/...h-another-nba-title-won-it.html#storylink=cpy


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

The end of season press conferences are going on right now. Found this interesting from Wade


> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Wade will spend the offseason working on his midrange game, his outside shot. "Maybe working with a shooting coach for the first time ever."


More from Wade



> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Wade says he will have MRI on knee, then make decisions about the Olympics.
> 
> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Wade: "The biggest thing is I had a lot of swelling." Says he had knee drained the day of Game 3. "Not the smartest decision.
> 
> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Wade: "My left knee is my power knee, it's my explosion knee."
> 
> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Wade said the goal was to be as close to 80 percent as he could, by game-time.



Ray Allen has been trending worldwide for a long time now. Just the rumor of the Heat and him being interested in each other brings on tons of hate, even to one of the classiest guys in the league :laugh:


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> The most intriguing name is Lamar Odom. Too bad he has all that baggage and who knows if he would want to be down here.





Wade County said:


> Yeah, Roy or Odom are both intruiging. Odom (when motivated) is a very handy player, I wonder if we could get that out of him.


Roy is certainly intriguing replacing Miller's intended role, but who knows how healthy he'll actually be able to get. Not everyone can play with no ACLs like DeJuan Blair (or is it cartilage for Roy?). Obviously he wouldn't need to play many minutes, so I can see it.

Odom really intrigues me, and I can't believe I forgot him when considering combo-style forwards who'd fit well with our small-ball movement. I would think we'd be one of a handful of teams he'd be willing to play for. I'm sure the way Riley pursued him in 2009 made him feel good about us again. I could see him rediscovering himself and playing a big role here. He'd be a great addition.



Wade2Bosh said:


> I doubt Battier starts the season as the starting 4, but what's funny is that we'll probably start the season, getting the rings, against the Thunder.


What makes you say that? They rarely raise the banner against the previous Finals opponent. That only happened last year because that game was originally scheduled for Xmas and the lockout delayed the season until then. I think when the Lakers wont hey played the Rockets. We played Chicago. I'm guessing its usually someone you played in one of the early rounds. My prediction: We raise the banner and get rings against New York. Indiana wouldn't have enough panache.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

And Odom in Miami playing with the big 3 and the defending champs would be a big storyline for their reality show. 

Yeah, true about not always opening up against the team you played in the finals. But because of the big ratings they had, it might happen. Doubt it though.

Ray Allen was just trending worldwide again. It is crazy how he's been trending worldwide all day and night long. All off of one rumor. Shows how strong the hate is 


Pretty crazy how the draft is just a couple of days away, while free agency already starts next week.


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> According to multiple league sources, there is mutual interest between the Heat and Ray Allen.
> 
> Miami can offer a contract starting at $3 million per year to Allen, the taxpayer's midlevel.


http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/221687/Ray_Allen_Heat_Have_Mutual_Interest


----------



## British_Baller

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This may have been discussed already but...

Does anyone see Bosh/Battier as a solid C/PF combo throughout next season as in the finals? I thought it worked well in the finals and answered questions on problems that we were suffering throughout the season. Battier brings good D and can chip in with the points and Bosh seemed transformed into a rebounding monster.

Also what would you guys be aiming for to boost the team? We need to free up cap space and get an impact player from the bench and a solid big IMO.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



British_Baller said:


> This may have been discussed already but...
> 
> Does anyone see Bosh/Battier as a solid C/PF combo throughout next season as in the finals? I thought it worked well in the finals and answered questions on problems that we were suffering throughout the season. Battier brings good D and can chip in with the points and Bosh seemed transformed into a rebounding monster.
> 
> Also what would you guys be aiming for to boost the team? We need to free up cap space and get an impact player from the bench and a solid big IMO.


Not really.

It worked versus the Celtics and Thunder since neither of them really utilize back to the basket scorers. Most of their big men are defensive oriented therefore we could get away starting the guys we did.

I think we're playing with fire going into next season with the goal of playing small every night. Not sure Bosh wants to be in that spot every night and I doubt LeBron wants to ever start guarding 4's with regularity.

Hopefully Dexter Pittman can take a big step forward this offseason or next year you'll see us trying to ride Joel Anthony as well as that horrible UD/CB front court. Optimal situation is we find a 7 footer who can play at a decent level at both ends but those guys are easier talked about than actually found.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

It would be nice to raise it against NYK.

I want a legit C, not another Tweener but if we can't get any, I can settle with Lamar. He would be a great 6th man off the bench for us and provide an offensive spark. I don't want Dallas Odom, but I can see him playing like he was during the Lakers championship/contender years with us. We have the right ingredients for him.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Although JJ said yesterday that he would retire a Heat player, he has clarified that he isnt retiring, just that when he does it will be with the Heat.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

How old is he? How many years left on his contract?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He'll be 32 at the start of next season and has 2 years left on his deal.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

What makes you think Odom will be any different Here than Dallas? He played on the Championship team in Dallas and purposely failed every night. beside playing on Lakers He's a cancer


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Because I think we have the right environment and people here to keep his head straight.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Lamar has deep respect for Riles and loved the year he spent with us. He was close to signing with us before he reupped with the Lakers also.

I can definitely see Pat making the call. He'd be a great fit. If Lamar's head is in the game, he's a very good player.


----------



## BlackNRed

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He sucks.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> What makes you think Odom will be any different Here than Dallas? He played on the Championship team in Dallas and purposely failed every night. beside playing on Lakers He's a cancer


He didnt choose to play in Dallas, whereas now he's a free agent and can sign with any team he wants. Big difference.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He sucked this year, clearly. But i'm holding out hope he'd resurrect his career here.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> He didnt choose to play in Dallas, whereas now he's a free agent and can sign with any team he wants. Big difference.


Big difference? Odom showed that he has no shame, no matter what team you are on you are suppose to give it your all. Why would we want a player he plays terrible when he doesnt get his way? seriously he just showed no class.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Lamar Odom, when motivated, is one of the premier 6th men in the league. If you get the opportunity to add him, you do. For a Heat team looking for cheap labor, you can do much worse.

That Durant joke in your sig is terrible man, come on now.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

That durant joke is pretty epic though.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Not really, dude is like 23 on a pretty awesome team. He'll get his ring(s).


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Like u said Odom has a tremendous amount of respect for riles, who resereccted his career. Odom is just not mentally strong, he gets depressed and stuff and it effects his play. He'd play his heart out in Miami. Id love to have him back.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> Big difference? Odom showed that he has no shame, no matter what team you are on you are suppose to give it your all. Why would we want a player he plays terrible when he doesnt get his way? seriously he just showed no class.


No denying that. Just saying that if he chooses to sign with the Heat, then it would be a totally different scenario than getting traded to a team and city he didnt wanna be apart of.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah that KD joke is awful, and pretty hypocritical after what we just saw LeBron go through. Doesn't reflect well. As stated, he's only 23, too. Want to throw Rose in there?

Odom definitely is a sensitive one, but he's had a tough life, including fairly recently having his infant child pass away. Obviously the Lakers trade rattled his psyche, but no doubt if he chose to come here he'd be comfortable and happy. As stated, it would work with his wife's show, most importantly. Recall he took awhile to get adjusted in LA and was often blamed for their struggles. I think he'd hit the ground running coming back here. Our current style fits how we played his one year here, also his best year in the league.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Heard Juwan on JJax show. He still wants to play and doesnt want to retire yet. I am happy for him for finally getting that ring, but he should talk to Zo and GP about how they wished they would have gone out on top.

Again, happy for him, but i'd rather that roster spot went to a Varnado or another young player. Juwan wants to stick around? Fine, but let it be as an assistant coach, which is pretty much what he is.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Oooh, Juwan is going to make things awkward. Is he really not socially aware enough to realize Riley just did him a favor for trying to sign here back in the day? Dude needs to realize he didn't even play this season. He was a second mascot. In one of the videos of the lockerroom you can even hear him telling a reporter he's not done yet.

Definitely want to see Varnado or even Dozier in that spot.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Juwan needs to retire. He is pushing his luck. Come on man.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Supposedly he was pretty big with his leadership in the lockeroom so if he retires then hopefully he can be part of the staff in someway? Even if he did resign with us I wouldn't care, if we sign a replacement for him and that person is playing signifant minutes next season thats bad news for our team


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> "The general consensus around the NBA is that Ray Allen will sign with Miami. "Barring a change, he'll join the Heat," said a league source."


http://www.prosportsdaily.com/articles/ray-allen-expected-to-sign-with-miami-680688.html


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^that's from Alex Kennedy. Hope he's right.



> Pittman along with first-year guards Norris Cole and Terrel Harris are likely to play on the summer league squad. Kammerer also said 2010 second-round pick Jarvis Varnado, who has played overseas the past two years, is also scheduled to play with the team in Las Vegas.


So Pittman, Harris, Cole and Varnado will play on the summer league team. Nothing on Robert Dozier.


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Aside from the obvious 3-point shooting off the bench and making momentum changing/clutch 3s, we can put Ray in when we're up in the last few seconds and not have to worry about Dwyane or LeBron icing the free throws. :yay:


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Really interested in seeing how Varnado does, but if Joel can't get minutes, will he? Dozier is really intriguing with our current group. I guess he hasn't been good enough.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Wallace says Nash, Jason Terry, and Ray are among the FA's expressing Heat interest. Wow, this season went fast. Felt like just yesterday the lockout had just been lifted and names were flying all over the place.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Ray Ray? Oh hell yeah. Hopefully he doesnt lose his stroke playing for us like everybody else seems too (barring playoffs  )

Varnado really intruigies me as a basket protector, i'd like to see how he goes in Summer League.

Hopefully Dozier comes back too, but it's possible he gets better offers in Europe.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

This offseason will seem like its the shortest one ever. Between the long postseason, the draft takes place a week later, free agency starting next Monday, and then the practice games for Team USA and the Olympic games. 


About Varnado. Hopefully he developed some sort of offensive game over these past 2 seasons.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^ If he can catch and finish, he's a step ahead of Joel :laugh:

It's more his length that is intruiging (wow that sounded gay).


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> So Pittman, Harris, Cole and *Varnado* will play on the summer league team. Nothing on Robert Dozier.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Someone tell me Kaman is out of the question so I can rule him out.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He aint comin here for $3M that's for sure


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah, Kaman is definitely out of question. As we realized last offseason, bigs get overpaid.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

We need to find SOME form of serviceable big man this offseason, but I feel we're going BPA in the draft and will fill out the rest of the roster with vets.

If Varnado shows something in Summer League i'd like to give him a roster spot. He can't be any worse than Pittman?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Kwame Brown is coming of that shoulder injury. I wonder how much he'll command?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Ben, you need to add this to all the other heads.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

W2B that's sick, do u have a bigger pic?


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



















Apparently the shirt is based on these shirts Jay-Z and Kanye wore during the Watch the Throne tour. I stand by my lion connection. LeBron loves lions and the teeth and eyes look more like a lion than a vampire.












Wade County said:


> We need to find SOME form of serviceable big man this offseason, but I feel we're going BPA in the draft and will fill out the rest of the roster with vets.
> 
> If Varnado shows something in Summer League i'd like to give him a roster spot. He can't be any worse than Pittman?


If by "Pittman" you mean "Juwan" I'm with you. I don't even need to see Varnado to know he would've been a better reserve 4 than Howard.


----------



## Ben

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Right, I'm on the case, getting a few smileys done tonight. That LeBron one will be our manbearpig.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Exactly what I was thinking. It works perfectly.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah def based off of the Watch the Throne tour. Bron loves Jay and ye


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

From Woj:


> The Phoenix Suns have surfaced as serious contenders to sign Boston Celtics free agent Ray Allen, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
> 
> Allen, 37, is willing to explore offers beyond Boston. The Suns – regardless of whether they re-sign free-agent point guard Steve Nash – interest Allen, sources said.
> 
> The Suns have significant salary-cap space, and could pay Allen more than the Miami Heat or New York Knicks. Suns president Lon Babby had been Allen’s agent for a significant part of his career until Babby started running Phoenix’s basketball operations two years ago.
> 
> Some have suggested that Allen is likely destined for the Heat, but sources indicate that while the Heat remain a possibility, they’re not currently the leaders for him. Allen has expressed some interest in still returning to the Celtics, who will have extension talks with him and free agent Kevin Garnett.


Link


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

We're not the leaders. Interest in the Suns. This is a cash thing. We're out.

Assuming bigs are out, including Odom who looks like he'll get traded to LAC, who else is out there? No Nash right now please.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
> Riley says team will likely leave the country early next season -- preseason games abroad. China has been rumored for months.





> Jorge Sedano ‏@SedanoShow
> Riley says, He'd run names by his players when discussing free agents. Said, he'd want to know if he were them and knows his guys are smart


Well we all know Lebron's thoughts on Ray Allen now so no need to ask


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

LeBron's been trying to get Ray down here since before the Decision. Remember the "would you like to join a dream team?" convo?


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Bad news? We missed on Arnett Moultrie who will be a pretty beastly player in the NBA sooner rather than later.

Good news? More $$$ to spend on immediate impact players in free agency.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Ray Ray would be cash money over here...delicious.

Make it happen.


----------



## lechamp

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

now we got more money for Free Agency. 
if Mike Miller and James Jones decide to retire this off-season, we better get Ray Allen or Jason Terry to load our shooting arsenal.

plus, we got to convince Kaman to get a pay-cut and join us, that would be a sick rebounding front court for us with BOSH and KAMAN upfront.

Nash - i think this is a long shot, he said it himself money would definitely play a role in his signing and is interested in NYK since he has a house in New York and dont mind playing with Lin but would love to be with Amare again.

What do you guys think? 

Who are the other great possibilities and needs for MIAMI?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> Robert Dozier will play for the Miami Heat's summer league team, according to source.


..


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Beat me.

So...

Cole
Harris
Dozier
Varnado
Pittman

Come on young'uns.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

10 roster spots filled with core guys:

1. Wade
2. LeBron
3. Bosh
4. Chalmers
5. Haslem
6. Battier
7. Miller
8. Anthony
9. Cole
10. Jones

Leaves 5 roster spots up for grabs. Ronny might opt in. Pittman will get a guaranteed contract but that doesn't mean he makes the roster. Maybe 1 or 2 roster spots for free agents would leave only 3 or 4 open spots for the guys Jace mentioned. Gonna be a nice competition. Fight it out boys!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Wonder what the Heat does if Juwan wants to return?


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

For the love of god please no. 2 years of Juwan is so much more than enough....


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Riles and Andy Elisburg need to get together and come up with a plan to convince Juwan he's on the roster if he really wants to play again next year. It could work.



Adam said:


> 10 roster spots filled with core guys:
> 
> 1. Wade
> 2. LeBron
> 3. Bosh
> 4. Chalmers
> 5. Haslem
> 6. Battier
> 7. Miller
> 8. Anthony
> 9. Cole
> 10. Jones
> 
> Leaves 5 roster spots up for grabs. Ronny might opt in. Pittman will get a guaranteed contract but that doesn't mean he makes the roster. Maybe 1 or 2 roster spots for free agents would leave only 3 or 4 open spots for the guys Jace mentioned. Gonna be a nice competition. Fight it out boys!


Not sold on Jones being a shoo in to come back. He could ride off into the sunset like Juwan should. I have a feeling Miller will be back. His wife sure sounded like it was probable. I think Pitt, JarVar, and Harris make the team, perhaps even with Dozier finding a spot as the combo forward-type I'd love to see next to Bron/Bosh. I'd much rather see us carry extra youth than Howard/Curry-types. Speaking of which, if Curry's back I'll punch myself in the t'aint.

But yeah, if Miller, Jones, and Ronny return, and all the younguns make it (basically as if we dropped Curry and Howard for Dozier and Varnado), that's 15 already. So take out Dozier or Harris for...I don't know, how about Ray Allen? What do you guys think would be missing? Guessing most would want a Kwame Brown-type. Not sure I'd agree. That most likely won't be a role that would make the difference in us winning or losing many games, so why not just give it to Dex? I'd think if Spo is ready to randomly start dude in an important conference semi-finals game he might start throwing him semi-regular minutes. Pitt's production has been inconsistent in those kinds of minutes so far, but consistency comes with time.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^Jones is definitely a shoo-in. He played very well in the playoffs and his contract runs two more years at $3 million next year, so we're not going to cut him. 

I don't think Varnado makes the team. I looked up some recent vids of him on youtube and his body doesn't look any more developed than when we drafted him. He still needs to put in the work if he wants to make the league.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I meant Jones may not return on his own volition, not that we would cut him. He's discussed retirement more openly than Miller.

I should've actually looked into Jarvis before saying that, just assumed he's improved enough, and Smithi had convinced me he was already ready when we drafted him. Do you mean too thin to play C, or even PF?


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> I meant Jones may not return on his own volition, not that we would cut him. He's discussed retirement more openly than Miller.
> 
> I should've actually looked into Jarvis before saying that, just assumed he's improved enough, and Smithi had convinced me he was already ready when we drafted him. Do you mean too thin to play C, or even PF?


Both. But now that I think about it, the league is so much smaller and Haslem is in the last stage of his career and Varnado looks more like a PF. I'll retract my statement and say we take him to develop at PF.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Alright, that makes me feel a little better. Honestly, looking at UD with his shirt off during the lockerroom celebration, dude looks like he'd get abused by SFs. Varnado can't be much slighter.

Not sure what's coming over me right now (early onset offseason fever?), but I suddenly really want this man back:










Sure, he'd get screamed at by LeBrane so much, Rio would step in and beg of them to relent. I just cling to the belief that he has loads of talent that we could use, and much like we've always felt certain combo-guards would have their flaws hidden playing with Dwyane, LeBron presents that advantage for many combo-forwards. LeBron could cover the better forward when they played together, and Beasley could settle in as no more than a third option when on the floor. We've seen the best of Beasley when he's the first option (see: Rookie vs. Soph game '09), and perhaps we'd even be able to give him bursts of that, but I'm thinking maybe if his role and the game were simplified enough, he'd thrive. With even less defensive responsibility than he had here the first time around, he could focus on playing smart offense.

It would be far from the role we originally envisioned for him, but I'd think it would be better for him than the freefall he's been in the last few seasons, likely soon bouncing from team to team, considering Minny's use for him is dwindling. I admit, I hadn't seen him play much this year, but remembering back to high school/college videos I watched of him all throughout the summer of '08, as well as even games he had for us and with the Wolves (I remember he lit us up in Miami before falling on his bum and leaving the game), I can't help but feel if he can find the perfect, cozy place for his carnival of a mind he can be really good again. We would be pretty nasty if we got consistent offensive boosts and decent rebounding off the bench from him.

On top of that, it would fulfill my '08 dream of Beas-Bosh up front. It would be like we sent him off on a vision quest in the woods of Minnesota, only to come back a man who has encountered the darkest of beasts (KAAAAAAAAHN!!), and survived.

So whack that Kawhi Leonard made the transition from college PF to NBA SF on an elite team in one year, and Beas still hasn't found a niche. Obviously they're very different players, with very different minds, in very different situations, but both had similar tweener concerns coming out.

Am I clinging to a corpse? More importantly, is there any way on earth we'd be able to re-acquire him within the next, say, two seasons? We may need all the firepower we can get if Dwyane is recovering most of the year.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Doubt JJ retires, and even if he wants to, at his price and with his role on the team that fits him so well, im sure Riley, Spo and all the players would talk him out of it.

On Varnado. He's definitely a 4 in the league. Not big enough to play the 5. Hopefully he developed some sort of offensive game over the past two years. 

Just looked him up on youtube. If you're bored, here's a full game of Varnado's from a couple of months ago. If im reading the boxcore right, he had 20pts 9rbs on 5/9 from the field and 10-12 from the line.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Jarvis would be an excellent body at the end of the bench.

I would like to point out quick guards like Bradley, Barea, Holiday, etc still give us hell.....


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

We get three more years of kicking KG's ass!


----------



## Gx

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Pretty sure he'll retire before his contract is up if he was already considering it this year.


http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/mia...t-top-priority-boston-celtics-guard-ray-allen

Looks like we're hoping Ray Allen commits as early as tonight/tomorrow for our $3mil mini-midlevel. This will pretty much be the only roster change this offseason correct? We don't really have any money to go after anyone else.


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Sounds about right.

If we land Mr. Shuttlesworth, I consider this off-season a home run.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Turiaf opted out of his contract.


> "The option was an insurance policy in case he got hurt," agent Mark Bartelstein said. "He's interested in coming back but not at the minimum salary."


It was nice knowing you, Ronny.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Mavs guard Jason Terry just wrote in an email to me he "definitely'' will consider the Miami Heat when free agency starts Sunday.


..


----------



## UD40

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Hmmm....I wouldn't mind that if we can't get Ray.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Does Turiaf have 2 or 3 rings?

Did he get 1 or 2 with the Lakers?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

He got none with the Lakers.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Warming up to Eugene as a backup option to Ray. Still have trouble getting passed his FG% and the flying thing, but pretty funny we're talking about two big shot hitting Heat killers as targets.

I'm still skeptical either would take our money though, and neither would Jamal Crawford, in my view.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Those first two Turiaf GIFs are so money. I love how in the second he turns around after the seizure like, "Shit, did anyone catch that?"


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> The New Orleans Hornets have officially waived Rashard Lewis. The 32-year-old will look to sign with a contender, according to sources.


I'd imagine money is not the top priority for Rashard, with the amount of money he has heisted over the last few years.

Would you consider this possible stretch 4 for the veterans minimum?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Wow, T-Wolves chose not to tender Beasley or Randolph, making them both free agents.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Of course. He's spent the last couple of seasons as a Men's Wearhouse mannequin, but if he could stay healthy and give a fraction of what he gave in ORL (game more based on height/skills rather than athleticism anyway), he could be real nice.

Another guy who was offered a contract by Riley in the past, and on top of that could use a solid year on a spotlight team to redeem his value. Everyone was already heckling Otis for giving him that contract when he was playing well, now that you're just excited if he's playing, I don't think many GMs will feel much sympathy for Rashard and his agent trying to ramp up offers. I'd think both sides will look each other over.

I didn't realize Gerald Wallace was a UFA. Clearly out of our price range and a stage in his career where he'll want to max out his worth, but how sweet that would be. He'd be insane here.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade2Bosh said:


> Wow, T-Wolves chose not to tender Beasley or Randolph, making them both free agents.


GET EM RILES!! GET EM ALLL!!!!!

Maybe my Beasley post was prophetic. Come on back where you belong Supercool!

Randolph is intriguing too.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> 
> The Timberwolves have decided not to extend qualifying offers to Michael Beasley and Anthony Randolph. They're now unrestricted free agents.
> 
> Jerry Zgoda ‏@JerryZgoda
> 
> Wolves still might bring Randolph back, but not at that $4M qualifier. They're open to it but it depends on other moves. Beasley's a goner


What a fall from grace. OJ Mayo wasn't tendered either as I believe someone brought up. That 2008 draft class. Weird. The UCLA kids sorta came outa nowhere while Beasley, Mayo, and Bayless have disappointed.

Will be interesting to see what Mayo gets. Any guesses?


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I would Randy so hard if we got Beas back :laugh: not gonna happen though


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Crazy how we got rid of Beasley for nothing, and now Minny is doing the same.


Jace said:


> What a fall from grace. OJ Mayo wasn't tendered either as I believe someone brought up. That 2008 draft class. Weird. The UCLA kids sorta came outa nowhere while Beasley, Mayo, and Bayless have disappointed.
> 
> Will be interesting to see what Mayo gets. Any guesses?


Boston almost got him last season for Ray Allen. But Memphis pulled out last minute. Maybe they look at him again?

Celtics have a lot of work to do. Deciding how much to offer Green, Bass and trying to talk Ray into staying. Wonder where their priorities lie? Because the Heat's #1 target seems to be Ray Allen.



> Gary Tanguay @Gary_Tanguay
> 
> 98% chance Ray Allen is gone. No love between he and Rondo at all


This is the Celtics TV Pre and post game show host. Who knows if he has real inside info though or if this is just an opinion.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Well, the latter part has to come from something he's witnessed. I always thought the beef was mainly between KG and Rondo. Ray seems mature and professional enough to get through that in order to win. The 98% part is surely just speculatory. While slightly encouraging considering how strongly I've been feeling he's going back to Boston after Garnett re-signed (perhaps even spawned by an indication of a return by Ray), I won't let myself make too much of that.

Come on guys, how often have we pursued a free agent that's spurned us for more money (except Finley's dumb ass who took less and watched us win a title from home), no matter what shape we are in as a team. Let's just all relax and accept 
*
THE SECOND ERA OF THE BEAS
*


----------



## MarioChalmers

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I think we could handle Beasley's "return" to whatever prominence he once had. We did that with Lamar Odom, so I'm confident. I don't know if we'll want him defending the other team though. 

Same with Rashard. I love our defense. Not sure if we should go around recklessly signing people notorious for not playing D.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I would be so stoked if Beas came back. Would be like, so supercool


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

It aint happening. He's young and will go for whoever offers the most money.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Heat gonna talk to Nash tomorrow according to DA


> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> Knicks, Heat, Pacers, Raptors &?Suns expected to make their pitch to Steve Nash Sunday, per source. Not certain if all teams will be in NYC.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Figures. Pat did just say PG is last on their list and they don't need a traditional pure point who has the ball in their hand 80% of the time.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

From Alex Kennedy:


> Grant Hill, UFA – This offseason, Hill will weigh all of his options. Last summer, nobody expected the 39-year-old to re-sign with the Phoenix Suns. However, Hill’s relationship with Lon Babby, his former agent and current President of Basketball Operations in Phoenix, won out and he returned. Now, Hill may be ready to part ways with the Suns and join an elite team. League sources believe that Hill will consider taking a pay cut to join a contender, with the Miami HEAT being mentioned as a strong possibility.


From his chat


> Where is Ray Allen going especially KG returning to Boston?
> 
> Alex Kennedy
> A number of teams will pursue Ray Allen including the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers and Phoenix Suns. I think he signs with Miami. There is definitely mutual interest there.


If he wants to start and play for a contender, then the Clippers would be tough to beat.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

W2 posted a recent Varnado game. Here are some recent highlights of he and Joe Forte:






I was thinking Hill could be nice. 40, though.

Damn, if the Clips add Allen too, they'd be shaping up pretty nice. They might want someone who can handle a little more (Terry, Mayo) with MoWill gone though.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Free agency is officially underway..

Nothing to do with us directly, but..


> Daryl Morey ‏@dmorey
> Meeting w/Omer Asik in a few minutes -- tell him how much you want him to be in Houston! He will see your msg live - include #Asik2Houston


Yes, go out west, Omer 

Pretty sure that #asiktohouston will soon be filled with Bulls fans tweeting for him to stay in Chicago :laugh:

Still dislike Morey for his comments during the summer of 2010 when Riles punked him and the rest of the league.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

LOL yup. God I hope he leaves CHI. Not fair they got Marquis Teague, but at least its somewhat redundant with Rose already there. They, unlike us, are on B. Roy's list however.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

LeBron owes Dwight Howard a gift basket. He's really putting things in perspective for people still mad at LeBron.

I forgot what Morey said. Can you pull that up Matrix?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Here's a post from after the decision..


Wade2Bosh said:


> Remember what Rockets GM Daryl Morey wrote on twitter in response to a tweet from Bill Simmons?
> 
> 
> 
> [email protected] check this out: www.wewantwade.com - thank God you didn't think of this idea when you were courting Marcin Gortat.
> 
> @sportsguy33 my pitch was better than:after we sign a free agent, come play for a team with 8 minimum players&the lowest payroll in the NBA!
> 
> 
> 
> His tweet today
> 
> 
> 
> Congratulations to @chrisbosh on his decision, on behalf of the Rockets, we thank you for the consideration and wish you health & happiness
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Daryl Morey, Riles just bitch slapped you :laugh:
Click to expand...


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

:lol:

Get back in place, Daryl. Of course Simmons was the catalyst.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Apparently Toronto's offer to Nash will start at $12 mill per yr.



> @IAMAGM Toronto Raptors preparing $12 million per year offer to Steve Nash http://dlvr.it/1ndmZh












Enjoy Canada, Steve! :nash:

Anyone know what's happening in that gif?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Gif isnt working :whoknows:


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

*http://twitpic.com/4ndzra*


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Oh, Nicki Minaj I guess gives a lap dance to a fan during her concert and Steve Nash was the lucky fan that night. A few nights later, she gave Chris Paul one as well.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Oh, no wonder it looked like the lap dance from hell to me.

Man, even DWill has to be looking at Dwight like, "Really, dude?" by now. I'm almost hoping he just goes to Dallas at this point and Dwight is stuck with nothing.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

The Hornets will apparently match ANY offer for Gordon, up to the MAX. God I hope someone offers him that.

_LOCKOUT_...

:drake:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

And the Rockets will apparently offer am $8million a year contract to Asik. Still $3 million less a year than what DeAndre Jordan got :laugh:



> Jordan Schultz ‏@206Child
> To confirm earlier report, I'm hearing Ray Allen is all but locked up w the Heat; Mike Miller is 50-50 retiring or not.


Who is Jordan Schultz? Apparently, a huffington posts sports columnist.

Searched ray allen on twitter and this popped up. Have no idea if the guy is credible or not. Probably isnt.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

And the Celtics are now preparing themselves in case Ray leaves, they've apparently talked with Jamal Crawford and have also contacted Jason Terry, according to Woj.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> 
> Ray Allen has likely played his last game with the Boston Celtics. He's considering other options and team is searching for his replacement.


Just gotta hope he's not lured by cash or Linsanity or something X-factor.

EDIT: Just read that dude's feed and he seems pretty certain of his source. Admitted nothing is a %100 certainty to happen, but its in the plans to. Career suicide if he's wrong!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> Just gotta hope he's not lured by cash


Well lets remember what he said about David West when he chose the Pacers over the Celtics... 


> “Once it got down to the end, I think his ego kicked back in,” Allen said. “He wanted the dollars. I guess it comes down to ‘What is a championship worth to you?’
> 
> “Think of all the guys who have made $20 million and could be considered one of the best ever, but they get chided because they never won. We [the Big Three] all had to do less when we won. We’re still taking less to make it work. But it’s worth it. No one can ever say to KG, Paul or me, ‘You guys never got your ring.’”


Memphis is apparently gonna offer him their full mid-level. Dont think any team would be crazy enough to go higher than that. If its really about wanting that ring, and Boston is out, the destination seems obvious.

And of course, not that they're doing it because of this, but Boston would target two former Heat killers to replace Ray Allen if he does go. Crawford and Terry. Hell, Mayo as well if they go after him.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Dont wanna rush him, but it'd be nice to know if Mike Miller was gonna need surgery or not. If he does and he's out for the start of the season, Heat would get a $2.9 million exception. That could come in handy.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Not sure what sort of lineups we'll run with Ray on board. Im assuming he'd want to start...does that mean we need to be going with:

Chalmers
Wade
Allen
James
Bosh

That's a real small lineup....


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Chris Broussard ‏@Chris_Broussard
> Source: Celtics willing to double (in terms of $) Heat offer to Ray Allen. Will give 2 years/$12 million. Heat can offer only $3 mill a yr


Wow, if true, cannot see Allen leaving.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^^ yeah I think he stays..


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Expect Heat, Celtics, Lakers, Hawks and Knicks to have interest in free agent Rashard Lewis once he clears waivers, source tells Y!


..


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Humbug. Well, you Mo'd us Ray. I'm sure that extra few million will come in handy when you need to have your yacht gilded in gold.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> Apparently Toronto's offer to Nash will start at $12 mill per yr.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Enjoy Canada, Steve! :nash:
> 
> Anyone know what's happening in that gif?


Nash is canadian born and raised. You don't need to tell him to enjoy it.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

SMH. I hope you really don't believe I don't know that. That's why I said it. It wasn't sarcastic.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Ray Allen is almost signed, sealed and delivered in Miami source says. #heat #nbafreeagency


Same guy, Shlutz claiming tbis


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Dwyane Wade said:


> Same guy, Shlutz claiming tbis


link?


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I thought FA's can't sign until July 11th...Hmm


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

https://mobile.twitter.com/206Child/status/219531430877863939

Mobile version (on my iPhone) just look up his twitter if that doesn't work. He seems wrong, FA's can't sign until July 11


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Seems fishy. All he talks about is his "reliable source"


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Celtics G Ray Allen to take his time in deciding where he will sign, source tells Yahoo! Interested teams: BOS, MIA, MEM, ATL, DAL, LAC, BK.


Not good. Dont wanna wait and miss out on others if he takes too long.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Conflicting reports. Must be free agency. Awww.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



doctordrizzay said:


> Seems fishy. All he talks about is his "reliable source"


What is he supposed to cite? Ray Ray's momma?











_MY BABY GON BE A HEAT!_


----------



## Floods

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

^Hahahahahaaaaaa


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah the longer he waits, the more likely he is to sign with Boston... IMO he's pretty decided on Boston


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> What is he supposed to cite? Ray Ray's momma?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _MY BABY GON BE A HEAT!_


That would be start.


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

I'll be really surprised if he leaves the Celtics actually. Not sure who our contingency plan is though.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Avery Bradley might not be ready until December, according to Doc. More incentive to stay in Boston.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Exaxtly, no way he leaves. Honestly, I think he already knows he's staying.. Here's what the Schlutz guy posted, he's a joke



> Ray Allen to the #Heat is not a certainty yet; nothing is at this point. But I would say 85-90 percent right now. Just stay tuned...


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Assuming Ray stays in Boston...who are the other target shooters out there?

Jason Terry? *shudder* god I hate Jason Terry.....


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Beasley is a FA

:lol:

If he accepts a small contract, invite him to training camp.

:lol:


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

It feels good to not be stressing about this free agency. New CBA seems to be killing off our competition.

Thunder are probably not going to be able to keep both Harden and Ibaka. The Bulls are already over the cap and still don't have a #2 option and might lose both Asik and Gibson. Those are our major competition. They seem to be deteriorating while our roster is set.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

BG, how much would it take for you to sig this gif?


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

:laugh: a lot man...a lot...

If Riles signs his decrepit ass for 1 more year, im just gonna assume he has photos of Riles going all David Carradine.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> The unrestricted free-agent center, Marcus Camby, has narrowed his choices to the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets, a league source told CSNNW.com.
> 
> All of these teams and then some, called Camby's agent, Rick Kaplan, shortly after July 1 hit, inquiring about his services, but at this point in his career, he's primarily considering teams in contention for a championship, the same source said.


link


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Camby man huh? I can dig it


----------



## lechamp

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> Assuming Ray stays in Boston...who are the other target shooters out there?
> 
> Jason Terry? *shudder* god I hate Jason Terry.....


yea man, even tho i hate him for being too cocky last year over miami, he has put his pride aside and since playoff this year as an analyst for NBA tv has said he is interested to join Miami and fills a good fit to the team and would want to play alongside James and Wade.

Saying that after beating us means alot coz it just shows how mucc RESPECT he has for the big 3!

lets GET HIm!!!


----------



## gi0rdun

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Sign Steve Nash and Ray Allen then trade Dwyane Wade + stuff for Dwight Howard

Nash/Ray/Bron/Bosh/Dwight

8)


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah, as much as I've hated Terry and his stupid plane thing, he's reformed through his words. I'm down for anyone who's got skills and wants in. We know he can play on a winner, too.

I'd like Camby. I've been anticipating he'd be done for the last 4-5 seasons now. He could probably be great in a limited role here. With Houston likely getting Asik, you can probably take Houston off his list.



> IAMAGM.com ‏@IAMAGM
> 
> Knicks offer to Suns for Steve Nash sign-and-trade is Landry Fields, Toney Douglas, Dan Gadzuric & Jerome Jordan http://dlvr.it/1nqrFP


Ugh. I'd rather just get nothing if I were PHX.



Wade County said:


> :laugh: a lot man...a lot...
> 
> If Riles signs his decrepit ass for 1 more year, im just gonna assume he has photos of Riles going all David Carradine.


:lol:

Carradine could've played Riles in a movie. The hair. That master aura.

I feel blasphemous even thinking this, but how funny and bizarre would it be if Pat had some sort of odd lingerie-wearing or yiffing fetish?


----------



## RoadWarrior

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



gi0rdun said:


> Sign Steve Nash and Ray Allen *then trade Dwyane Wade *+ stuff for Dwight Howard
> 
> Nash/Ray/Bron/Bosh/Dwight
> 
> 8)


:therock:


Not happening.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



gi0rdun said:


> Sign Steve Nash and Ray Allen then trade Dwyane Wade + stuff for Dwight Howard
> 
> Nash/Ray/Bron/Bosh/Dwight
> 
> 8)


Pretty much every step of that is beyond unlikely, but that would be one hell of a starting line up. 

Speaking of Dwight, I think he'll wind up in Houston. They're one of the few teams who'd be willing to trade for him sans long-term commitment.


----------



## RoadWarrior

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



> By Ethan J. Skolnick
> 
> 
> Patience is not the virtue most commonly associated with Pat Riley. That made the Heat president’s extended presence, for 38 minutes of painstaking question-taking in Friday’s first hour, a bit paradoxical, especially because it came after a night that once again proved his unwillingness to wait.
> 
> Yes, Riley had sent his 2012 first-round pick to Philadelphia for a second-rounder in that same draft, and a lottery-protected first-rounder in a future season – likely in 2013’s weaker draft, if likely a few spots higher than No. 27. Still, this wasn’t really about any of those prospects, not the one that he took (Arnett Moultrie) to trade to the 76ers, not the one he took (Justin Hamilton) at No. 45 for a likely stashing in Europe, not the one he may take with the pick he acquired from the 76ers if he doesn’t deal it first.
> 
> This was about proven over potential.
> 
> Simply, as Riley made clear in his comments, he didn’t see the point in investing a guaranteed roster spot in a first-round rookie, rather than saving that slot for a time-tested veteran, unless he perceived some rookie to be a steal. When none of his targets – which he refused to reveal — slipped to No. 27, he passed.
> 
> “Roster spots are valuable, and we weren’t so sure someone could make our roster,” Riley said. “We chose to defer our pick and our asset to next year.”
> 
> So, sure, that’s a form of waiting. But that doesn’t mean that pick will ever play for the Heat. It is just as likely to be used as a chip in a trade for another veteran, especially because Miami does not have its own 2013 or 2015 picks to deal – due to the LeBron James sign-and-trade with Cleveland – and is thereby not even allowed to deal its own 2014 choice.
> 
> This is about the now, about players Riley has seen – in his NBA organization or in another – and believes he can either trust or believes deserves the shot to prove he should. This is about the 15 players who just won the championship, the large majority of whom will return. Ronny Turiaf has until Saturday to decide whether to opt into his $1.4 million contract for next season; Riley, however, appears to have decided about most of the others, even those well down the bench.
> 
> He announced he will guarantee the 2012-13 contract of Dexter Pittman prior to Saturday’s deadline, eager to see how Pittman responds to off-season conditioning under the team’s supervision. He spoke of the potential of Terrel Harris, who will work in summer-league play on ball-handling after seeing little time in his first season with the Heat, and of the possibility of an Eddy Curry encore, though that seems less likely.
> 
> Riley shot down season-long rumors – ones even Mike Miller came to believe – that he would use the amnesty clause on the veteran swingman prior to the July 19 deadline, while leaving open the possibility it could be revisited in a future off-season when tax penalties will become more punitive. Miller will wait about two weeks, to let his injured back rest, before deciding on surgery. Riley said he’d be comfortable nursing Miller through another season as he once nursed Dan Majerle, and would even let Miller sit all season if he could be guaranteed a single repeat of the shooter’s explosion in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
> 
> Remove Curry and Juwan Howard, guess that Turiaf opts in, assume that neither Miller nor James Jones retires and that no trades are made, and the Heat has just two roster spots remaining. Riley said that Jarvis Varnado, a shot-blocker drafted in 2010 who last played in Israel and Italy, will get a look in summer-league play. Who will get a longer look, when free agency starts at midnight Sunday? Those from a much more grizzled group: Ray Allen, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Chris Kaman, Jermaine O’Neal, Grant Hill, Andre Miller – and, in the longest of long shots, Steve Nash.
> 
> “We’re encouraged that we can talk to some players that may be interested in taking a little bit less,” said Riley, who can only offer the 3-year, $9 million mid-level exception and the veteran minimum of $1.4 million per season. “There’s a lot of room out there this year, but there aren’t many teams that have a chance really to win a title. And I think a lot of veteran guys might be interested in something like that. So we have five or six guys earmarked, and we’ll see where it goes.”
> 
> Guys he likes.
> 
> Guys that are like him.
> 
> Proud, proven and impatient.
> http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/s...e-again-optional-in-miami-heat-preside/nPjKj/


Good read on why Riley is not ready to wait for "potential".


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Haven't read it yet, but he was willing to wait on Pittman's and, essentially, Curry's non-fatass potential. A guy like Moultrie is physically ready to play PF in the NBA right now. To me that might be the position where an athletic, hustling rookie with good fundamentals can most immediately make an impact.

Just feel like if you can pay Juwan Howard to give high fives and pick me ups, why not pay a guy who can become a high-quality role player in a year or so instead?


----------



## RoadWarrior

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> Haven't read it yet, but he was willing to wait on Pittman's and, essentially, Curry's non-fatass potential. A guy like Moultrie is physically ready to play PF in the NBA right now. To me that might be the position where an athletic, hustling rookie with good fundamentals can most immediately make an impact.
> 
> Just feel like if you can pay Juwan Howard to give high fives and pick me ups, why not pay a guy who can become a high-quality role player in a year or so instead?


According to RIley, roster spots are very valuable. We're pursing some FAs and if we had kept Moultrie, it would have cut down our options.


----------



## Adam

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Jace said:


> Yeah, as much as I've hated Terry and his stupid plane thing, he's reformed through his words. I'm down for anyone who's got skills and wants in. We know he can play on a winner, too.
> 
> I'd like Camby. I've been anticipating he'd be done for the last 4-5 seasons now. He could probably be great in a limited role here. With Houston likely getting Asik, you can probably take Houston off his list.
> 
> 
> 
> Ugh. I'd rather just get nothing if I were PHX.
> 
> 
> 
> :lol:
> 
> Carradine could've played Riles in a movie. The hair. That master aura.
> 
> I feel blasphemous even thinking this, but how funny and bizarre would it be if Pat had some sort of odd lingerie-wearing or yiffing fetish?


Goddamn Jace, I just looked up yiffing. :lol:



Jace said:


> Haven't read it yet, but he was willing to wait on Pittman's and, essentially, Curry's non-fatass potential. A guy like Moultrie is physically ready to play PF in the NBA right now. To me that might be the position where an athletic, hustling rookie with good fundamentals can most immediately make an impact.
> 
> Just feel like if you can pay Juwan Howard to give high fives and pick me ups, why not pay a guy who can become a high-quality role player in a year or so instead?


Riley said nobody on their board was available when they picked, and I believe him. That means the Heat didn't like Moultrie. Can you blame them for trading the pick if they don't like anybody?

Philly picked #15 this year. If we can get a #15 next year instead of having a #27 in a draft where nobody is available on our board then it's the smart move. I like it a lot.

Plus, we only have 5 roster spots available. I don't want to have a guy on a guaranteed deal leaving us only 4 roster spots and the staff has him rated lower than Jarvis Varnado. You know Chet and the scouts were measuring the draft prospects against what we already have overseas.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Dozier looks pretty impressive. 6'9 with a nice shooting touch, and looks bigger than Varnado


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

What were Dozier's stats in Euroleague? What division was it?

He looks like a good size and build for what we are trying to do here. Glad to hear he'll be on the Summer League team. Some interesting players there with Norris, Varnardo, Dozier and Terrel Harris.


----------



## doctordrizzay

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

we are going to need players that cut down on Lebron Bosh and Wade's minutes.


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

So funny how all the pundits told us there was no way the C's would be able to keep Allen this summer, while simultaneously declaring Miami as the likely destination despite less to spend. Not only is Boston the favorite, they have the biggest offer he'll get on the table. Never understood why people said they'd have to let him go.



Adam said:


> Riley said nobody on their board was available when they picked, and I believe him. That means the Heat didn't like Moultrie. Can you blame them for trading the pick if they don't like anybody?
> 
> Philly picked #15 this year. If we can get a #15 next year instead of having a #27 in a draft where nobody is available on our board then it's the smart move. I like it a lot.
> 
> Plus, we only have 5 roster spots available. I don't want to have a guy on a guaranteed deal leaving us only 4 roster spots and the staff has him rated lower than Jarvis Varnado. You know Chet and the scouts were measuring the draft prospects against what we already have overseas.


Yeah the last part is what's kept me assured they didn't majorly **** up. I'm assuming they feel more confident in what they have in Varnado.

In time we'll end up seeing how much better Philly's pick is than Moultrie (or PJIII for that matter.) Everyone says next year is much weaker, but no one actually knows these things until some ways through the college season, and sometimes even beyond that. 

Perhaps my confidence in Riley's draftboard has wavered over the years, but we know we're in good hands overall and these aren't the things that make or break championships.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Wade County said:


> What were Dozier's stats in Euroleague? What division was it?


He played in the top French league.

22 games 23.5mpg 9.5ppg 0n 56.5% (33.3% from 3) 5.4rpg


----------



## Jace

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yeah I was pretty enthused when I heard Dozier would be hear for Summer League. I thought he was totally out of the picture, yet would be an intriguing fit with his combo abilities. He has PF size and mostly played on the perimeter during the run to the championship game against Rio. If he can bring all the necessary requisite skills he'd be another guy ideal for all the switching we like to do.

He's definitely filled out some.


----------



## Smithian

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

One, should someone rename thread to "2012 Offseason"?

Two, I think the Omer Asik and Hibbert rumored deals with Houston and Portland will push Kaman out of our realistic price range. We may get Mo'd. Is Spencer Hawes available? He's at least competent and 7 feet tall. He can play at both ends a bit. He may not be worth much to most teams, but he'd be a God send here.

Finally, I'm just going to say it. If we sign Jermaine O'Neal after passing on Moultrie, I'll lose my sanity. JO sucked his last 20 or so games here and now he is two years older.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*

Yes, "offseason"...


haven't heard much on Ray Ray guys... The Celtics plan on resigning Jrff Green, wonder if that'd effect rays decision at all? Not sure when green can play again


----------



## Wade County

*Re: The Next Season Thread.*



Smithian said:


> One, should someone rename thread to "2012 Offseason"?
> 
> Two, I think the Omer Asik and Hibbert rumored deals with Houston and Portland will push Kaman out of our realistic price range. We may get Mo'd. Is Spencer Hawes available? He's at least competent and 7 feet tall. He can play at both ends a bit. He may not be worth much to most teams, but he'd be a God send here.
> 
> Finally, I'm just going to say it. If we sign Jermaine O'Neal after passing on Moultrie, I'll lose my sanity. JO sucked his last 20 or so games here and now he is two years older.


If we sign JO....i'm gonna rage so hard. Moultrieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Man, I could've called him Moltres


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Cant believe Atlanta found a taker for that huge Joe Johnson contract.


----------



## UD40

They got garbage in return. I haven't looked at the figures, but I'm assuming most of the people they got in return are expiring.


----------



## Wade County

^ Yep. Farmar, Petro, Morrow, Stevenson, Jordan Williams and a protected first rounder.

Hawks are gonna make a run at Dwight i'd say, with Horford as the bait.


----------



## UD40

He & J-Smoove have been close friends since their AAU days when they were teamates.

That's a strong selling point for them. Plus he's from ATL.


----------



## Wade County

I think this is what they are banking on, yeah. 

Orlando may be interested in a package built around Horford, 1st rounders and expirings.


----------



## Jace

JSmoove has wanted out of ATL for years now. That bridge may have had its last burning this year. I don't know if the Hawks are glitzy enough or if their uniforms are cute enough for Dwight.

Farmar will supposedly be bought out. He'd make sense as an insurance PG if he came cheap.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

A veteran 3rd string PG would fill a roster spot nicely. But he might get overpaid by someone to be a backup elsewhere.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Ira Winderman ‏@IraHeatBeat
> Agent Tony Dutt confirms to Sun Sentinel Heat interest in Rashard Lewis, says Heat on short list of teams that intrigue free-agent forward.


..


----------



## Wade County

Not sure on Rashard. He has been in a steep decline over the past few years - shot 26% from 3 and 38% from the field last season for Washington too.

Add to that he was been pretty hampered with injuries and i'm not real keen. I guess he has size at the 3/4 spot, but he aint exactly gonna help on the boards either is he.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Question, can the nets trade JJ for Dwight? Are their any rules against that? I'm perplexed why they'd trade for JJ after Dwight's request


----------



## doctordrizzay

The only thing good about Lewis right now is that he can shoot over tall Defenders. Can he resurrect career here? Maybe. He is a chucker though, Led the league in 3 attempts for a few years.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dwyane Wade said:


> Question, can the nets trade JJ for Dwight? Are their any rules against that? I'm perplexed why they'd trade for JJ after Dwight's request


They've been dealing with Orlando for almost a year now. They must know that they just dont have enough to get Dwight and moved on.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

So is there a rule against it though?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dwyane Wade said:


> So is there a rule against it though?


They are allowed to be traded only if it was a straight 1 for 1 deal. But they'd have to wait 60 days if they wanted to trade that player in a package deal with multiple players.


----------



## PoetLaureate

doctordrizzay said:


> The only thing good about Lewis right now is that he can shoot over tall Defenders. Can he resurrect career here? Maybe. He is a chucker though, Led the league in 3 attempts for a few years.


That's more of a product of his role in the Orlando offense more than anything else. In a bench role I think he can have a bit of a mini-resurrection here but I wouldn't be distraught if we missed out on him. Low risk gamble I guess, especially if nobody else of use is available. Maybe he can dust off some of that old post game he used to have a la Q-Rich a couple years back.


----------



## Jace

Other than worry about the status of his knee, I don't put much stock into the last season+ for 'Shard. He was banged up, only played 28 games, and is the type of player that needs to be around other talented players to thrive, and Washington did not offer such luxuries.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Does not fulfill a need IMO.


----------



## Wade County

^ That's fair. Still, he has been in decline over the past several years.

He can still probably contribute a few threes per game though.


----------



## Jace

Dee-zy, its not a pressing need, but why not bring in a vet who hits a lot of threes, is 6-10 (more of an advantage for shooting over the D and covering 4's than on the boards in this case), can score in the post and create his own shot (at least in the past), and has been to the finals? We just won a championship, after a playoff run where we were without our 3rd max player for over 9 games...we don't have any major needs. Shooting is really important for our offense to run smoothly, and with some of the question marks we have there, I'd be fine with us upgrading that department on a vet min deal.

We may have to start the season Cleveland LeBron-style, and the man thrives with spacing. If Lewis can do a decent job guarding both forward positions like he has in the past, that's a bonus.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Remember the rumor that popped up last year during the playoffs? About Savannah having cheated on Lebron with Rashard Lewis? If was fake, but it went so far that Rashard had to call Lebron's step father to get word to Lebron that it was fake. Hope that rumor isnt working against us. Delonte West would still be a perfect fit here, but we all know why that will never happen.


----------



## Wade County

Maybe LBJ needs more motivation after winning the chip. Signing the dude who ****ed his Mrs and the guy who ****ed his Mum might make him rage a bit :laugh:.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Ray Allen to visit Heat on Thursday


> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> Celtics' pursuit of Ray Allen put on hold; Allen to visit Heat on Thursday, LAC on Friday, per source. Story soon on http://NBA.com.
> 
> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> Allen had conference calls Monday w/Heat, Clippers, Grizzlies and Timberwolves. But he isn't currently scheduled to visit Memphis or Minny
> 
> Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
> Confirming what David Aldridge of http://NBA.com tweeted earlier this morning, yes, Ray Allen will visit the Heat on Thursday.
> 
> Chris Broussard ‏@Chris_Broussard
> Ray Allen will visit Miami on Thursday and The LA Clippers on Friday, sources say


----------



## UD40

Greg Oden has interest in joining the Heat.

So....should we?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

He could take up the Eddy Curry role. Instead of a fat camp, it'd be a rehab camp.

But i'd definitely take him in and stick Zo on him 24/7.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

And why couldn't Allen be meeting teams yesterday and today? Snh


----------



## Dwyane Wade

What about Billups? He's a FA.
Supposidly the clippers are about to offer Crawford the MLE and Billups 4 mill for1 year. Doesnt that take Allen out of the equation for them?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Celtics are in final discussions on terms of a multi-year deal with Mavericks free agent guard Jason Terry, sources tells Yahoo! Sports.
> 
> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Keep in mind Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he wanted both Ray Allen & Jason Terry in this recent Yahoo! Sports story


Wow.


----------



## RoadWarrior

Wade2Bosh said:


> Wow.


Those guys wanna beat us by all means. I fear them a lot more than the Bulls.


----------



## UD40

No need for both of them, in my book.

I think this is a sign that Jesus Shuttlesworth is one step closer to being in a Heat uni.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

They can still sign both, but the playing time factor definitely changes a bit if that deal goes through.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Would this not cut into ray rays playing time??


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Of course.


----------



## Adam

It's a done deal. Terry to Boston for their full mid-level exception.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Jason Terry said he never heard anything the Miami Heat. "I'm still waiting,'' Terry said. But Miami is going all out for Ray Allen.


..


----------



## Adam

Pat did say he felt the team was set at PG and he was going to focus on other areas.


----------



## doctordrizzay

It comes down to Clippers or Miami Heat. I have a feeling he will choose the Clippers just like Kenyon Martin did. He can also start on the Clippers, which is what he was looking for.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Clippers are meeting with Jamal Crawford and are considered the front runners. He might commit to them before Friday.


----------



## Marcus13

Ray's not going back to Boston. He didn't want to sit behind Bradley let alone split minutes with Jet...who jus got 5.5 mil and they're only offering Ray 6 -- not happenin.

We're taking our talents to South Beach or Hollywood


----------



## Marcus13

Wade2Bosh said:


> Clippers are meeting with Jamal Crawford and are considered the front runners. He might commit to them before Friday.


If they don't bring Young back though, that's not really an issue. Idk what their plans are for him, though


----------



## Wade County

If Ray wants to finish his career winning titles, sign with Miami.

Although going from being fed by Rondo to being fed by CP3 would be a nice, easy transition.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The Clippers would still have money if they gave Crawford their full MLE?

Ira seems convinced that Ray will sign here.


----------



## Jace

Optimistic Ira? He still on that Ace of Spades.

Regarding Terry saying he never heard from us, I wasn't sure what to make of earlier in the week, when he said the Heat "may or may not have" contacted him. Not used to seeing players be coy like that. I guess he was hurt and didn't want his ego to take a hit.



Adam said:


> Pat did say he felt the team was set at PG and he was going to focus on other areas.


Well, Terry wouldn't have really played a PG role here, but I guess they wanted bigger guys. Or maybe didn't like his FG% or defense.



Marcus13 said:


> Ray's not going back to Boston. He didn't want to sit behind Bradley let alone split minutes with Jet...who jus got 5.5 mil and they're only offering Ray 6 -- not happenin.
> 
> We're taking our talents to South Beach or Hollywood


Forgot you come in the Allen package.

:stern:


----------



## Wade County

lol at the creepy Stern smiley :laugh:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace said:


> Optimistic Ira? He still on that Ace of Spades.


His interview is on the WQAM site, but he said that an assistant coach told him something about how he thought Ray would sign here during the series against the C's. Didnt expound on that though.


----------



## Jace

New smileys!

:manbearpig:

:wademad:

:balotelli:

:drose:

:dwight:

These all you Ben?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Oh snap, we need a wario/mario one like that Balotelli one


----------



## Wade County

^ Definitely. Wario with that epic crooked mo.


----------



## Eternal

Too bad this one wasn't added: 










Allen would be nuts not to sign with Miami.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Lebron just retweeted this 


> LeBron James ‏@KingJames
> RT @abake6: #Heat fans, do yall want to see something really cool? (Cc: @FakePatRiley) http://pic.twitter.com/wEIIy4Mo(looks damn good to me)












I wonder if he'll fly down to take part in the recruitment on Thursday.


----------



## Jace

:lebron: going all :manbearpig: on the Ray Ray recruitment. :laugh:

*Winderman: Dallas blew it all up for this?*



> The Mavericks blew it up for this? To finish as runner-up for Deron Williams?
> 
> The Mavericks put aside one of Dirk Nowitzki‘s precious few quality remaining seasons on the promise of potential hope?
> 
> Yes, the Mavericks still could recover next summer, if Chris Paul doesn’t reach a new deal with the Clippers, if Dwight Howard doesn’t find a home he deems suitable.
> 
> And Mark Cuban may yet find a new franchise cornerstone moving forward.
> 
> But the reality is Nowitzki is an expiring commodity, one who now won’t play with Deron Williams, because Williams saw a brighter future in Brooklyn than the one Mark Cuban hoped to create in Dallas.
> 
> If 2010 free agency is an example, the runner-up tends not to come out of the process in the best of position. Having lost out on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh that summer, the Bulls settled for Carlos Boozer. Now there is a chance Boozer eventually is amnestied should the Bulls match the Rockets’ offer sheet for Omer Asik.
> 
> In 2010 free agency, when the Knicks failed in their bids for the Heat’s Big Three, their answer was to sign Amare Stoudemire. New York is still trying to make that work, possibly now as the second-best team in their city.
> 
> And in 2010 free agency, when the Hawks couldn’t upgrade, they overpaid Joe Johnson and only now are working their way out of that nightmare.
> 
> There are exceptions. The Clippers also paid their requisite LeBron visit in 2010, came up empty-handed, but retained enough flexibility to eventually land Paul last season.
> 
> There remains the chance the Mavericks can do the same next summer.
> 
> The difference is the Clippers had a young core that could wait, with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan still in their formative years.
> 
> Dallas now is looking at Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Brendan Haywood and a few other pieces. That’s a lot of years to put on hold.
> 
> Tyson Chandler, J.J. Barea and DeShawn Stevenson were allowed to depart last offseason.
> 
> Jason Terry is leaving now.
> 
> The Mavericks never got to truly defend their championship.
> 
> And Nowitzki again has been put on hold.
> 
> Such is the gamble tying a franchise’s future to an all-or-nothing element in free agency.
> 
> Under Cuban, the Mavericks have avoided the ultimate rebuild endured by teams such as the Heat, Pistons and to a degree even the Nets.
> 
> Tuesday, though, may have presented the ultimate challenge.
> 
> *Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com* and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. You can follow him on Twitter at @IraHeatBeat.


When did Wind-bags start writing for NBCSports?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

For probably over a year now. Maybe longer.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I saw him on the channel around the start of the season. So this was one of those "your team has become the epicenter of basketball" opportunities.


----------



## RoadWarrior

LOL LeBron on his facebook page:


> LeBron James:
> This look damn good to me


:devil2:


----------



## Wade County

Hopefully he's facebook friends with Ray Ray :laugh:

Would be nice though :yep:


----------



## Jace

Never heard Ira sound that confident and definitive about a personnel move, but Fizdale or Askins telling him it'll happen right after the ECF because Ray was mad about the benching seems a tad flimsy. Ray could've cooled off by now, though if that really is something that ticked him off that much, Terry's presence would seem to push him back over the fence.

He'll seek top dollar, but Courtney Lee would make a sweet backup option if he were willing to take the mini. He was apparently the best player in the league at the corner three.


----------



## Wade County

Battier and Courtney Lee on either corner?


----------



## Wade County

Was watching this, made me a little sad.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Bald Wade was so bad ass.

It's weird though... he looks like he had less hops?

His shot does look better though (although they are highlights...)


----------



## Wade2Bosh

He was Team USA'a leading scorer even though he came of the bench, and shot 67% from the field. He straight BEASTED that summer and following season.


----------



## Dee-Zy

He was pretty much the MVP for USA until the second half of the gold medal when Kobe took over. Even then, I think he still played very well while Kobe was on fire.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wade scored 20 in the 1st half of the gold medal game when Kobe and Lebron had to sit in foul trouble. Kobe hit tough shots in the 2nd half, including that 4pt play, but Wade also hit a huge 3 with around two minutes left that pretty much sealed the game.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Heat trying to save every penny possible.


> Ira Winderman ‏@IraHeatBeat
> Heat bypass qualifying offer to Terrel Harris, guard now an unrestricted free agent.


What this means:


> The Sun Sentinel has learned that the Heat bypassed extending a qualifying offer to the seldom-used rookie guard, leaving him an unrestricted free agent instead of a restricted free agent. As a result, the Heat do not maintain the right to match outside offers.
> 
> While Harris is expected to work with the team this summer, several factors in the new collective-bargaining agreement worked against Harris when it came to a qualifying offer.
> 
> Foremost, unlike in the previous collective-bargaining agreement, qualifying offers in this new agreement are fully guaranteed. Also, under the new collective-bargaining agreement, Harris would have had to receive a qualifying offer at $960,000. The Heat instead can now offer a non-guaranteed offer of the second-year minimum of $760,000. That $200,000 difference actually becomes a $400,000 difference with the Heat into the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax.


Link

I think this clearly shows how the 1st round pick trade had to do with guaranteed dollars more than who they wanted not being there.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ interesting


----------



## RoadWarrior

Wow!


----------



## Wade County

Wade's stroke looks a shit ton better in those videos too. Way more fluid.

Bring back bald Wade!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Dwyane Wade ‏@DwyaneWade
> 2morrow is a big day for #HeatNation..


Looks like Wade is on board with adding Ray Allen as well. 

Hopefully the big 3 will all be there to help recruit.


----------



## Ben

I wonder if they think that all of them making their interest so public is going to sway Allen's decision.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wade County said:


> Wade's stroke looks a shit ton better in those videos too. Way more fluid.
> 
> Bring back bald Wade!


His head was way too big for a bald head :laugh:

Its unfortunate that he has to get the surgery because I think he was all set to get back to doing what he did pre '08 Olympics this summer.

If you look at his summers since its been pretty hectic. 1st off, since basketball season runs through every other season except summer, that meant most of the court dates of the custody battle had to be held during the summer.

The summer after the Olympics was his 1st time away from Basketball in a long time so he obviously didnt put in as much time and effort then. The following summer was free agency, last summer was after the long and stressful run and eventual loss in the finals (not to mention the weird on/off schedule because of the lockout), and this summer he has to get the surgery.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The trickle down effect of the Nash trade to the Lakers is that now the Knicks will go full out for Jason Kidd with their MLE, removing another team's MLE that was looking at Camby.



> gary washburn ‏@GwashNBAGlobe
> If the #clippers do sign Jamal Crawford, and that's a distinct possibility, expect them to drop out of Ray Allen sweepstakes
> 
> 1h Frank Isola ‏@FisolaNYDN
> Hearing former Knick Jamal Crawford may end up with the Clippers


And this would obviously help with Ray Allen.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
> Just going up online: Michael Beasley has committed to sign with Phoenix Suns on a three-year, $18 mil, sources close to situation tell ESPN


Good for B-Easy. He should do well in that system. Too bad he wont have Nash as his PG.


----------



## lechamp

Dwyane Wade said:


> And why couldn't Allen be meeting teams yesterday and today? Snh


4th of July celebration with family???


----------



## Jace

Dude...what happened? I was at work in the morning/afternoon and Nash to the Knicks was almost done. I get home, read a couple of minutes of twitter with ESPN on in the background, eat dinner, shoot around in my driveway for an hour, come back inside and Nash is going to the team whose jersey he said he'd have trouble putting on. Where did this all come from? Is Dwight a Buck now?

Sweet news about Knicks likely off the Camby list, though. So NY can't re-sign Lin?

And Beas had some of his best games against PHX. I believe he scored his rookie season high in PHX (28?). He always played well in games that pace. Its no wonder they were willing to go full MLE on him. I'll definitely root for him, but that team isn't going anywhere anytime soon but the lottery.



Wade2Bosh said:


> Wade scored 20 in the 1st half of the gold medal game when Kobe and Lebron had to sit in foul trouble. Kobe hit tough shots in the 2nd half, including that 4pt play, but Wade also hit a huge 3 with around two minutes left that pretty much sealed the game.


I don't know why I even hit the 'quote' button on Deezy's post to interject about Dwyane's door-shutting three. Knew you'd bring up that glorious moment already. 



Wade2Bosh said:


> I think this clearly shows how the 1st round pick trade had to do with guaranteed dollars more than who they wanted not being there.












_Ju calling me a lie-jer?_



Ben said:


> I wonder if they think that all of them making their interest so public is going to sway Allen's decision.


I almost feel like they know its going to happen the way they're constantly being so public about, trying to raise hype. Sort of reminds me of Dwyane and Chris posting this:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Lebron agress with Wade


> LeBron James ‏@KingJames
> RT @DwyaneWade: 2morrow is a big day for #HeatNation..(Absolutely!! #HeatNation Stand Up


I hope they're both here tomorrow. Unless ofcourse they already know something we dont.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace said:


> Dude...what happened? I was at work in the morning/afternoon and Nash to the Knicks was almost done. I get home, read a couple of minutes of twitter with ESPN on in the background, eat dinner, shoot around in my driveway for an hour, come back inside and Nash is going to the team whose jersey he said he'd have trouble putting on. Where did this all come from? Is Dwight a Buck now?


Apparently, Nash pleaded to Sarver to please let him stay out west and close to his kids. Sarver granted him his wish.


> Sweet news about Knicks likely off the Camby list, though. So NY can't re-sign Lin?


Broussard just tweeted that they'll likely match any offer, which would allow them to keep their MLE.


> I almost feel like they know its going to happen the way they're constantly being so public about, trying to raise hype. Sort of reminds me of Dwyane and Chris posting this:


Good point. Lets hope thats the case.


----------



## Jace

Hypothetically, if we signed KG, and if he for some reason hypothetically came off the bench, would the fans here give him a standing ovation?

If so, who's the really good player that we could hypothetically sign that our fanbase hated so much they wouldn't give the honor, despite how slutty we are with them (standing o's). Jason Terry maybe? I'm not sure he'd get one, actually.

Ray Ray's would be enormous. I feel like he's the one Celtic big 4 the fanbase finds tolerable. Was always the case for me.

And I see Lin is restricted. Dude'll get paid either way.


----------



## Jace

But..wait...I read a tweet at work that said the Knicks deal was going down in part because Nash lives in NYC in the offseason and he wanted to keep his kids there. I mean, either way, his kids can stay where they are. Perhaps whoever tweeted that was making an incorrect assumption.


----------



## Jace

Sorry to get all syrupy, but I think its pretty cool that despite still pissing out champagne our two best players are uber-hyped about recruiting a new player.

Operation HEAT-peat in order.

:bosh1: :joel: :spo:


----------



## Wade County

Happy for Beas - hope he can kick start his career in Phoenix.

Ray i've always found palatable, but man oh man, he hit so many brutal threes against us. No idea how many times i've said '****ing ray allen...' over the years.

Would be nice to say 'RAY ****IN ALLEN!' or 'JESUS!' instead. Make it so.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Yeah, hate to get my hopes up, but thinking about the entirely new dimensions of offense that will open up by adding someone who moves as well off the ball and around screens just gets me so damn excited.


----------



## Jace

^Hah, was just doing the same. It occurred to me why their offense tends to run so smoothly against us, particularly because Dwyane is usually "on" him.

Hate to also get my hopes up, but the Clippers appear to be making Crawford their priority. Do they know something through backchannels? NY, and possibly even CHI (and obviously NJ and LAC,) seemed to know LeBron wasn't coming in 2010 before it was widely reported. I'd suppose that conjecture is moot considering its already been widely reported Allen is leaning toward Miami, so LAC is working hard on Jamal simultaneously.

Would be funny if Allen ended up with us simply because all the other suitors fell out in fear. :laugh:



Wade County said:


> Ray i've always found palatable, but man oh man, he hit so many brutal threes against us. No idea how many times i've said '****ing ray allen...' over the years.
> 
> Would be nice to say 'RAY ****IN ALLEN!' or 'JESUS!' instead. Make it so.


I think I was always more pissed our D gave him even a strand of daylight. Can't stand when assholes that shouldn't be raining threes rain threes on us, that hurts more.


----------



## Wade County

I still wake up at night with a cold sweat over Paul Millsap. 3/3 my ass....


----------



## Jace

Honestly. Talk about a glitch in the matrix. Millslapped.



> @FisolaNYDN: Grant Hill will either join Steve Nash and the Lakers or retire, a source close to the veteran forward told me


So it goes.



> Dan Devine ‏@YourManDevine
> 
> So everything's going to be fine. RT @ESPN_Caplan: Mavs can still bring back Brian Cardinal on a 1-year, minimum deal.


:rotf:


----------



## 29380

> Hate to also get my hopes up, but the Clippers appear to be making Crawford their priority. Do they know something through backchannels? NY, and possibly even CHI (and obviously NJ and LAC,) seemed to know LeBron wasn't coming in 2010 before it was widely reported. I'd suppose that conjecture is moot considering its already been widely reported Allen is leaning toward Miami, so LAC is working hard on Jamal simultaneously.


CAA informed the Knicks an hour in advance about LeBron's decision, CAA and the Knicks have what can best be described as a "working relationship" with each other.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I thought that Allen to C was still the front runner. Are you guys assuming that because of the jet signing that ray will want out?


----------



## doctordrizzay

Dee-Zy said:


> I thought that Allen to C was still the front runner. Are you guys assuming that because of the jet signing that ray will want out?


No it's always been to Miami, Lebron and Wade are so pumped about something. And I figure Allen told them that after the meeting with Riley tomorrow...He will sign. He will get alot of minutes anyways even if he may not start. Battier and Allen shooting three's for us is going to be a Marvel to watch.


----------



## lechamp

doctordrizzay said:


> No it's always been to Miami, Lebron and Wade are so pumped about something. And I figure Allen told them that after the meeting with Riley tomorrow...He will sign. He will get alot of minutes anyways even if he may not start. Battier and Allen shooting three's for us is going to be a Marvel to watch.


im very much excited about what they meant with tomorrow being the best day for Heatnation. the only thing that bothers me is, itll only be a visit but no decision can be made by Allen because he has committed with Clippers on a meeting the following day friday). 

Wouldnt that be ironic if Allen announced tomorrow that he agreed with Heat but then has to go and meet up with the clippers on Friday? or turn down the meeting because he has already decided?
Even weird for him to even push through the meeting with the Clips knowing he has silently agreed with Miami? Why would he even bother or raise the Clips hopes???

what do you think?


----------



## Jace

I think I'm mad the team that won the title lost at least 6 smileys. :bosh2:

And if he agrees to sign with Miami tomorrow (he won't, even if he knows he will, one more day for the Clips not knowing is one more day they may miss out on a FA. Gamesmanship.), would be silly to fly all the way to LA just to get wooed.


----------



## lechamp

Jace said:


> I think I'm mad the team that won the title lost at least 6 smileys. :bosh2:
> 
> And if he agrees to sign with Miami tomorrow (he won't, even if he knows he will, one more day for the Clips not knowing is one more day they may miss out on a FA. Gamesmanship.), would be silly to fly all the way to LA just to get wooed.


exactly, could be a all-or-nothing case for Miami coz if ray-ray will decide after the clips visit (after June 6) then that is only 5 days of FA searching left for Miami. 

If Ray decides to be back in Celtics o join Clips, Miami will have a lesser FA-pool to choose from with Terry already with the Celtics, and other FAs are quickly being signed by other teams.

We really need to get Ray Allen or else its a hard search for a FA that will help improve our line-up.

And i really have to change my smileys, u r ryt, 6 players lost smileys. hahaha


----------



## Dwyane Wade

I think wade meant it's a big-- as in crucial-- day for Heat nation. Supposedly CP3 has been recruiting
Allen as well. Judging by the playing time, and money, it seems Allen will sign with the Clippees


----------



## Jace

LAC sign Billups and Crawford and CANCEL ALLEN VISIT!!!!

JESUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUS SHUTTLESWORTH!!!!!!!!


----------



## Jace

> Brian Windhorst ‏@WindhorstESPN
> 
> LA Times reports Clips have deals w/Jamal Crawford & Chauncey Billups; cancel Ray Allen visit. Appears to be down to BOS or MIA for Ray


All my excitement would be rapidly extinguished if he chose Boston. I kind of assumed they were out, too. ****.


----------



## UD40

> While Ray Allen hasn't ruled out re-signing with the Celtics, he appears more likely to choose between the Heat and Clippers.


via RealGM two hours ago. Now reports say LAC is out?

I like our odds...

COME TO SOUTH BEACH, RAY RAY!!


----------



## UD40

> A source close to Allen indicates the Celtics are making a heavy push to get this done, attempting to answer his issues along the way. Allen told the Herald months ago that he didn’t want to have to sweat out another trade deadline after nearly being moved in the past, and word is the Celts are ready to comply with either a no-trade clause or a trade kicker that would get him a good sized raise in salary if he does get moved.


I feel it's not that the Celtics want Ray this badly, more so they don't want Miami to get him.


----------



## UD40

Now it's said the Celtics are looking at Nick Young.

Chances seem to be rising steadily for us.


----------



## Jace

Exactly. They're clearly trying to keep him from us. With their backcourt set up, it would seem Allen would merely amount to roster support while Bradley is out.



> Dwyane Wade ‏@DwyaneWade
> 
> My Rook back when he listened to me L2MS.. Congrats on the new deal. Make phx your home http://instagr.am/p/Ms2miRFCNY/












Why is picturing Dwyane typing "Michael Beasley Dwyane Wade" into google search funny to me? Anyway, if Dwyane showed as much class on the court nowadays as he does off, there'd be way less complaints about him from Heat fans.

P.S. Dwyane, Beas wasn't a "rook" then.


----------



## Floods

Jace said:


> All my excitement would be rapidly extinguished if he chose Boston. I kind of assumed they were out, too. ****.


I don't know, they've been insisting that the Jason Terry signing was unrelated to the Ray situation. Pretty sure Dooling's a free agent, and Terry's intended to replace him.



UD40 said:


> Now it's said the Celtics are looking at Nick Young.


Oh lawd.


----------



## Jace

Boston has retired 3/4ths of all numbers known to man and 7 and 13 are still available? OK.

(JO is pissed.)

We gotta get Dooling if we lose out on Ray. I actually loved him when he was here, especially the '05 playoffs when he went from a suspect jumpshooter to NBA Jam "HE'S ON FIRE!!" mode. He was, like, 10-14 from the corner 3 against us between the regular season and playoffs this year. Obviously a SoFla native as well.


----------



## Floods

And 4, don't forget 4.


----------



## Jace

Funny how things work out with Twitter trends sometimes. "The Steve Nash" is now the top trend. I figured there was some Iron Sheik type meme going on, but when I looked, it was because everyone was typing things like "...the steve nash trade..." Except this:



> The Iron Sheik ‏@the_ironsheik
> 
> the steve nash leave the big apple for the hollywood he wants to party all night he go ot right place not like the mexican mel gibson


:laugh:


----------



## Adam

I realize that fan is short for fanatic and they're supposed to be biased, but a lot of the talk I'm hearing from Boston is pissing me off. I'm hearing way too often that they would have beaten us if they had Avery Bradley, and Jeff Green is coming back next year, and Ray Allen had a bad ankle. Then after they drafted Sullinger they all started getting cocky like they just drafted Anthony Davis or something.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Clippers agree with Crawford, it's official...


----------



## Jace

Ray Allen M.I.A. creepshot. Almost looks like a mohawk. I guess his head is just huge. :whoknows:


----------



## Dee-Zy

Mexican Mel Gibson?!


----------



## Floods

Adam said:


> I realize that fan is short for fanatic and they're supposed to be biased, but a lot of the talk I'm hearing from Boston is pissing me off. I'm hearing way too often that they would have beaten us if they had Avery Bradley, and Jeff Green is coming back next year, and Ray Allen had a bad ankle. Then after they drafted Sullinger they all started getting cocky like they just drafted Anthony Davis or something.


The only reason we were even in the ECF is because of Derrick Rose. And Boston homers want to whine about the role player injuries we had, you guys didn't even have Bosh until game five, and it's come out since that Wade was hobbled and will need surgery.

Boston homers are terrible. Half of them think Rondo is the best PG in the league.


----------



## British_Baller

So how does everyone expect Chalmers to get on next season?

Championship ring and a decent finals mean he will step up to playing big time or just more of the same average play and inconsistency?


----------



## Floods

He's a #30 pick whose played pretty much the same way for four years. Don't know why he'd turn a corner now.


----------



## -33-




----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace said:


> Ray Allen M.I.A. creepshot. Almost looks like a mohawk. I guess his head is just huge. :whoknows:


Sunglasses? :whoknows:

Bass just resigned with Boston for 3 years. 

Its funny how taking us to 7 games completely changed their thinking for the next couple of years. We take them out in 5 and who knows if they're doing all of this.


----------



## Jace

Chalmers hasn't exactly played the same all four years Floods. He was great his rookie season, putting up great numbers for a rookie PG. The rookie wall he hit continued on til the next year, where he lost his starting job. He lost it again the next year, but finally found steady play in a role off the bench. That year he really exploded in the playoffs, particularly the finals. At the start of this past season he was playing exceptionally well for what we expect of him, but leveled off right before the ASG, when he signed with Spalding 

He once against stepped it up big in the playoffs, playing the best ball in his life. His first few years in the league, he couldn't finish at the hole. He flabbergasted teams doing it in the postseason this year. I expect him to back down off that level of playing during the regular season, while hopefully getting back to a high 3-pt percentage. It remains to be seen what effect being a champion will have on Rio, whether positive or negative. His confidence level already far exceeds his skill/talent level, and we've seen him play dumb, "Wario" ball when it gets completely out of hand. I fear that could really take over next season with a newfound "I'm a champion -- anything goes" attitude.



-33- said:


>


You know something?

Bass makes sense to re-sign because he's still youngish. I read a Boston writer's tweet indicating they were happy it was a 3 year deal and not what they'd expect he'd demand (4+) in order to only keep him around for the rest of this core's run. So yeah, perhaps there is the "we still have time" angle.


----------



## UD40

Floods said:


> The only reason we were even in the ECF is because of Derrick Rose. And Boston homers want to whine about the role player injuries we had, you guys didn't even have Bosh until game five, and it's come out since that Wade was hobbled and will need surgery.
> 
> Boston homers are terrible. Half of them think Rondo is the best PG in the league.


Are you from New England, too? Because this is 200% accurate.

Being a Heat fan in Celtic territory is horrible.


----------



## UD40

-33- said:


>


Since 99% of the posters here have been around for some time, we all know too well if you give us some kind of hint at something big happening...then we should listen.


----------



## Jace

My thoughts (hopes?) exactly. A  would've really set me off.

Apparently the meeting is scheduled to start at 5:30, so I don't expect to hear anything until late tonight. You know, after the Irish Carbombs at Prime 112.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
> In another unforeseen twist of this wild offseason, sources say Jason Kidd has decided to leave Mavs and join Knicks on a multiyear deal


Wow, what is going on in Dallas?


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ making room for dwight.


----------



## Jace

Making room for Dwight to play with no PG?



> Ian O'Connor ‏@Ian_OConnor
> 
> Jeremy Lin wants more $ than reported $31 million offer from Houston, according to league source. #Knicks facing a hefty match


My god, Jeremy (and agent). I understand you want to capitalize on Linsanity, but this is ridiculous.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> Making room for Dwight to play with no PG?
> 
> 
> 
> My god, Jeremy (and agent). I understand you want to capitalize on Linsanity, but this is ridiculous.


It was a joke lol. Dallas is so screwed right now. Losing assets is not bringing anybody good in. Lol and Jeremy Lin, he play in what? 15 games starting last year? We annihilate him i think in his last game played. And he's asking for more money? Im betting more that anything he will end up being just a fluke for those game.


----------



## Floods

David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
Veteran F Rashard Lewis, bought out by the Hornets after coming in Okafor/Ariza trade from D.C., will visit Miami this weekend, per source.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

He better not be looking for more than the veterans minimum. I'd definitely take him on this team.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I really hope we're talking to him as a vet min guy and not a Ray Allen rebound.


----------



## Jace

> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> 
> Credit to @daldridgetnt for report about Rashard Lewis visiting Heat this weekend. Lewis has always been Miami's Plan B....


Seems everyone is assuming its a Plan B, but you never know with The Don at the helm.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Ray Allen, Lewis, and Camby.

Id be very satisfied with that.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Seems like he is a plan b... Someone else just reported it too, bad sign from the feeling they got with Ray Ray? Is he still in the meeting?

Edit* I just saw Jace's post that the meeting was set for 5:30p


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
> AP: Ray Allen is staying in Miami overnight, as talks with Heat continue.


..


----------



## Adam

Floods said:


> The only reason we were even in the ECF is because of Derrick Rose. And Boston homers want to whine about the role player injuries we had, you guys didn't even have Bosh until game five, and it's come out since that Wade was hobbled and will need surgery.
> 
> Boston homers are terrible. Half of them think Rondo is the best PG in the league.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I wonder if Ray and Rashard are still close?


----------



## Jace

:laugh: Adam



Wade2Bosh said:


> ..


Just saw that, not sure what to make of it. Definitely not horrible news, but its not like there's much negotiating that needs to be done. We're handing him a bag full of all our money and saying, "please."



doctordrizzay said:


> Ray Allen, Lewis, and Camby.
> 
> Id be very satisfied with that.


That would be beyond a grand slam. Slim chance.


----------



## Wade County

Ray and Rashard would be pretty cool. I think Camby would want too much $$$, plus with our penchant for small ball I doubt he signs here to be a bit player.


----------



## Jace

Camby will be 39 next postseason, he's probably very close to sacrificing money/minutes for a ring. He did once receive criticism for asking for a clothing stipend upon the inaction of the new dress code mandate, so he may milk the "big man with a pulse" advantage to the very end.



Wade2Bosh said:


> I wonder if Ray and Rashard are still close?


Was wondering the same. They went to battle together as the two best players on that Sonics team for awhile. Two very professional dudes, I'm sure they have a good relationship. Was thinking earlier today it would be awesome to reunite them here. Wade/Allen/LeBron/Rashard/Bosh would've been unstoppable, like, 3-4 years ago.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Jorge Sedano ‏@SedanoShow
> [email protected] & i have found out that Ray Allen has been spotted having dinner with #HEAT contingent tonight in downtown Miami. #NBA


..


----------



## Jace

Then they go back to Pat's place and snuggle into their sleeping bags and talk all night about Ray Ray stroking swish after swish all the way to the gold.


----------



## Il BLaZe l1

doctordrizzay said:


> Ray Allen, Lewis, and Camby.
> 
> Id be very satisfied with that.


that's probably the best case scenario.

edit:
@abirnbaum818 took pics of the Heat meeting with Ray at dinner tonight. social media is crazy lol


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Ray Allen left his hotel w/ his representatives at around 8 to meet a Heat contingent. By now, you may have seen photos.


Gotta love twitter


> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Pat Riley has arrived at dinner
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Erik Spolestra following in
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> And here comes Alonzo
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Nick Arison and Andy Ellsburg at dinner getting ready to bring Ray Allen to the @MiamiHEAT http://t.co/OdwHhBvp
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Pat Riley's drink selection: coke
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Ray Allen going with some ice tea
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Man at il gabiano walks over to ray Allen and holds a pen out for him to borrow. Riley gave a dirty look
> 
> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> Alonzo Mourning next to Ray Allen. Spo to Allen's other side http://t.co/WtxseC9D


----------



## R-Star

Will be interesting to see your starting lineup if Allen signs on.


----------



## Jace

> Adam Birnbaum ‏@abirnbaum818
> 
> Ray Allen and Alonzo looked to be getting along pretty well


----------



## Wade2Bosh

R-Star said:


> Will be interesting to see your starting lineup if Allen signs on.


To me, the most interesting part would be Lebron and if he'd do the move to at least starting games at PF, so that Ray moves into the SG spot and Wade goes to SF.

Mario
Ray
Wade
Lebron
Bosh

Whether or not they start, that would more than likely be the finishing lineup. The only change on some night would be either Battier or UD being in there instead of Mario.


----------



## R-Star

Wade2Bosh said:


> To me, the most interesting part would be Lebron and if he'd do the move to at least starting games at PF, so that Ray moves into the SG spot and Wade goes to SF.
> 
> Mario
> Ray
> Wade
> Lebron
> Bosh
> 
> Whether or not they start, that would more than likely be the finishing lineup. The only change on some night would be either Battier or UD being in there instead of Mario.


Makes sense to me against most lineups except with the teams where Bron and Bosh are too small of a frontcourt and start getting pushed around. Not sure when facing those teams if Wade can put in heavy PG minutes, or if Ray would come off the bench instead. 

At the end of the day it will be interesting to see. Allen for the Heat would be a huge addition though.


----------



## Jace

It remains to be seen how much of a burden it would be on their bodies to each play a position up full-time. I do believe they get could by against almost any PF/C duo except for LA, perhaps. We did see LeBron guard Pau well, but Bosh didn't play that last game so who knows how he'd do against Bynum. LeBron held his ground guarding big, talented bigs all playoff long, including centers, so I wouldn't worry about him short term.



Wade2Bosh said:


> To me, the most interesting part would be Lebron and if he'd do the move to at least starting games at PF, so that Ray moves into the SG spot and Wade goes to SF.
> 
> Mario
> Ray
> Wade
> Lebron
> Bosh
> 
> Whether or not they start, that would more than likely be the finishing lineup. The only change on some night would be either Battier or UD being in there instead of Mario.


Nailed it. I think its between Wade guarding SFs or starting games PG-less with Wade guarding 1s. I'm no fan of the latter.

Also, however, I think the staff is a fan of Battier's ability to guard both forwards to help out LeBron. Those lineups don't give that option.


----------



## lechamp

Wade2Bosh said:


> To me, the most interesting part would be Lebron and if he'd do the move to at least starting games at PF, so that Ray moves into the SG spot and Wade goes to SF.
> 
> Mario
> Ray
> Wade
> Lebron
> Bosh
> 
> Whether or not they start, that would more than likely be the finishing lineup. The only change on some night would be either Battier or UD being in there instead of Mario.



WADE
ALLEN
BATTIER
LEBRON
BOSH

Chalmers need not start, Bron will be POINT-FORWARD (yea, the new position he invented) dictating the tempo, but will also slip in the forward position to confuse the defense (PG or PF) with different looks each time making the opponent problem at adjusting, this way, the defense of the opponent wont be set most of the time Bron or Wade drives to the basket.

Another play that is simulated by this offense is, with the opponent defense shaky with inconsistence due to the POINT-FORWARD scheme of Lebron, ALLEN and BATTIER will have plenty of space and time to position themselves for open3s.

Then Bosh on the other hand will be a pic-and-roll go to guy by Wade or Lebron.

this offense will create HAVOC to most teams.


----------



## Jace

Ask Scottie Pippen if LeBron invented point-forward. You're right that that would probably be our best all-around line-up, however, with Chalmers in for Battier being a close second, depending on the matchups.

Zo is like our secret weapon. I ****ing love that man. The fact that he's not me #1 favorite Heat-er of all time shows how lucky we are.



> Zach Lowe ‏@ZachLowe_SI
> 
> Jeff Green's teams have played much worse w/ him on floor every year he's been in the league. Rumored 4/$40 deal? No way I'd do it. None.


Boston's just flingin' the dough around. **** it.

Danny Ainge...starring in...


----------



## Wade County

Whose your favourite Heat player of all time Jace?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

lechamp said:


> WADE
> ALLEN
> BATTIER
> LEBRON
> BOSH


What's up with the annoying blue font? :laugh:

This is another option. The thing with this lineup is having two players playing out of their normal position (Wade/Lebron) while the other one would just have Lebron playing in a different spot, though one that he wouldnt have much problems excelling at, obviously.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wade County said:


> Whose your favourite Heat player of all time Jace?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Nothing new here, but i'll post it anyway


> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> Rashard Lewis will meet with the Miami Heat this weekend, according to sources. There's mutual interest between Lewis and the Heat.





> Deadspin ‏@Deadspin
> VIDEO: Miami Fox affiliate falls for fake Twitter account, reports breaking news that Ray Allen signed with the Heat http://t.co/Fk1lRqhM


****ing dumbasses


----------



## doctordrizzay

Wade2Bosh said:


> Nothing new here, but i'll post it anyway
> 
> 
> 
> ****ing dumbasses


LOL, how statisfied is the dude though that had the fake account. The news room interupted a show to announced it haha


----------



## Jace

News is better fast than right!



Wade County said:


> Whose your favourite Heat player of all time Jace?


Dwyane. He and the Heat got me back into basketball in '03 after my post-Bulls-Jordan lull. Being named Jordan I grew up a mega-Jordan fan. After he retired the second time my basketball interest waned as I got into other things. There was kind of a Jordan hangover where I felt like if I couldn't watch the best player in the world anymore, why watch basketball? Hey, I was young and a fanboy. If I had done the right thing and switched over to the Heat after '98, it would be a tough call between he and Zo.

C-Quinns is a close 3rd.










Pat fined Ray the price of the meal for not tucking in his shirt.


----------



## Wade County

I like how you called him C-Quinns :laugh:

He's just the kinda guy who would wear a sequined sweater.

Yeah, all time fav Heatian is tough. Zo and Wade are obviously the longest tenured, and were the biggest stars until LBJ came along. Obviously, as my old username was BG44 - I used to love the Rasta Masta.

Most gut wrenching moment was seeing Zo slumped on the ground after shredding his knee, but the man is such a beast, he walked off into the locker room....such a warrior. Miss that dude


----------



## Jace

> IAMAGM.com ‏@IAMAGM
> 
> Celtics very close to signing Jeff Green, reportedly $40M over four years http://dlvr.it/1prVng


Wow. When I posted that first tweet I doubted it could be anywhere near close with that number floating around. That's wild.


----------



## Jace

Wade County said:


> I like how you called him C-Quinns :laugh:
> 
> He's just the kinda guy who would wear a sequined sweater.
> 
> Yeah, all time fav Heatian is tough. Zo and Wade are obviously the longest tenured, and were the biggest stars until LBJ came along. Obviously, as my old username was BG44 - I used to love the Rasta Masta.


BG had a special place in my heart for that one year I watched him because in 8th/9th grade everyone told me I looked like him because I had dreads with bleached tips like his. Since I wasn't watching basketball then I barely knew who he was.

I remember when I sat 6 rows up all XX season right behind Director of Media Relations (or something like that) Michael McCullough and he and his family always got a kick out of me and my friends screaming that at Quinny bear. That was a fun and hellish season for me. So lucky my friend's mom got those seats that year, because her clients never wanted them. Would've been awesome if it were one of these past two years, but I'd never be able to go because they'd always get claimed by prospective clients. There is a benefit to going to games expecting to lose with a stomach full of booze. Will never forget DeShawn Stevenson calling my friend a Hanson brother because we were clowning his beard.


----------



## Wade County

Jace said:


> Wow. When I posted that first tweet I doubted it could be anywhere near close with that number floating around. That's wild.


$10M per year for Jeff Green????

Ludicrous. Surely not true?


----------



## Jace

@hpbasketball (great follow btw. Its Matt Moore from Hardwoon Paroxysm and CBSsports) joked Ainge is going to work a Jedi Mind Trick and get him for 5yrs/$20 mill suddenly. He got Bass below market value.

Hopefully Ray is all _SMH_, thinking he can't play for a team so clearly batshit crazy.










Enjoy SoBe tonight, Jesus. Make it your new home.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

4/40 for Jeff Green, who'd be coming off the bench, is insane. Wow.

Will Bass come off the bench?


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> 4/40 for Jeff Green, who'd be coming off the bench, is insane. Wow.
> 
> Will Bass come off the bench?


Who would take Bass' starting spot right now? Certainly none of the Sullinger, Melo, Steimsma lot.

Forget Green coming off the bench. He couldn't figure out a role in his short time in Boston so far. I didn't know his +/- numbers were so awful all throughout his career. I always was under the impression he was key to OKC's then-success until he was traded. I'm sure he'll bounce back fine from the heart thing, so that's not a concern to me. I just don't see how he's proven to be a $10 mil per player. They must be thrown off by his draft position.

Said it before, but wow what a waste that lockout was. Just made things worse all around. We'd be so much more *fun* if we had a full MLE.


----------



## Jace

Also good to see B-Roy end up in Minny. He and CHI had mutual interest, and that could've been scary if he was right. I think its $10.4 over two years. A bit pricey for such a question mark.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace said:


> Who would take Bass' starting spot right now? Certainly none of the Sullinger, Melo, Steimsma lot.


Jeff Green started at the 4 in OKC. So if he's getting $10 million per year, would they not have him start?

That is a crazy amount of money to come off the bench.


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> Jeff Green started at the 4 in OKC. So if he's getting $10 million per year, would they not have him start?
> 
> That is a crazy amount of money to come off the bench.


Haha, I didn't even consider Green. Good point, they might try to force it to work there. Interesting floor spacing there, though.


----------



## Wade County

Honestly:

Rondo
Terry
Pierce
Green
Garnett

is almost as annoying as their usual Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Bass, Garnett lineup.


----------



## Jace

Good point. Rondo will get Terry great looks.


----------



## Drizzy

I don't like all these pieces the Celtics are getting. Really starting to piss me off. Really hope Ray signs with the Heat.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ Boston is gonna suck next year anyways.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Any interest in Brand? He's not that big but is a great defensive player. He's being amnestied by the sixers


----------



## Dwyane Wade

> BTW, Heat have practically no shot at landing Brand. Most likely they'll strike out on Brand a la 2004; under-cap teams get first dibs.


Nvm, via twitter


----------



## UD40

Ric Bucher reporting on ESPN that we should expect Ray Allen to take his time. It's down to us and Boston, with things looking good for Miami.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

I hav a feeling his decision will be announced today or Tokorrow.


----------



## RoadWarrior

Wade County said:


> Honestly:
> 
> Rondo
> Terry
> Pierce
> Green
> Garnett
> 
> is almost as annoying as their usual Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Bass, Garnett lineup.


Man I hate Rondo so much! Such a cocky pr**k! Feels like everyone should bow down before him. My hatred got to an all-time high when he said that thing in the interview to Dorris Burke about our players crying like bitches to the referess in transition or something like that. Glad we were able to send his ass packing. Oh and Pierce? Don't even let me go there. No they've added Terry. Great! Like I needed more reason to hate the Celtics' players.

Did I mention I hate Rondo?


----------



## RoadWarrior

UD40 said:


> via RealGM two hours ago. Now reports say LAC is out?
> 
> I like our odds...
> 
> COME TO SOUTH BEACH, RAY RAY!!


You're on RealGM?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> Nothing new on Ray Allen. He's back from Miami and is deciding. No plans to visit Memphis/Minnesota, though they & Boston still on list.





> Jonathan Feigen ‏@Jonathan_Feigen
> Rockets center Marcus Camby to meet with Heat on Saturday, source said. Knicks next. Rockets unlikely, and not until after Asik decision.


So Camby visiting tomorrow and Lewis on Sunday.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Free agent Ray Allen left his meeting with the Miami Heat on Thursday night without giving them an answer on their contract offer and is torn on whether to leave the Boston Celtics, sources told ESPN.com on Friday.
> 
> Allen had an afternoon meeting with Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra and then went to dinner with them and other members of the team's front office. The Heat offered Allen their mid-level exception, which starts at $3.09 million per season-- or half of the Celtics' offer of $6 million per year over two years.
> 
> The most the Heat could offer is three years and $9.5 million.
> 
> The sources did not go into specifics, saying Allen is torn because remaining a Celtic is still very much an option.
> 
> Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have recruited Allen. Riley and Spoelstra were believed to have presented a plan where Allen would have a major role in the offense playing alongside them and Chris Bosh. The Heat are hoping that the offer entices Allen to leave money on the table and end his five-year partnership with Celtics stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
> 
> The Celtics, sources said, have their own plan for incorporating Allen into a different role that includes playing him alongside Jason Terry, who committed to sign with the Celtics earlier this week. The Boston Herald reported that Boston also has offered to include a no-trade clause in Allen's contract, something the Heat cannot offer.


Link


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Probably means he's staying in Boston...


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Source confirms Marcus Camby will visit Miami on Saturday. Will fly in Saturday and leave Sunday.
> 
> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Source: Marcus Camby's tune has changed greatly this week on wanting to go back to Houston Now wary about that due to Houston "rebuilding''
> 
> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Source wonders if Ray Allen not Miami's top choice w/ $3 million exception Could be Camby Sources say Heat called Camby 12:01 am last Sunday
> 
> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Source says chance Miami could sign Ray Allen with $3 million exception and then seek to get Marcus Camby in sign-and-trade with Houston
> 
> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> In addition to Heat, source says Marcus Camby will meet with New York. San San Antonio and Dallas also on his list.


..


----------



## doctordrizzay

RicBucher Ric Bucher
Sources: TWolves are the heretofore unnamed dark-horse team in the Ray Allen Sweepstakes. Dark, though, as in jet-black.


----------



## Dee-Zy

What can we offer in a S&T?

James Jones? Would suck to see him leave after hearing him say that he wants to retire here...

Sides that, our meat is rather thin... Cole? Chalmers? UD? Joel (Please no)?


----------



## Jace

Allen and Camby would be nice, but my doubts about the former are growing.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> NYK and MIA leaders in comp to land HOU C Marcus Camby with either $3m mini mid or Sign-N-Trade, source tells Y! SA,DAL, HOU also interested


..


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Meanwhile its back to work for Lebron












> Ben Golliver ‏@blazersedge
> LeBron James says he hasn't talked to Ray Allen but Pat Riley told him Allen's visit "went well"
> 
> Ben Golliver ‏@blazersedge
> "When's the last time I played the 5? When's the last time you watched basketball? I played the 5 throughout the playoffs." -- LeBron James


----------



## RoadWarrior

doctordrizzay said:


> ^ making room for dwight.





Wade2Bosh said:


> Meanwhile its back to work for Lebron


Dayyuuummm!!!! His hairline is so F'd up in that pic.


----------



## RoadWarrior

From Las Vegas:


----------



## RoadWarrior

More:


----------



## UD40




----------



## UD40

> Faux John Madden ‏@FauxJohnMadden
> To welcome Ray Allen to the Miami Heat, the team is letting Allen yell at Mario Chalmers.


:lol:


----------



## Dwyane Wade

*@SedanoShow: With Ray signed. Next #HEAT should S/T PHI 1st rd lottery protected pick to HOU for Camby & try to sign Rashard Lewis to Vet Min of $1.2 mil


----------



## RoadWarrior

Welcome, Shuttlesworth!


----------



## Dee-Zy

Anybody knows how is camby's health?

I remember that he had a reputation of being made out of glass but looked up the number of games he played in the past seasons and he seemed to be healthy 3 out of the past 4 seasons?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Would Houston take Joel and the 1st rd pick from Philly for Camby? 

If they're open to that, then Camby could receive from the Heat, a little more than what he could have gotten if he had just signed the mini MLE.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Damn, I would hate to see Joel leave but can't front that camby is not an upgrade.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I wonder if this could be a likely scenario. Miller decides to retire so he agrees to be signed and traded for camby and he retires after the trade?


----------



## Wade County

Personally I don't really want to give up a likely mid first rounder and Joel for camby, but that's me. I won't be surprised if we do it tho.


----------



## Jace

If Miller retires now, we get $2.9 mil we can give to Camby. Can't believe Camby + Allen is actually a possibility. I'd really hate to move Joel for Camby, who in my eyes can turn to dust any minute now.

So weird seeing LeBron back at basketball practice. As I said recently, dude's still pissing champagne. I don't remember it feeling this sudden when Dwyane reported to camp for '06 Worlds. I'm a little unnerved by how tired LeBron looks in those pictures. We all know what happened after Dwyane played overseas after winning a Finals MVP. Yeah he played the best basketball of his life up to that point, but the wear and tear really manifested itself in a big way. Its gonna be tough to keep James' minutes down with Dwyane out to start the season. It'll be impossible to keep both their minutes down even when Wade is back. Ray can only do so much.

Rio needs to go full Supernintendo Chalmers.


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> I'd really hate to move Joel for Camby, who in my eyes can turn to dust any minute now.


Ahhh helll nawwwww that garbage better not happen or I am flying down to Miami and being a one man riot of the type not seen since Tommy Vercetti destroyed Vice City!

:soapbox:


----------



## Dee-Zy

Make that two man riot.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> If Miller retires now, we get $2.9 mil we can give to Camby. Can't believe Camby + Allen is actually a possibility. I'd really hate to move Joel for Camby, who in my eyes can turn to dust any minute now.
> 
> So weird seeing LeBron back at basketball practice. As I said recently, dude's still pissing champagne. I don't remember it feeling this sudden when Dwyane reported to camp for '06 Worlds. I'm a little unnerved by how tired LeBron looks in those pictures. We all know what happened after Dwyane played overseas after winning a Finals MVP. Yeah he played the best basketball of his life up to that point, but the wear and tear really manifested itself in a big way. Its gonna be tough to keep James' minutes down with Dwyane out to start the season. It'll be impossible to keep both their minutes down even when Wade is back. Ray can only do so much.
> 
> Rio needs to go full Supernintendo Chalmers.


Don't worry about Lebron, he isnt glass like Wade. Lebron works on his body more than any athlete in sports. He'll be fine.

This Olympics will be the first time ever I cheer for the USA in something. I always root against USA in Olympics even in 08 and 04...But this time I hope they win for Lebron's sake. MVP, Championship, Finals MVP, and Gold Medal.


----------



## Smithian

doctordrizzay said:


> This Olympics will be the first time ever I cheer for the USA in something. I always root against USA in Olympics even in 08 and 04...But this time I hope they win for Lebron's sake. MVP, Championship, Finals MVP, and Gold Medal.


:wtf:


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Camby cancelled meeting w/ Heat because they no longer have its $3.1 million mid level exception (which is going to Ray Allen).

Dang. Looks like Camby is out of the picture which is scary bc if NJ lands dwight (which I think is only a matter of time until it happens) who'll guard him?


----------



## Smithian

Dwyane Wade said:


> Dang. Looks like Camby is out of the picture which is scary bc if NJ lands dwight (which I think is only a matter of time until it happens) who'll guard him?


You throw double teams at him while hoping Anthony slows him down. NJ doesn't have Orlando's shooters. They'd be scary but I really feel our team 4-12 can stand against a lot of teams. Battier, Allen, Haslem, etc are great veteran presences and _if_ Chalmers has made that jump.....

This will be a fun season.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

I think Chalmers has. His confidence should be high next season...

The Miami Heat are the "clear" front-runners for Rashard Lewis, according to multiple sources. Lewis will meet w/ the Heat tomorrow.

^^ via twitter @mylegionsports


----------



## Wade County

Here's a question-has haslem become redundant? Hard to see much of a role for him unless he can consistently hit that midrange J


----------



## Jace

Was just thinking I could easily see him phased out of the rotation, especially if we got Lewis, even if we don't get Camby. Factor in the possibility of a Dozier or Varnado making the team and giving good minutes there, UD can _really _become U-sless.



Dwyane Wade said:


> I think Chalmers has. His confidence should be high next season...


Confidence has never been the issue with the autonymous Mr. Clutch. Its just been a matter of respecting every possession and getting more comfortable with the game for him.

Although I do agree he needed more confidence regarding his ability to get to the rim, which he seemingly attained in the playoffs.



doctordrizzay said:


> Don't worry about Lebron, he isnt glass like Wade. Lebron works on his body more than any athlete in sports. He'll be fine.
> 
> This Olympics will be the first time ever I cheer for the USA in something. I always root against USA in Olympics even in 08 and 04...But this time I hope they win for Lebron's sake. MVP, Championship, Finals MVP, and Gold Medal.


Where are you from/located?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chris Mannix ‏@ChrisMannixSI
> Right now the Heat are going all in on Rashard Lewis. He is No. 1 on Miami's list. Expect the VIP treatment for Lewis in meeting tomorrow





> Chris Mannix ‏@ChrisMannixSI
> Miami not interested in sign and trade scenarios that include Norris Cole or Joel Anthony, sources say. Makes Camby an unlikely fit.


But Ethan says


> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Be wary of reports about whom the Heat won't trade. Plenty of times, those have been followed by players getting traded. Always fluid.


----------



## Jace

Also, the visit was "postponed" rather than "cancelled." They want time to work out possibilities.

Meanwhile, Lewis for the vet min please!


----------



## Smithian

Lewis isn't all that pure.


----------



## Smithian

Wade County said:


> Here's a question-has haslem become redundant? Hard to see much of a role for him unless he can consistently hit that midrange J


Not at all. Key piece. He looked better as season went on.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Smithian said:


> Lewis isn't all that pure.


For the veterans minimum, there arent many better options out there and that fit our style play, as well as Lewis does.


----------



## Jace

> Free agent center Marcus Camby’s scheduled Saturday visit to South Florida to meet with the Heat was postponed Saturday morning because the Heat no longer has its $3.1 million mini mid-level exception (which is going to Ray Allen) and Camby first wants to see if there’s a realistic possibility if the Heat and Houston Rockets can work out a sign-and-trade that would deliver him a salary in that range or higher.
> 
> The Heat and Rockets have had discussions about a sign-and-trade, according to an NBA source, with Joel Anthony, Norris Cole and a future first-round draft pick among the potential pieces to a deal. The Heat does not have its own No. 1 pick next year but does have Philadelphia's from a draft night trade, though that pick is lottery-protected should the 76ers miss the playoffs.
> 
> The Rockets are believed to be interested in Cole, but it’s unclear if Miami would give him up as part of a trade for Camby. And the Rockets reportedly have far more interest in what the Knicks have to offer than what the Heat would.





> Camby, who has no interest in taking the $1.3 million minimum from Miami or any other team, likes the Heat but also has interest in New York, Brooklyn, and potentially others. The Rockets have spoken to several teams about potential sign-and-trades. Camby is expected to meet with the Knicks on Sunday in Houston, then might visit with the Nets, who have strong interest in him. The Spurs also are a possibility.





> Camby would be receptive to meeting with the Heat if it’s determined that the teams believe a sign-and-trade is a good possibility. But neither team could provide him with that answer Saturday morning, and the meeting was thus postponed.





> Forward Rashard Lewis is expected to visit Sunday, knowing all Miami can offer is the $1.3 million veteran's minimum. He has told associates that he’s not hung up over salary because he’s making $13.7 million in a Hornets buyout next season. The Spurs, Knicks and Hawks also have shown interest, and though Lewis likes Miami, he has indicated he plans to speak to other teams as well.
> 
> Riley, incidentally, has spoken on the phone with both Lewis and Camby.


more


----------



## Dee-Zy

I really hope we get camby. 

I hope we don't have to give up Joel though. Losing cole would suck but I can stomach it. The problem is that we have no back up PG. Harris I guess?

With bron, wade and Allen, I guess we don't need a pg that much? Unless chalmers gets injured?


----------



## Jace

I wanna hold onto Cole.

How Jesus would it be if Ray came out and said he'd accept the vet min so Camby can get the mini-MLE? "I mean, **** it, right?"


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Jace said:


> I wanna hold onto Cole.
> 
> How Jesus would it be if Ray came out and said he'd accept the vet min so Camby can get the mini-MLE? "I mean, **** it, right?"


Well if the heat do a sign and trade for Allen then we can give Camby our MLE I think. But would the C's help us (while helping themselves) to do that?


----------



## Dee-Zy

**** that. 

I don't want to give the Cs and piece unless it is eddy curry but that wouldn't work financially for us anyway since he is off the books.


----------



## BigWill33176

Smithian said:


> Not at all. Key piece. He looked better as season went on.



Haslem needs to stay locked in the gym until he fixes that jumper. Did anyone else notice that it had a sort of lateral hitch to it this year? Like he would be moving the ball from left to right as he raised up while before (while still awkward looking because of the late release) it would be straight.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Yes his release looked atrocious


----------



## Jace

> Dash Williams ‏@ReverendDrDash
> 
> Breaking: Johnathan Givony of @DraftExpress is reporting that Dwight Howard to The Knicks is imminent.


Hmmm...

*EDIT: Should've read Jon's timeline. Was a joke.*


----------



## Wade2Bosh

2 year anniversary of one of the greatest nights in Heat history


> Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
> Two years ago tonight, at 9:27 p.m., the phrase "take my talents to South Beach" was uttered. (Note: It's been said too damn much since.)


----------



## Dee-Zy

Wade2Bosh said:


> 2 year anniversary of one of the greatest nights in Heat history


LOL


----------



## -33-

Get em Riles....Get em!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
> As @tribjazz reports, Raja Bell finalizing buyout w/ Jazz. Bell has interest in returning to his hometown to play for Heat, source tells Y!


Why the hell not? We're already building the best 6'8 and under team in history


----------



## Wade County

Raja Bell? Strong do not want. We have enough wings here!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Yeah, Bell would be nice if Miller had to miss a lot time or retires.

PG: Mario/Cole 
SG: Wade/Allen/Jones
SF: LBJ/Battier/Miller
PF: Bosh/UD/
C: Joel/Pittman


3 spots left.


----------



## -33-

Wade2Bosh said:


> Why the hell not? We're already building the best 6'8 and under team in history












We need an enforcer. 1 year, vets minimum. He's better than Harris will ever be.


----------



## Wade County

Unless we sign Camby - I think we stay with the small ball lineup mostly:

PG - Chalmers (30) / Cole (13) / Wade (5)
SG - Wade (28) / Allen (20)
SF - Battier (20) / Allen (8) / James (20)
PF - James (16) / Haslem (18) / Bosh (8) Battier (6)
C - Bosh (26) / Joel (15) / Pittman (7)

Minute allocation:

James - 36
Bosh - 34
Wade - 33
Chalmers - 30
Allen - 28
Battier - 26
Haslem - 18
Joel - 15
Cole - 13
Pittman - 7

That's 10 deep.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I think Cole might be the one who loses the most minutes with the addition of Allen.

It'd be pretty cool to have 3 Miami guys on the team. Just add Steve Blake and we'd have every NBA player from South Florida playing for us 

Lakers might look at Bell as well. Kobe wanted him last time and one of his best friends is supposedly Nash.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Brian Windhorst ‏@WindhorstESPN
> Heat interested in free agent PG John Lucas III, sources tell ESPN. Story will be posted soon.


Well there's one way to ensure that this dude doesnt beat us.


----------



## Jace

Is Dooling central FL?

Even though we already had a wing logjam before Allen (assuming Miller is back) I'd still take Bell. He's more of a perimeter defender than Battier and can also stick 3s. He's got a bit of a good meanstreak, and if you've heard him on Le Batard, you know he's in the Ray/Battier mold of intelligence and professionalism. 



> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> 
> Agent for Rashard Lewis says "everything went well" w/Heat, but process will continue this week before decision. Hawks, Knicks still in it.


Won't suck as hard as waiting for Ray, but still annoying. Wonder how much they'll offer.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Oh yeah, Dooling is a Ft. Lauderdale kid. Went to Dillard.

And speaking of, i'd probably rather have Dooling here than JL3.


----------



## Jace

:laugh:

We had JL3 and let him go. He played well here. I guess he taught us a lesson. I'd love to have him here after the way he played against us and other teams sans Rose.


----------



## Jace

LOL. Disgruntled Kevin Love. EVERYONE'S DOING IT.



> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> 
> Kevin Love tells Y! Sports he's tired of losing & Wolves need to make playoffs or make changes that could include him.


No one will get the criticism LeBron did for doing it correctly. I don't want to hear the crap about demanding a trade being the classier thing to do because then your team can trade you and get assets. Things can backfire. The team you want may not be able to get you. Your new team will be depleted.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

It would be funny if JL3 signed here after he ripped Heat fans on twitter

http://www.thewindyapple.com/2012/0...on-twitter-rant-and-calls-out-fake-heat-fans/

Why an end of the bench scrub, who could be out of a job any minute, and need employment with another team, would do this is really dumb.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Here's the Lucas article from ESPN


> While they work on ways to secure help in their frontcourt by courting Marcus Camby and Rashard Lewis, the Miami Heat are also looking at making a possible addition to their backcourt.
> 
> The Heat have been in contact with Chicago Bulls free agent point guard John Lucas III, sources told ESPN.com.
> 
> Lucas averaged 7.5 points and 2.2 assists in 49 games with the Bulls last season including a 24-point game against the Heat in March in a Bulls victory. It was the best season of his winding career that's taken him in and out of the NBA dating back to 2005.
> 
> The Heat will still have three open roster spots after signing Ray Allen this week and Lucas is under consideration for one of them. Sunday the Heat met with Lewis, who has meetings with several other teams including the Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics scheduled for this week.


Link

Why wouldnt the Bulls bring him back in that same 3rd PG role until Rose gets back?


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> It would be funny if JL3 signed here after he ripped Heat fans on twitter
> 
> http://www.thewindyapple.com/2012/0...on-twitter-rant-and-calls-out-fake-heat-fans/
> 
> Why an end of the bench scrub, who could be out of a job any minute, and need employment with another team, would do this is really dumb.


Yeah, wow, that's idiotic and really small. Obviously he's hurt we cut him. The fact that he posted those pictures is even funnier.

I'd still take him, he was just sad.


----------



## Jace

Nets are trying to stockpile first-rounders to make a run at Dwight. Do they have anyone we'd want they'd give us for the Philly first? That would be worth helping them get Dwight?


----------



## Wade County

U mad you got dunked on and crushed on a screen JL3?


----------



## Jace

If he wants in I'll take him. If not, he can eat a smegma sandwich while Norris picks out his boxcut fade.



> Legion Sports ‏@MySportsLegion
> 
> Nets, Magic & Cavaliers "on verge" of completing monster deal that would include multiple picks and 11 players to send Dwight to Brooklyn.


Nevermind. Brooklyn doesn't need our Philly pick.

Dwight/DWill/JJ -- not too shabby. They actually play pretty decent D as a trio, unlike 2/3rds of NY's 3. Avery coaches D. With CHI likely out of the picture ultimately next year, NJ can be at least a 3 seed if they can keep Wallace and other solid role players.

If you're going to have a "Big 3," you might want their level of talent to rank (in descending order) 1. Center 2. PG 3. Wing. Nice building blocks.


----------



## Jace

Wow. Didn't realize Bell was only a year younger than Ray. Eh...


----------



## Jace

ESPN Sunday convo with Rachel Nichols on Dwyane Wade + Oprah part 2 going on. The Oprah interview replays again at 1AM.

Both are really good. Dwyane talks about his knee and the surgery in "less than 24 hours," "getting better" passed 30 like MJ and Kobe, Ray Allen, and some other stuff, in the Nichols interview. Interesting what he said about the Spo blow-up. Apparently Spo said something to intentionally rile him up (at least in Dwyane's eyes) because he knows he usually plays great angry, but it wasn't happening that night because the knee had just been drained that day and didn't have enough time to recover. Good to know it wasn't just Spo passively suggesting he move the ball (or something along those lines) leading to Dwyane berating him because no one respects him, like many assumed.


----------



## Wade County

LOL at smegma sandwich. You crack me up Jace :laugh:

If Nets land D12 we have legit competition. That team will be very, very good. Don't forget they have G-Force too. Plus they'll try stack that team with cheap vets like we do. Scary, the 1 and 5 are out weakest and their 1 and 5 would be the strongest. Hmmm.


----------



## RoadWarrior

Wade2Bosh said:


> Well there's one way to ensure that this dude doesnt beat us.


Da hell???? We have Cole! Why would we be interested in him?


----------



## Adam

Wade2Bosh said:


> Well there's one way to ensure that this dude doesnt beat us.


ESPN sources? Our owner broke the Ray Allen deal on twitter. None of those idiots at ESPN have any sources that know what we're doing.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

It was Probably was his agent that leaked that to Windhorst to try to get more suitors for his client.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Some seem to think that we're talking to JL3 because of the chance that we trade Cole and Joel to Houston for Camby. hmmm.


----------



## UD40

^Just read that.

Lucas would sign in a heart beat. He probably doesn't want to get hurdled by Lebron anymore.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Damn, I hope we don'T trade Joel :/


----------



## Dee-Zy

I just realized that I finally busted the 10,000 posts.

This is huge for me, I have been hopping from discussion forums since 1999 (I used to be on rap forums). I don't think I have been active for so long on the same forum and I have never reached 10,000 on any of them!!!

Shows how much I like it here! I am really enjoying this Heat fam here!!!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

^Congrats :cheers:



> Chris Tomasson
> According to agent Henry Thomas, Dwyane Wade's knee surgery today "went well.'' Wade is expected to be fully healthy by training camp. When cleared by a doctor, he's expected to hire a shooting coach for the first time in his career. That looks like a September project.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

> Hearing that Marcus Camby sign-and-trade deal to the #Knicks is almost complete; details coming.


^^ via that one Jordan Shlutz guy


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Dee-Zy said:


> I just realized that I finally busted the 10,000 posts.
> 
> This is huge for me, I have been hopping from discussion forums since 1999 (I used to be on rap forums). I don't think I have been active for so long on the same forum and I have never reached 10,000 on any of them!!!
> 
> Shows how much I like it here! I am really enjoying this Heat fam here!!!


Right as you say this... Sources: Dee-Zy traded to RealGM Miami Heat forums..


----------



## Dee-Zy

LOL

I tried going there a few years ago because sometimes, the board is slow and not enough new posts but when I was there, I felt like I was in a kindergarden school yard, so I never even registered I think...


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Lol yeah man it's VERY VERY hard to find good forums. I've tried to find a good Cowbkys for years and they're either too dead or wayy to alive. Like there's a new post every 60 seconds so it's impossible to keep
Up


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Dwyane Wade ‏@DwyaneWade
> 2 every1 who have bn waiting 2 hear...iam doing fine after my surgery ths morning..I'm in gr8 hands..thanks 4 all your concern/prayers





> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> The Heat's summer league roster for Vegas includes Cole, Pittman, Harris, Varnado, Justin Hamilton, Robert Dozier, UM's Adrian Thomas.


Also includes Kyle Weaver and Trey Gilder, who have NBA experience. As well as J'Covan Brown and Dwight Hardy.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Jonathan Feigen ‏@Jonathan_Feigen
> There are reports that Marcus Camby has agreed to go to NY in S&T. Was just told "He has not made a decision." "Nothing imminent."


^rockets beat writer so credible unlike that Jordan dude


> "The Miami Heat announced today that guard Dwyane Wade underwent successful left knee surgery this morning. The 20-minute procedure was performed by Heat team physician Dr. Harlan Selesnick at Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables. Wade can begin therapy immediately and is expected to be ready for training camp."


..


----------



## Jace

*ARE YOU READY*










*FOR THE BULLDOZIER?*



Dee-Zy said:


> LOL
> 
> I tried going there a few years ago because sometimes, the board is slow and not enough new posts but when I was there, I felt like I was in a kindergarden school yard, so I never even registered I think...


Yup. It used to be great, but after the Decision I can't read it for more than five minutes. Too many chest-thumping Heat fans who don't seem to know much what they're talking about. I still go back from time to time because there are at least a handful of really smart, funny, affable guys who've been there awhile.

Sounds like this procedure was more minor than Dwyane's last. He also looked like he's been taking good care of himself since the parade. He actually looks thinner in the Nichols interview than the Oprah one from the day of the parade. Great to hear it sounds like the shooting coach wasn't just talk.

GROVER!!


----------



## Dwyane Wade

@LegionSports Report: The Heat are front-runners to land free agent Rashard Lewis.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

^original source was probably this Ethan Skolnick tweet from a few hours ago


> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Hearing that the Heat left yesterday's meeting with Rashard Lewis confident that he'll come aboard. Nothing official yet.



Full Heat summer league team:


> 4 J’Covan Brown G 6-1 197 2/14/90 Texas/USA R
> 24 Jason Clark G 6-2 180 1/16/90 Georgetown/USA R
> 30 Norris Cole G 6-2 175 10/13/88 Cleveland State/USA 1
> 42 Robert Dozier F 6-9 215 11/6/85 Memphis/USA R
> 26 Trey Gilder F 6-9 185 1/24/85 Northwestern State/USA 1
> 44 Justin Hamilton C 7-0 260 4/1/90 Louisiana State/USA R
> 52 Lamont Hamilton C 6-9 242 4/6/84 St. John’s/USA R
> 12 Dwight Hardy G 6-2 196 12/2/87 St. John’s/USA R
> 14 Terrel Harris G 6-4 190 8/10/87 Oklahoma State/USA 1
> 25 John Holland * G 6-5 205 11/6/88 Boston University/USA R
> 45 Dexter Pittman C 6-11 ½ 285 3/2/88 Texas/USA 2
> 32 Damian Saunders F 6-7 210 11/1/88 Duquesne/USA R
> 35 Adrian Thomas F 6-7 224 4/30/87 Miami-FL/USA R
> 43 Jarvis Varnado F 6-9 210 3/1/88 Mississippi State/USA R
> 54 Drew Viney F 6-8 210 9/17/88 Loyola Marymount/USA R
> 20 Kyle Weaver * G 6-6 200 2/18/86 Washington State/USA 3


----------



## Wade County

Super excited to see if Wade can reclaim his midrange J. Looking at footage from 2008-2010, it'd be nice if he could get it back.

Glad to hear the surgery went well also.

Interested to see how Norris goes in Summer League too, and Varnado and Dozier.

Still not sure where Lewis fits in on this team, other than as a 10th man. Hard to see him getting enough playing time, unless UD would be moved? However unlikely that is.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Maybe that Jordan guy really does have some insight


> Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
> Marcus Camby has reached agreement on a deal with the Knicks, league sources tell Y! Sports.
> 
> Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
> Houston and New York agreed on a sign-and-trade deal sending Douglas, Harrelson, Jordan to Rockets for picks, sources said.


----------



## Wade County

Well, there goes that. Shame.

Don't think there are any other legit C's on the market are there.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
> Camby has agreed to a three year, $13.2 million deal with the Knicks, source tells Y! The final year includes a partial guarantee.


Going on 39 years old and still gets $4million a year. It pays to be tall.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

3 PF's who we all thought were options in the draft, had nice 1st games today in summer league.

Sullinger had 20pts in 24 minutes
Nicholson had 24/12/2
PJ3 had 17 and 8.


----------



## Jace

Looking at PJ3 right now. He sure passes the look test. Smooth, finished a strong and-1 against Melo.

NBATV is replaying the game if you want to watch.

Sucks about Camby. For a minute I thought he was coming. Oh well, he'll have fun on his reunion tour in NY. I did have sneaking doubts he'd have trouble staying on the floor as he doesn't entirely fit our evolving style.

*Hard for 'Shard* is the slogan now, I guess.


----------



## Jace

What's up with Moultrie? I don't see him in PHI's boxscore.


----------



## Wade County

I think Moultrie might be injured and out for Summer League.

Sullinger and Perry Jones...sigh....


----------



## Adam

Camby could never stay on the floor when he was younger due to injuries. He hasn't even been totally healthy the last two years. I don't think he's worth what he got and we're better off without him.


----------



## Jace

At least we couldn't have gone to Jared. PJ3 was there.


----------



## Jace

Adam said:


> Camby could never stay on the floor when he was younger due to injuries. He hasn't even been totally healthy the last two years. I don't think he's worth what he got and we're better off without him.


I'm actually happy he wound up in NY. I kind of feel like Morey fleeced Grunwald. They lose two or three young pieces who could've been rotation players. The 2nd rounders are "meh," but might not be worth it to lose those guys for a back up C who is pretty much just a 38-year-old version of your starter.


----------



## Jace

Anyone surprised guys like Lou Williams, OJ Mayo, and Courtney Lee are still available? We might wind up seeing a surprise player or two (not one of those guys) settle for the vet min at the end of the day to go for a payday next offseason.


----------



## Wade County

Yeah I am surprised actually. Thought Riles would've taken a punt on OJ Mayo - but not necessary now that we have Ray.

Mayo probably wants a pay day that nobody wants to give him anyway. Who knows, maybe Pacers take a run at him? Suns if Gordon gets matched?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> While the Heat remains optimistic about its chances of adding Rashard Lewis, another of his free agent targets – Marcus Camby – is no longer available.
> 
> The Heat may yet have better luck with Lewis, who has not officially made a decision, and could still visit Atlanta this week. Sources, however, said the 32-year-old finesse forward was extremely impressed with the Heat’s presentation, enough that he is seriously considering taking the $1.35 million offer. That would be tacked onto the $13.7 million Lewis has already received from New Orleans in a buyout.


Link


----------



## Jace

*Windhorst on PJ3 and Sullinger*

PJ's going to make us mad.


----------



## -33-

Look at what NY gave up for Camby....if anyone here wanted to give up something similar - Cole, Pittman, and 1st, or multiple 2nds - you're insane. No reason to send away Cole AND picks for Camby. Move on.


----------



## -33-




----------



## Wade2Bosh

That is ****ing awesome.


----------



## Jace

Holy shit. I love the way they gave UD his cornrows and Miller a bandage. :laugh:

Great detail right down to the weapons chosen for each guy. Battier has a shield. Miller and Rio are archers.


----------



## Jace

I hope we see some of the old assist-machine Dwyane more going forward. Watching Ray highlights I just remembered the best stretch of Kapono's career shooting the ball came with us while Shaq was in formal wear. It was all Dwyane getting him shots, which also has to do with why Wade had so many 10+ assist games during the stretch when Kapono was super-hot. Comparing those post-championship, injured-Shaq lineups to what we have now is laughable. So many more threats on the floor, though that could just as easily create more avenues for him to get his own offense, continuing with the trend we've seen from him since the Big 3 formed.


----------



## lechamp

Wade County said:


> Super excited to see if Wade can reclaim his midrange J. Looking at footage from 2008-2010, it'd be nice if he could get it back.
> 
> Glad to hear the surgery went well also.
> 
> Interested to see how Norris goes in Summer League too, and Varnado and Dozier.
> 
> Still not sure where Lewis fits in on this team, other than as a 10th man. Hard to see him getting enough playing time, unless UD would be moved? However unlikely that is.


Shard will be playing more on the SF to create mismatch. 
then, opponents will not only have troubles when dounble-teaming wade or lebron because
Allen and Shard will be more open to hit the 3s but it also will make the defense
of other teams be confused on who to guard with Lewis as SF(6'10-6'11 SF). Total mismatch to any
team. Lebron gets to play PF or Point-Forward most of the time. 

so no problem in the minutes. Battier and Lewis will get there minutes.


----------



## Jace

Where's marcus13? Looking forward to his(her?) makeover.

With LeBron and Lewis on the floor, there wouldn't be an official label on either of their forward positions. The defense would choose which of their forwards they want to put on each. Offensively obviously Lewis would be hanging out on the perimeter more.

Another thing I wouldn't like about the Camby acquisition if I were a Knicks fan is the fact we've seen with them they're at their best with Melo at the four, playing only one conventional big. Camby is nice injury insurance for them, but ideally that true big would be either Chandler or Amare at all times.


----------



## Wade County

We'll force them to go small on us anyway, as we'll just roll Lebron to the 4. If he is matched up with either Camby or Amare for any length of time....well, he's parading to the foul line.

Assuming he doesnt settle for those dumbass step back 20 footers he does when a big is guarding him....


----------



## Jace

> Jordan Schultz ‏@206Child
> 
> Source confirms that Rashard Lewis talks with the #Heat continue to go well; I think we officially on Wednesday, but Miami is frontrunner.


This dude has been the star of free agency so far, so I'll go with him on this. Obviously its nothing new, but good to know things are still going in our direction.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Mario on Ray's signing

Interesting to hear that Mario and Ray go back a ways. Both their parents were stationed together in North Carolina and Mario used to go to Seattle to work out with him.


----------



## -33-

Wade2Bosh said:


> Mario on Ray's signing
> 
> Interesting to hear that Mario and Ray go back a ways. Both their parents were stationed together in North Carolina and Mario used to go to Seattle to work out with him.


Chalmers is on Mike & Mike right now....my man is getting some serious national publicity


----------



## UD40

After how he played in the Finals, he deserves it.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Camby to NY doesn't make any sense to me. They already have Chandler, that move looks more like a move to get Camby out of the Heat's hands than anything.


----------



## Jace

Grant Hill is apparently choosing between us, LA, and OKC. OKC apparently won't sign him though. I'd kind of rather have Lewis. I think Hill will be in LA.


----------



## myst

Awesome Wade stickfigure GIF's
























































Plus more here, including a few of Lebron.

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=270773


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Rashard Lewis will take the veteran minimum to sign w/ Heat, which would be worth $1.35 million.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Jordan Shlutz has been right on...


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> People I've talked to today believe it's very likely Rashard Lewis will end up in Miami for the $1.35 million veteran's minimum.
> 
> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Even with the Grant Hill possibility out there, all I'm hearing leads me to believe Heat is likely to land Lewis. And further, that the only thing that could change equation (Lewis-Heat) was if he got significant offer elsewhere. Riley sold him.
> 
> Chris Tomasson
> Also in Miami Heat
> Rashard Lewis’ HS coach believes close relationship Lewis has with Ray Allen helps Miami get Lewis to Heat. Allen and Lewis were Seattle teammates from February 2003 through 2006-07 season. “They are very, very close,’’ said Jarrel Hartfield, Lewis’ coach at Houston’s Atlief Elsik High School. “I think that helps Miami (in getting Lewis). And Rashard’s mom and Ray Allen’s mom are very close. I would go up there (to Seattle when Allen and Lewis were teammates), and I would see that.’’
> 
> Jarrel Hartfield, Rashard Lewis’ HS coach, doesn’t see playing for the minimum big obstacle in Heat getting Lewis. “He’s made a lot of money in his life,’’ Harfield said of Lewis, who recently was bought out of his New Orleans contract this season for $13.7 million. “He wants to win a championship.’’


..


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Great just copied and pasted all that speculation for nothing :laugh:


> Mike Ryan ‏@MikeRyan790
> We were just emailed photos of Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen meeting with Heat Team Doctors


^lebatards producer


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Deal is agreed to. 2 yr deal, with the 2nd year being a player option


> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Heat have agreed to a two-year deal with forward Rashard Lewis, sources tell Yahoo! Sports.
> 
> Chris Tomasson ‏@christomasson
> Agent Colin Bryant confirms to FOX Sports Florida Rashard Lewis will sign Wednesday with Heat. Will get $1.35 million minimum deal.


Reunited


----------



## PoetLaureate

I love the Lewis signing, very low risk high reward. Good stuff.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dorell Wright traded to the Sixers.


----------



## Dee-Zy

myst said:


> Awesome Wade stickfigure GIF's
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Plus more here, including a few of Lebron.
> 
> http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=270773


For some reason, I can't make out when was the 2nd gif.

It just looks like a generic dunk to me but I'm sure it was a significant one.


----------



## Ben

Love the Lewis signing. Always been a big fan of his, shame the fact he got so overpaid kinda shitted on his rep.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dee-Zy said:


> For some reason, I can't make out when was the 2nd gif.
> 
> It just looks like a generic dunk to me but I'm sure it was a significant one.


----------



## Wade County

Yeah that dunk was sick.

Happy with the Rashard signing. Not sure on PT, but obviously they see a role for him here. Stretch 3/4, good size, can shoot...all good 

Now just need a backup C and we're done.


----------



## BigWill33176

^^^

I remember that dunk so well. My jaw hit the floor. Hopefully Wade has that back next season.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

I feel like we really need a center! Only a matter of time until Dwight ends up in Brooklyn.


----------



## Wade County

Wade2Bosh said:


> Dorell Wright traded to the Sixers.


Link?

EDIT: NM I found it on RealGM. For an international 2nd rounder too huh...crazy

Mark Jackson really was not a Dorell Wright fan. Not sure how he fits in Philly though, but I guess he can come off the bench and get 25minutes or so a night behind Iggy and Turner.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Are we really interested in Grant Hill or is that now out of thr window?.. Like someone else said, he'll prob end up in LA


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Likely out now. 

Heat are at 13 now

PG: Mario/Cole
SG: Wade/Allen/JJ
SF: Lebron/Battier/Miller
PF: Bosh/UD/Lewis
C: Joel/Pittman

2 spots left. Probably looking to add one more center and one of the young players from the summer league to fill those out.


----------



## Adam

^I'd rather call it 12 spots. I don't think Pittman is a lock. One more free agent signing and it would be Pittman, Harris, Dozier, and Varnado fighting for 2 spots.


----------



## Wade County

Hard to see Dozier getting a gig here looking at that wing rotation. Likewise Harris, despite how much we like him.

If I were a betting man, i'd say it'll be Pittman and Varnado getting those 2 spots.


----------



## Adam

Wade County said:


> Hard to see Dozier getting a gig here looking at that wing rotation. Likewise Harris, despite how much we like him.
> 
> If I were a betting man, i'd say it'll be Pittman and Varnado getting those 2 spots.


If we sign a center Pittman is gone. I can also see Varnado beating out Pittman. I also am not worried about Pittman beating out Harris.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Funny how Mike's worst case scenario, might be the teams best case scenario. If he needs surgery and has to miss the beginning of the season, we'd get the $2.9 million exception. 

That could probably be enough to get a Kwame Brown.


----------



## Wade County

Look at the shooting in our lineup next season:

Chalmers, Allen, Miller, Battier, Jones, Lewis....damn, ride the hot hand. Wonder how many collective 3pt's they've hit.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wade County said:


> Look at the shooting in our lineup next season:
> 
> Chalmers, Allen, Miller, Battier, Jones, Lewis....damn, ride the hot hand. Wonder how many collective 3pt's they've hit.


Mario, Ray, Mike, Shane, JJ and Lewis are a combined 7,770-19,731(39%) from 3 in their career.


> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> With Lewis, Miami now has 5 of the 36 most accurate career three-point shooters in the NBA. That doesn't include Chalmers.


That's not all time, but of all active players, which is still impressive.


----------



## lechamp

Wade County said:


> Look at the shooting in our lineup next season:
> 
> Chalmers, Allen, Miller, Battier, Jones, Lewis....damn, ride the hot hand. Wonder how many collective 3pt's they've hit.


haha we will break the per game 3points ATTEMPTED and MADE record
as well as the season overall record in 3pts.

hope this will be the start of record-breaking saga for the miami heat.

Pat Riley is right, he will continue to build this team into a DYNASTY. no wonder why he said during the 
trophy presentation when asked if we get a REPEAT, he answered 'this team is built to contend for a LOOOOONG while'
and now, there is no doubt MIAMI HEAT is the real thing. they will be even better than the SPURS dyansty (also using old but effective bench players)
the only thing different is MIAMI HEAT have 3 star players in their PRIME. and most of the bench players are lock-in to the next 3-4 years.

soon we will upgrade more by adding a BETTER CENTER replacing EDDY CURRY, PITTMAN and JOEL.
or better yet after this year, JUSTIN HAMILTON and PITTMAN will have a break-out season, who knows. these are young guns.


----------



## Wade County

Only thing that worries me is turning into Orlando. Watching them hoist constant threes is a bit tedious.

Atleast Lebron and Wade should get a decent amount of single coverage in the post, which makes them very dangerous.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Poor Mario. Guy is making the media rounds this week and is always asked about how much Lebron and Wade yell at him on the court. And if that isnt bad enough, they play video of it while he's answering the question :laugh:

He did have an interesting answer about it, which is shocking if you've ever seen Mario interviewed. He said during the Pacers series, he had a talk with Lebron about needing to stop doing that on the court because they're all professionals out there. He said he didnt have that talk with Wade because he and Wade go back 4 years.


----------



## Jace

I don't think we'll become too 3-happy. Of those six guys, chances are two will not be steady rotation pieces. I think getting high-pct shots at the rim will remain our bread and butter, particularly with the new space the Big 3 (sorry, Rio...Big 4) will have.

If you guys have been paying attention, you know I love the Rashard signing. As PL said, low risk. At times in his prime he looked like a world beater offensively, just kinda had that Lamar Odom in LA syndrome. Hopefully we can get/keep him healthy. He's not just a standstill shooter when he's on his game. Can create his shot from the perimeter or in the post, and has sick touch.

The timing was great because I spent large parts of last night looking at highlights of his, since I had a feeling he was coming and almost forgot what he looked like when playing well. Again, sick touch.

It'll be interesting to see what his role would be, as stated Miller is a better rebounder.



Wade County said:


> Yeah that dunk was sick.


Actually it also looks exactly like a dunk he had in G2 of the 2006 Finals. There's a poster of it and lots of pictures.



Wade2Bosh said:


> Dorell Wright traded to the Sixers.


Why do Nick Young and Dorell Wright seem so perfect together? I know we're Wing City, but I'd still love him back. That's my boy.



Wade2Bosh said:


> Funny how Mike's worst case scenario, might be the teams best case scenario. If he needs surgery and has to miss the beginning of the season, we'd get the $2.9 million exception.
> 
> That could probably be enough to get a Kwame Brown.


WHY THE HELL HAS THIS NOT HAPPENED YET? Playing a player coming off back surgery wouldn't be too encouraging, but if all Mike does to heal this offseason is rest, I'll have no confidence in his ability to be/stay (mostly) healthy.

The fact that we can have a surgically-repaired Miller along with with an exception makes it seem like a no-brainer. GET ON THAT TABLE, MIKE.


----------



## lechamp

*WELCOME TO MIAMI!!!*


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> He did have an interesting answer about it, which is shocking if you've ever seen Mario interviewed. He said during the Pacers series, he had a talk with Lebron about needing to stop doing that on the court because they're all professionals out there. He said he didnt have that talk with Wade because he and Wade go back 4 years.


Wow. And word on him being a horrible interview.

But yeah, people don't realize Rio is just a year younger than LeBron. He probably feels closer to his peer, as odd as that sounds (but hey, its Rio), than Dwyane. Wade knew him as a rookie and is 3 years older than LeBron. I'm sure there's more of an older brother vibe there.


----------



## Jace

This is unquestionably the most amount of players comprising our roster that I'm comfortable with ever. I remember being thrilled we signed JJ to be our starting SF (before the tendon exploded in his wrist) a few summers ago. Now he's, what, our 5th SF? Crazy.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The versatility of this roster is pretty crazy. I'd love to see a lineup like this just to see what would happen

Lebron
Allen
Battier
Lewis 
Bosh


----------



## Wade County

^ I'm sure you will see that at some point. Space that floor.


----------



## Jace

A lot of jumpshots. Many made. That would be fun to watch.

I wonder what numbers Ray and Shard will go with. I hope Ray goes back to #34. Its the number I associate with him, at least the superstar version, and he's worn it at least since UConn. Shard wore #7 in SEA and #9 ever since. Despite Yakhouba going diarrhea in it, #9 is still my favorite number so I'd like to see a good Heat player wear it. 7 is cool too and its Shard's classic number so I wouldn't mind either. 7 seems to be our combo-forward number anyway (Odom/Marion). Guessing Lewis will continue that tradition.

Anyone have a realistic ceiling in mind for Lewis' role? If he gets his rhythm back and can be healthy he and Allen would make a sweet super-sub duo. Needless to say, there's familiarity there. Does that force UD out or strictly to C? Can you see a rotation including Miller, Lewis, and UD to go along with the obvious locks?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Micky Arison ‏@MickyArison
> Have a feeling that it's going to be a good day in Miami ‪#HeatFamily‬ ‪#LETITFLY‬


haha Micky hashtagging let it fly. Dont know who started it between Shane and Mike and why it started, but once they started tweeting that during the finals, we starting killing it from 3.

Yeah, I also wonder if Ray and Rahsard will go back to their Sonics numbers.


----------



## Jace

The more I think about Riley's statement that he envisions lineups with 5 "live" (as in scoring threat) players on the floor, the more I can see UD phased out. Obviously Spo is coaching, and he loves him some Udonis, but philosophies have a way of trickling down.


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> haha Micky hashtagging let it fly. Dont know who started it between Shane and Mike and why it started, but once they started tweeting that during the finals, we starting killing it from 3.


:laugh:

Its Mike's energy drink he's been marketing. That's why he says it every interview and in every tweet. "Let it Fly."

You should go back and listen to his post-championship interviews. I was cracking up during them because I remembered Ethan mentioning Mike intending to introduce his drink at a parade, and was pleased to see the potential in that parade being a Heat championship parade. I think this was after G2. He's plugging like mad.

That was probably his main motivation in hitting all those 3's in G5. He was envisioning his podium plug.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

^Oh yeah, now that I think about it, I remember Mike tweeting out a link to a website. He picked a perfect damn time to go off from 3 then :laugh:

I can't even begin to imagine what our rotation will look like.


----------



## Jace

Yeah, I'm feeling less salty about the PJ3/Moultrie thing right now. Dudes would be in suits.


----------



## Wade County

UD really does look like the odd man out...but I doubt it


----------



## Wade2Bosh

If UD could just regain that mid range J of this, we'd be golden. 

I hope he he finds a chainsaw and cuts those ****ing bands that he used to work out last offseason and gets back to weights and a ton of basketball work, two things he said he didnt do much of last offseason.


----------



## Jace

There will definitely be basketball work this time around. I feel like he got skinny for a reason. Perhaps for his back or legs/feet. Just use a women's lifting routine or something at least, though.

The more I think about it, the less I see Allen and Lewis on the floor together. While they may both be "live" on O, they're pretty dead on D. That's a No-Spo.


----------



## Adam

I hope we see a nice celebration for our signings tomorrow. Serves multiple purposes. Shows the new guys how much we appreciate them and it shows the rest of the country we don't give a **** if they don't like how we celebrate, we're gonna keep doing what we feel comfortable with.

On that note, I felt this should have played when LeBron got his MVP trophy during the Finals:


----------



## lechamp

Wade2Bosh said:


> The versatility of this roster is pretty crazy. I'd love to see a lineup like this just to see what would happen
> 
> Lebron
> Allen
> Battier
> Lewis
> Bosh


yeah, i hope Coach Spo will do a good job rotating and making all different combination for the line-up

that one you listed actually is a great scoring option while Wade rests. That's a taller line-up than Miami could ever placed last year.Too excited for next season. We just need one more CENTER. any word from this? is there any available efficient center out there other than Brand and Kaman than Heat can have a go at?


----------



## Wade County

Jace said:


> There will definitely be basketball work this time around. I feel like he got skinny for a reason. Perhaps for his back or legs/feet. Just use a women's lifting routine or something at least, though.
> 
> The more I think about it, the less I see Allen and Lewis on the floor together. While they may both be "live" on O, they're pretty dead on D. That's a *No-Spo*.


For some reason, this made me lol.

:bosh2:

Looking at FA centers out there, there aint much. Although these names intruige me:

Nazr Mohammed
Ronny Turiaf (for the bench antics)
Ian Mahinmi (he's pretty solid actually)
Jamaal Magloire (he's so done, but could be the new Juwan)
Daniel Orton (21yrs old, former 1st rounder of the Magic)


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Adam said:


> I hope we see a nice celebration for our signings tomorrow. Serves multiple purposes. Shows the new guys how much we appreciate them and it shows the rest of the country we don't give a **** if they don't like how we celebrate, we're gonna keep doing what we feel comfortable with.


haha, Lebatard was also saying today that they should hold another signing celebrating.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Source on Dwight Howard trade: "It's all coming to a head." Translation: He's being dealt somewhere today.


^^ that's from Chris Sheriden.. Interesting. If he goes to the lakers I might pee my pants. Two teams I hope he doesn't go to are Brooklyn, and LA.


----------



## Jace

I'd be interested in Mahinmi, but I think he might get paid a little more. Orton intrigues, but might be redundant to Pittman.

Pat should just work out that injured player exception for Miller and use his witchcraft to get Kaman to take the $2.9. That would make me happy.

Good thing about Rashard is if he's still struggling with his shot, the man who likely helped get it to where it was before is once again his teammate. Coach Shuttlesworth should just be Wade's shooting coach too.


----------



## Jace

The move at 1:16 blew my mind. He goes 12 different ways all at once Matrix-style to get passed his defender on the perimeter. I don't expect to see too much of that kind of stuff from Dwyane anymore, but if he could just get his jumper back to this level he'll be fine.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

No pump fakes in that vid. Just straight up, confident looking and great balanced J's. Definitely hope he regains that form.


----------



## Jace

Whoa. We have four players who've scored at least 50 in a game. Bosh is not one.


----------



## MarioChalmers

Jace said:


> Whoa. We have four players who've scored at least 50 in a game. Bosh is not one.


Time to sign Tony Delk.


----------



## sknydave

Great offseason for the Heat.. I just pray everyone can stay healthy


----------



## -33-




----------



## -33-

> Pat Riley says the Heat are done with free agency. The two final roster spots will be determined in the summer league. Riley said "We're just going to hold right now. We feel good about our roster."


So 2 of these guys are the final roster spots: (excluding Cole, and possibly Pittman)

Norris Cole, Heat reserve guard
Dexter Pittman, Heat reserve center
Terrel Harris, Heat reserve guard
Jarvis Varnado, 2010 second-round pick
Robert Dozier, 2009 second-round pick
J’Covan Brown, G, Texas
Jason Clark, G, Georgetown
Trey Gilder, F, Northwestern State
Lamont Hamilton, C, St. John’s
Dwight Hardy, G, St. John’s
John Hollard, G, Boston U
Damian Saunders, F, Duquesne
Adrian Thomas, F, Miami
Drew Viney, F, Loyola Marymount
Kyle Weaver, G, Washington State

I'd like to see Dozier and Varnado unless T.Harris shows us something, or J'Covan has potential. I don't know enough about the rest to even consider them on our roster.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I can see now why the Heat went into the summer, wanting Harris to work on his ball handling and PG play. Maybe even why they didnt tender him. They must have known the wings were gonna be pretty stacked.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Rashard sticking with 9


















Looks like Ray is going with 34


----------



## -33-

Wade2Bosh said:


> Rashard sticking with 9
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Looks like Ray is going with 34


Wasn't Ray #20 in Boston?









He wore #34 in Seattle/Milwaukee
















But obviously someone already wears #34 in Boston


----------



## Wade2Bosh




----------



## Dwyane Wade

Funny how in that Wade vs Magic highlight we were always down by like 20 lol


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Heat couldnt give Eddy Curry's number away faster :laugh:

Man, Rashard Lewis has a lot of gray in his hair now.


----------



## UD40

SO I had a dream last night that I was at a hotel that the Heat were at. Lebron walked by in the lobby by himself with Bosh a steps behind. I shook his hand and asked for a picture but he said no and kept walking while Bosh started to do a little jig. Then I ran into Terrell Harris and Pittman. I was hanging out with them but kept calling Pittman, Eddy Curry. He wasn't happy with me.


----------



## Jace

^His follicles apparently went to the Israel Gutierrez school of pigment loss.

Haha, I knew Ray would go back to 34. I love it. 20 was just his Boston number. As I stated yesterday, he's always been 34.

I guess Rashard likes 9 better now. Cool by me. 9 = 3x3. Hit a bunch, 'Shard.



















I wonder if we'll wear those unis again.

Shard is on Le Batard right now. Dan is drooling over open corner threes. I like the way Lewis talking about his role. He's open to anything, but sounds like he thinks he can start here.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Ray was on with JJax after the press conference. The interview is up on the 790 site


----------



## Adam

Jace said:


> Shard is on Le Batard right now. Dan is drooling over open corner threes. I like the way Lewis talking about his role. He's open to anything, but sounds like he thinks he can start here.


You know what...that's actually brilliant. We saw in the playoffs how good that Bosh at center with a floor stretcher at PF was with Battier. Imagine that with a 6' 10" guy in Rashard. That's not a bad starting lineup. Great floor balance.


----------



## Wade County

We'll see how much 'Shard has left in the tank. Seems more likely he'll be an end of bench guy to me, but who knows, rotation looks fairly up in the air at the moment.

For some reason I liked Ray with #20 more, but ah well, i'm sure he's happy to get that #34 back :laugh:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Rashard's interview with Lebatard is up on their site 

Rashard was also on with Dan Sileo on WQAM


No surprise. Lebron won the ESPY for Best NBA player. Well deserved.


----------



## Jace

Wow. One year deal for Kaman? What gives? Wish he would've just come here for the minimum or waited to see if we get the Miller exception. Showcasing yourself for one year here would seem a much better opportunity than doing it in Dallas.


----------



## Jace

Best male athlete for LeBron.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

3 Espy's for Lebron. Best male athlete, best finals performance and best Male athlete.

And if trending topics mean anything, every time #bestteam has trended, Miami Heat has as well.


----------



## Jace

If we win best team, it'll be MM and Juwan rep'in. Happy as hell for Mike. Juwan, sure. You too.


----------



## Jace

SWEEP!!!


----------



## Jace

"Let it fly." -- Mike Miller


----------



## Jace

Nice detective work on the trends W2.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The little 12 :laugh:

Congrats to Heat nation on killing the vote and getting it trending multiple times. Bandwagon in full effect!


----------



## sMaK

Jace said:


> Wow. One year deal for Kaman? What gives? Wish he would've just come here for the minimum or waited to see if we get the Miller exception. Showcasing yourself for one year here would seem a much better opportunity than doing it in Dallas.


I don't think the Heat went after him.. Not sure he fits here, honestly


----------



## sMaK

You got teams paying players like Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon max contracts and we go and sign Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis for a combined 5 million. I know Shard isn't anything special nowadays but, DAMN.


----------



## sMaK

lol "Let it fly" is the name of Mike's new energy drink


----------



## Jace

sMaK said:


> I don't think the Heat went after him.. Not sure he fits here, honestly


Wadup sMaK? I kinda felt the same actually, just been so infatuated with Kaman for so long now. Sorta the same reason I wasn't too upset about missing out on Camby. We may never want to play the plodding type from here out.

I would just feel a little cozier knowing we had a rebounding, true center we could go to when necessary.


----------



## -33-

Mike Miller moved pretty well...maybe he needs to wear a suit to keep his back aligned on the court


----------



## Jace

As much as I'd ultimately rather see LeBron resting right now, it didn't occur to me until now how much playing for team USA helps players. Obviously he's already done it four times, but I think there's always more a guy can learn and hone. Funny how LeBron used to go to these things to play with Dwyane and Bosh, now he's doing it to play away from them. I'm sure feeling like the definitive, unquestioned alpha male in that setting will be a boost for his game.


----------



## Jace

Kinda surprised Heat won best team now that I think about it. Considering they were going up against the NY Giants. NY is a way huger media market, obviously, and the NFL is more popular. Either all the hate has had a counter-effect in terms of creating a national/global fanbase, or its just the recency of our title run.

Not to mention the Giants beat a team everyone hates, while the Heat beat casual fans' golden boys.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I guess that is what happens when superstars win championships. 

At this point, I think it is fair to say that durant is better than bosh and wade so I don't see how he can be the clear cut alpha male on team USA as opposed to the Heat.


----------



## Jace

That's not what I meant. I'm saying the Kobe/Durant/Melo vs. LeBron arguments have flamed out. The Bosh/Wade thing was a side thought.


----------



## sMaK

It also helps that they were the last team to win.. Fresh on everyone's minds.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Kobe is going to try to outdo lebron in the olympics...and well end up shitting the bed for us.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Darko is getting amnestied by the T-Wolves. Hard to see any of these amnestied players get through the waiver process.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Haywood is going to be amnestied


----------



## Wade2Bosh

News on Smithian's boy


> Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojYahooNBA
> EuroCup MVP Patrick Beverley is working out for Chicago in mini-camp, a candidate to fill a Bulls guard spot off bench, source tells Y!


----------



## Adam

I've wanted Darko here for a couple years. He would be really good in our defensive system. Please let this happen.


----------



## Wade County

I doubt any of these guys make it through the amnesty process. Semi-non retarded C's are too rare.

Apparently Oden wants to come back this year and has been cleared for workouts. I'd be interested in giving him a roster spot. He could use a D-League stint or something to get some confidence up, but if he could ever get right....


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Already pretty knew this, but James Jones is not retiring.


> Jones on Thursday told the Sun Sentinel he is not considering retiring and instead embraces the Heat's decision to stockpile additional 3-point threats.
> 
> Jones said the confusion over a potential retirement came as he stressed that he planned to end his career with the Heat, preferably as an NBA champion. He said that statement was misconstrued as leaning toward retirement in wake of the Heat's 2012 title.
> 
> Instead, he said he plans to play out the final two seasons on his Heat contract, which includes a 2013-14 player option. He said he only would reassess those plans if the Heat were to attempt to trade him.
> 
> 
> "I guess, more than anything, I was just stating my desire to stay here in Miami," he said of the retirement reports. "If there is a trade or anything like that, we'll cross that bridge if we get there. But, like I said, I have no desire to be anywhere else but by Miami."
> 
> A graduate of the University of Miami, the Southwest Ranches neighbor of Heat power forward Udonis Haslem said he appreciated Heat President Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra jumping at the opportunity to add Allen and Lewis.
> 
> "For me, they're two quality guys," said Jones, who turns 32 on Oct. 4. "I'll still be there to compete. I'm going to compete and I'm going to do what I do, and put pressure on Coach to play me."


Link


----------



## lechamp

*My reply (disagreement) to Steven Goldstein's article that MIAMI HEAT did not deserve to be ESPN TEAM of the YEAR.*

*http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-miami-heat-did-not-deserve-to-win-best-team*

St. Louis cardinals - won in game 7 vs the Rangers (clearly could have gone either way meaning they were not totally the best in baseball in a close call)

Lady Bears & Kentucky Wildcats - these should have a different category and not being pitted with professionals, because obviously when you compare the NCAA to any professional american sports, it is merely a one-game-at-a-time win-or-lose RUN. if opponents were given the opportunity in a best-of-3 or 5 or 7 game, surely, they would possess more losses than they had. surely teams will adjust and outcomes would be different. if you applied this to the NBA, then Spurs would have gone to the FINALS by winning all game 1s. THE SYSTEM is DIFFERENT. that is why there are alot of UPSETS in NCAA because low-seeded teams just need 1 good break and they will reach the unexpected. not saying KEntucky were not good but they are champions in this system. just saying if you compare this to professional sports, it will not even be on the same level.

NY GIANTS - this was also a close CLOSE-OUT game vs the patriots 21-17 and could have gone either way with MVP awards saying from BRADY to ELI. clearly again was not dominant as to be called the "BEST TEAM of the year" when you know it could have been the patriots winning as well.

JUSTIFY your reasons and RESPECT the votes. CLEARLY MIAMI HEAT was admired by most as proven by popularity (which if you come to think should have been a disadvantage because of haters) but turned out that AMERICA loved the MIAMI HEAT.

most of the people were just pretending to hate on and join the hating. 
that is actually the HATE bandwagon. now that the HEAT were champs, they hop on the HEAT bandwagon.


----------



## MarioChalmers

Luis Scola just got amnestied. We should get in there. 

Aaand I just remembered only teams with cap space can do that.


----------



## Smithian

Wade2Bosh said:


> News on Smithian's boy


Chicago Bulls = 2013 NBA Champs


----------



## Dee-Zy

As much as I love Scola's "Purity" getting another short hussle player is not what I am wishing for in MIA.

Toronto could sort of use him but not MIA.

Scola only fits next to a dominant big man that can be a threat offensively in the low post, read Howard, Hibbert or others...


----------



## Jace

DZ, sorry. Couldn't disagree with you more. The Heat would LOVE to have a guy like Scola. He's very efficient, can score inside/outside, plays good team ball, and could honestly start next to Bosh. He's a good rebounder too.

*Amnesty Claim on Scola May Be Prohibitive*



> As first reported by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle and then confirmed by Adrian Wojnarowksi of Yahoo Sports!, the Houston Rockets are expected to use amnesty on Luis Scola. The goal would ultimately be a run at Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic (the top priority) or failing that, perhaps a three-way deal to land Andrew Bynum of the Los Angeles Lakers.
> 
> Under the normal procedure of making an amnesty claim, teams with cap room can put in a blind bid as the Sacramento Kings did on Travis Outlaw, waived by the then-New Jersey Nets. Submitting a bid $3 million, the Kings took on Outlaw over the final four years of his deal . . . each at $3 million for a total of $12 million.
> 
> For a cap team to add Scola at a similar rate per year would be a great deal,* except there’s a significant complication.*
> 
> As confirmed by cap guru Larry ****, a player with a partially guarantee salary requires a minimum bid of the non-guaranteed amount. Scola is set to make $9.4 million and $10.2 million over the next two years. His final season is for $11.0 million with just $1 million guaranteed.
> 
> Therefore a minimum amnesty claim for Scola would start at the non-guarantee portion of exactly $10,041,037. That amount needs to be paid over three years, so the lowest claim would be $3,347,012.
> *
> Few teams have that kind of cap space which may open the door for Luis to clear waivers completely.*
> 
> In a similar situation, Darko Milicic of the Minnesota Timberwolves, also an amnesty cut, has just $1.8 million of his salary for 2013/14 guaranteed out of $5.7 million which would set the minimum bid to $3.9 million over two years so $1.95 million.
> 
> The case is different with Brendan Haywood whose final year is completely non-guaranteed. A claim could be sent in at just $1.35 million per year over the next three, which is certainly a reasonable amount for a solid, if imperfect, seven-footer.


Interesting. I'd be jumping for joy if it happened. I've always loved his game. The man can play and doesn't need a dominant center at all. I would think the allure of a starting job with wide open looks, playing in the gateway to South America, and his former HOU teammate Battier could be enough to get him down here if he cleared.


----------



## Jace

Oh yeah, and I'd love if we made Oden our Curry this season. No way Darko falls to us.


----------



## TheAnswer

I think he'll clear waivers for reasons Jace had in that post. If he does you guys have a great chance of getting him, and I think he'd fit nicely too.


----------



## Jace

Yeah the idea he's another undersized, hustling big is kinda erroneous. He's way more skilled than Haslem.

On Oden:

*Oft-injured Oden wants to play this season*



> Injury-riddled Greg Oden could be returning to the NBA this season.
> 
> That’s the word from Oden’s agent, Mike Conley, who got a call earlier this week from Oden. He said his client has changed his tune from wanting to take this season off.
> 
> “(Oden) called me, and he was kind of excited,’’ Conley said Thursday in a phone interview with FOX Sports Florida. “I think he’s motivated …. He wants to play. He had said he wanted to take this season off, but he’s backed off from that …. He’s open to playing this season. I think he will play this season.’’
> 
> Oden, the star-crossed center who was taken No. 1 in the 2007 NBA draft by Portland ahead of No. 2 Kevin Durant, hasn’t played in an NBA game since Dec. 5, 2009. Out of 394 possible games in his NBA career, he’s missed 312.
> 
> Oden has had five surgeries on both his knees since entering the NBA, including two surgeries last February, one being his third microfracture procedure. He was waived by the Trail Blazers last March, making him a free agent.
> 
> Oden was quoted in a Grantland article last May about his plan to take the entire 2012-13 season off. But Oden told Conley this week about the change in his thinking.
> 
> “He’s starting to work out,’’ Conley said of Oden, who was recently cleared for workouts, feeling better about his situation. “He’s excited. You can tell he’s getting antsy. At the end of the day, I want him to finish out his NBA career. He’s still pretty young (24).’’
> 
> Conley, who said the former Ohio State star is committed to regular workouts this summer in Columbus, Ohio, said there’s still no timetable as to what point next season he believes Oden will be able to play. He said seven NBA teams, which he declined to name, have been keeping in regular touch with him, but Conley doesn’t anticipate it will be until the fall before there are any serious negotiations.
> 
> “We want to get to the point where he’s more healthy and can show teams what he can do (in workouts),’’ Conley said. “There’s still no timetable, and that’s the beauty of him being on his own. He doesn’t have to give anybody a timetable.''
> 
> *Conley said he has not heard from the Miami Heat at all since Oden was waived. But he said Oden has interest in the Heat if they ever were to be interested.
> *
> “Obviously, if the Heat wanted him, who wouldn’t want to play for the Heat?’’ Conley said of the defending champions. “That goes without saying. They have roster spots and a need (at center). But it’s too early to say about where he might play.’’
> 
> Conley said Oden splits his time between his hometown of Indianapolis and Columbus. Conley said he’s now taking summer classes at Ohio State, which he led to the NCAA title game in his only season there of 2006-07.
> 
> Obviously, Oden has had plenty of down moments due to all his injuries. But Conley said Oden has never talked about the possibility of retiring.
> 
> For now, Conley said Oden is as excited as he’s been in a long time. He pointed out it was Oden who called him unsolicited to express a willingness to play this season.
> 
> “He’s going to sign somewhere,’’ Conley said. “He’s going to get healthy and be coming back.’’


Man. I'm seeing opposing fans crying foul after the Ray/Shard signings, if we added Scola/Oden (even with the injury questions), people would be going absolutely nuts.

Them not hearing from the Heat since he was waived makes me wonder if there had been any truth to the reports that we were interested last summer and during this past season.

Its early yet in free agency. Usually contending teams don't make additions until late in the summer when bets shake free. Pat says we have 2 spots I left, I see at least 3 non-locks (Pitt). Despite him saying the last two are likely to go to summer leaguers, I can easily see him being too tempted by newly-waived veterans these coming weeks as trades and failed trades shake things up.


----------



## Jace

I think the fact that guys like Darko and Brand are getting amnestied right now even further decreases the chance of a claim on Scola.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Still cant see Scola not getting bid on.


> The Mavericks have a backup plan if their bid for Elton Brand isn’t high enough to win.
> 
> A source says the Mavs are also prepared to aggressively bid on Luis Scola through the amnesty waivers process if they do not get Brand, a better defender and rebounder.


Link

Darko might get through. How crazy would it be to have the 1,2,4 and 5 from the 03 draft on the same team?


----------



## Jace

Would make Heat-Knicks that much more fun.

So now I must root for Dallas to get Brand.


----------



## Dee-Zy

What I mean is that I scola doesn't answer any needs of defending the 5 or being a legitimate low post threat that we can run an offense through him for multiple possessions per game. 

He is just an upgrade over Haslem and I don't believe we need an upgrade over Haslem. 

He is a very effective player, what I meant is that for him to be effective for a team, he needs to be paired with a big that can either play D against other Cs full time or that can be a legitimate low post threat so that it can offset the weakness on D in the post. 

I have watched the raptors for many years and I can tell you that watching bush getting paired up with the likes of garbojosa or Evans, scola is not a fit here. A Dario or Haywood would be a better fit. 

Hell, I think even brand would be a better fit... Sort of...


----------



## doctordrizzay

I like Scola alot...He is a perfect fit for us. Especially Defensively. And he can score too.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Another center option off the market


> David Aldridge ‏@daldridgetnt
> Agent Mark Bartlestein says free agent C Kwame Brown will sign with the 76ers.


----------



## Jace

He's making just under 6 over 2 years. That's Mike Miller surgery exception money. I hope Riles has a plan for C.



Dee-Zy said:


> What I mean is that I scola doesn't answer any needs of defending the 5 or being a legitimate low post threat that we can run an offense through him for multiple possessions per game.


Scola has a post game.


----------



## Jace

> @russbengtson: Any time you can renounce Lou Williams and amnesty Elton Brand to sign Kwame Brown, you do it


:laugh:

And you bring in Nick Young/Dorell Wright. What's Philly doing?

EDIT: Oh yeah, they don't want us to get their first-rounder so they're nuking the season.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dallas won the bid for Brand


> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> The Dallas Mavericks have officially claimed Elton Brand off of waivers, according to press release.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ I guess that will will move them from 16th in West to 15th.


----------



## Jace

Come on Scola. Use your Argentinian hair grease to slip through the wire.


----------



## Jace

Anyone notice we signed Ray-Lewis this offseason?

DA U!


----------



## Jace

*ESPN True Hoop: Heat reload with aging ammunition
*


> “Add old shooters with big-time reputations” is a fair summary of the Miami Heat’s offseason agenda thus far. Their two free-agent acquisitions, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, are 36 and 32 years old, respectively, and have spent a combined 30 seasons playing NBA basketball. Each has made some monster 3-point shots in the playoffs, an important résumé item for anyone planning to join Miami, especially now that LeBron James has established residence on the block.
> 
> But both players are also inarguably on the decline. In 2007, Allen and Lewis boasted PERs of more than 20. However Lewis’ PER hasn’t been above 15 (league average) in three seasons and Allen’s dipped below 15 for the first time in his career last season. The Heat's role players didn't exactly shine during the regular season, so these two are likely an upgrade, especially in the short term. But keep in mind that in 2011-12, Allen lost his starting spot to second-year guard Avery Bradley and battled bone spurs while Rashard Lewis has played in less than 60 percent of his team’s games over the past two years.
> 
> Sure they can still shoot, but can they play, especially in Miami’s frenetic defense, one that emphasizes speed and versatility?
> 
> Consider the case of James Jones, who played about eight minutes per game during the Heat’s playoff run and couldn’t even get in the game a few times. Jones is a lights-out shooter, a champion of All-Star weekend’s Three-Point Shootout. The dude can be trusted to make it rain when he’s open.
> 
> However Jones also fits poorly into the Heat’s defensive plan. He’s smart and aware, but really struggles on closeouts or to handle anyone with much strength inside or speed on the perimeter.
> 
> A player who worked out in a big way, Shane Battier, doesn’t shoot or even drive the ball much better than Jones and is hardly "quick," but he can guard a bunch of different positions and that allows the Heat to capitalize on their team speed. Even Mike Miller, who looked like he needed to be playing with a Life Alert (“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up”) alarm on his wristband, could shuttle defensively between three positions, though not always with much effect.
> 
> Long story short: If you looked at the Heat bench during the playoffs, you’d see a bunch of players who can play only one position. Even though the Heat are wise to replace Miller's crumbling body and game, they are attempting to do so with players who, while more productive, have less malleable identities.
> 
> For all the experience and dead-eye shooting Allen and Lewis will bring to the Heat, defensive versatility is decidedly absent from their repertoires. That’s not to say they won’t be useful. Defending the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade pick-and-roll gets a whole lot more complicated when Ray Allen is coming off a double screen on the other side of the court. Rashard Lewis gives coach Erik Spoelstra a second power forward, along with Shane Battier, who can pull a help defender all the way to the 3-point line, freeing up the middle for the Big Three.
> 
> Still, I question whether this is how a dynasty is built -- on players with deteriorating skills and rapidly approaching expiration dates.
> 
> Here's a short list of way-too-old players acquired by the Heat just in the past two years: Jerry Stackhouse, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Bibby, Jamaal Magloire, Juwan Howard, Erick Dampier … you could even lump Eddie House in there.
> 
> The Heat skipped an opportunity to add valuable young talent -- Perry Jones, John Jenkins and Draymond Green come to mind -- in the draft, preferring to patch over holes rather than add to the team’s foundation. Now they have two more multiyear contracts with players whose defensive ability -- remember this has been Miami’s real strength on its back-to-back Finals visits -- is questionable already and will only become more so.
> 
> It should be mentioned that, if these two can stay healthy throughout the season and Lewis finds his stroke again, I have no idea how any team is going to guard the Heat. As our Tom Haberstroh mentioned on Twitter, “When Miami's Big 3 played with 2 non-PG shooters, they scored 127.4 points per 100 poss. All other Big 3 lineups? 109.8.”
> 
> That’s serious firepower, but only if the gunpowder stays dry.
> 
> Thinking one year at a time is generally bad strategy in the NBA; that’s how teams get stuck with bad contracts and fading players. Certainly right now, with each member of the Big Three still putting up big playoff numbers (combined 72.0 playoff PER), the strategy makes some sense. But Dwyane Wade, who underwent another knee operation this offseason, is on the tail end of his prime and we’ve already seen the benefits of developing young talent in what a crucial player Mario Chalmers has become.
> 
> Miami’s offseason moves suggest the franchise is living for its brilliant present. They’ll sort out the future, which always gets here before anyone expects, when it arrives. That’s the luxury of having James and Bosh, two superstars in the early stages of their prime years.


Well I don't know who he expected us to sign with a MMLE and vet min. At least we didn't overspend on old guys like Camby or Nash. This is a short-term team. We can have mini-reloads like this every offseason.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

These are also additions to a championship roster, not replacements.


----------



## Jace

Two of my boys: Jeff Taylor and Hassan Whiteside battling on NBATV right now. Taylor hits a 3 on his first touch. Whiteside with the and-1 throwdown. Rooting for them to suck of course, even if it means I was wrong.

I might like to see us add Dooling as an insurance guard if there's a spot left at the end of the offseason. Good defender. Competitive. Solid shooter. Another MIA'er.

Taylor just caught a nice alley. I like what I see.


----------



## Jace

Get him!


----------



## UD40

> Any team that bids for Scola must commit to minimum of $3+ mil in Year 1 & $10+ mil over three years. Cavs join Mavs w/certifiable interest


Via Marc Stein twitter.


----------



## Smithian

Thought Scola was too much to ask for.

I love Oden as a no risk, high reward minimum pickup if he's willing. He's a good human being of super high character. Worst case is he's Eddy Curry if Eddy Curry wasn't the bane of my existence.

Haywood got cut... I'd rather go all in on Pittman. Haywood is going downhill.


----------



## doctordrizzay

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/trillzmowheelz/ixxfz7.gif


----------



## doctordrizzay




----------



## Wade2Bosh

Haywood was claimed by the Bobcats, while Darko was not bid on and is now a free agent.


----------



## Adam

Wade2Bosh said:


> Haywood was claimed by the Bobcats, while Darko was not bid on and is now a free agent.


Get 'em Riles. This has to happen.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Frontrunners for free agent center Darko Milicic are Boston, Brooklyn and LA Clippers, league source tells Y! Sports.


..


----------



## Adam

Wade2Bosh said:


> ..


I guess only teams under the cap allowed to make partial bids? Otherwise, I don't see why we wouldn't have just bid the minimum. He has one year left on his contract with Minny and all it would have taken to get him is a 1 yr minimum salary bid for a player of his experience.

Doesn't make sense to me that teams wouldn't bid for him and now there are three teams in the running for his services? It has to be that only teams with cap space can make bids.


----------



## Jace

Only teams with capspace can make bids. Those 3 teams are apparently frontrunners (not the only teams interested), which leads me to believe we're not interested. Odd.

Man, a year ago this board would be exploding in anticipation of getting him. A lot of people were really high on him last year. I don't have an opinion right now because I hadn't watched him at all this past year, and I've heard mostly bad things.


----------



## Jace

> NAILING IT: The legend of Dwyane Wade's piggies lives on, courtesy of a GQ interview with Heat point guard Mario Chalmers, who was asked about Wade, indeed, painting his toenails black in the offseason. "Matter of fact, he just did it yesterday," Chalmers told the magazine's website. "We were texting and he told me he was painting his toenails. He does it every summer. I don't know why." Chalmers said it never gets too public, with Wade wearing socks when out in the summer in flip-flops. "That's D-Wade for you," Chalmers said.


:cosby:

If it came out Bosh did this...oh hell. :bosh2:

Shit, even LeBron's manly-man persona wouldn't stave off massive criticism and gay jokes...well, of course. He's LeBron.

Dwyane is the only one who has a chance of sliding by with this one. Him being the only one with a famous girlfriend adds extra cushion, for one..


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Wade tweeted about this and joked or something.. Weird, nonetheless


----------



## Jace

I saw a tweet to Rio about Rio being forced to paint his pinkie nail black on BET as a show of support for a convalescing Wade, but didn't know why at the time.



> Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine:
> 
> Heat & Spurs, just to name two contenders, would LOVE to court Scola if he clears waivers. Instinct tells me, despite cost, LS gets claimed


Good to know we'd go after him if he slips by. Too bad he'll be a Cav or Mav.










Sucks for Luis. Watching a Chalmers/Allen - Wade - LeBron - Scola - Bosh lineup would be dreamy on offense. Scola would be the perfect front court cog for us offensively.


----------



## Jace

Spurs are looking to move Blair for a 1st-rounder. I've always liked him, but not sure I go there. If we're going to add a guy who's pretty much a 4, he should be a reliable shooter outside of the paint. Hell, even our "centers" should be.


----------



## MarioChalmers

Jace said:


> Spurs are looking to move Blair for a 1st-rounder. I've always liked him, but not sure I go there. If we're going to add a guy who's pretty much a 4, he should be a reliable shooter outside of the paint. Hell, even our "centers" should be.


I don't know. By your requirements we'd say no to Dwight Howard. I'd take Blair for the 1st rounder. He's a great rebounder for his size, makes a lot of plays, and seems like a smart player who can find a role in any winning system. 

Then again, that's just me. Might not work out outside San Antonio.


----------



## Jace

Well, there are clear exceptions...Not a lot of Dwights in the league.


----------



## Jace

> Sports 24/7 ‏@WiseGuyLA
> 
> Cavs have placed a bid on PF Luis Scola.


Gilbert is such a shmuck.

Dan Gilbert: "Hey Luis, come miss the playoffs with us. Here's $10 mill."

Asshole.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

No surpise. They almost gave Kris Humphries 9million a year. 

If they can get that proposed dwight to LA/Bynum to Cavs/picks and cap space to Magic deal done then they'd have a really,really good team.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Doesnt matter now


> Brian Windhorst ‏@WindhorstESPN
> Luis Scola has been awarded to the Phoenix Suns via amnesty waiver claim, source tells ESPN


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Chris Bosh is in Vegas watching.


----------



## Jace

Beasley/Scola TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP.


----------



## Jace

Anyone think Al Jefferson's expiring deal might get him traded and bought out or just bought out? Is he a bad fit if so?

Any idea which FAs might shake free by the end of the offseason?


----------



## Jace

USA Men's 8pm vs. Brazil

HEAT Summer League 8:30pm vs. LAL

I'm going to switch over to the Summer League game, mostly because I know the USA game will be replayed in its entirety on NBATV later tonight.

Though of course I can have one on the TV and one on the PC.


----------



## Jace

> Eurohoops.net ‏@Eurohoopsnet
> Euroleague champ Joey Dorsey will fly tomorrow to Miami for a workout with @MiamiHEAT
> 
> Jordan Diddy ‏@ESPNMemphis
> Dont be surprised if the Miami Heat sign Joey Dorsey..You heard it here first


Perhaps this will be the summer of the Jordan reporters? My name's Jordan, maybe I should hop into the field. :whoknows:

Chalmers, Dozier, Dorsey...clearly we're trying to build an all-2008 NCAA championship game lineup. Where you at, CDR?

I remember seeing Dorsey sitting in the stands near me at a game during the XX season, shortly after they lost the title. It was a game against the Grizzlies, so I assumed it was the Memphis connection. Obviously that was 4 years ago so it means nothing, but I totally forgot about that until now.

Wouldn't be much more than a training camp invite, at least initially, I'd think.


----------



## Wade County

Dorsey is a wide body. Not a lot of talent, but he's a space eater.


----------



## Jace

So short though. 6-6.25 barefoot. 7-2 wingspan though.


----------



## UD40

Dorsey is a brick house, as well as a former teammate of Dozier.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dorsey is a tank. Makes Lebron look like he needs to go back to the weight room. Rugged, pretty good rebounder, not much offensive game. 

Think the final 2 spots will go to 2 big bodies.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Jason Quick ‏@jwquick
> Miami assistant David Fizdale said he met with Blazers GM Neil Olshey on Sunday and took his name out of consideration for the job.
> 
> Fizdale: "Head coaching will always be there for me. I still have a lot to learn from Coach Riley, Coach Spo(elstra), Coach Rothstein ..."
> 
> Fizdale said he wanted to pull out of running for the Blazers' job "out of consideration for Neil" Olshey, whom he has a long relationship


..


----------



## Jace




----------



## Wade County

haha CQuinns looks terrified of that fish.


----------



## Jace

Someone should claim ownership of that, pretty sure I got it from this board.


----------



## Jace

> *Heat’s “Let It Fly” team busy this summer*
> _by Ethan J. Skolnick_
> 
> If you follow Heat players on Twitter, watched the parade or saw the ESPYs, you probably heard or read these three words plenty of times:
> 
> “Let It Fly.”
> 
> That’s part of the acronym for Let It Fly Energy drink.
> 
> And while Mike Miller is the face of it — which is why he’s mixing those words into every quote — he’s recruited three of his Heat teammates as partners, Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem and James Jones.
> 
> “We’re the Let it Fly team,” Jones said.
> 
> They’ve all been plenty visible since the start of the offseason. Miller is finally back in South Florida, where he will now decide whether to have back surgery — but, first, he’s appearing at a “Let It Fly” camp in Hialeah on Tuesday. Haslem made an appearance at a camp at Cooper City High last Thursday. Battier will be putting for charity at the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe starting Thursday.
> 
> This week, James Jones — who is not retiring but is happy that all the talk about it “reminded people I’m alive” — is hosting two camps each day. The one in the morning is partnership with the Department of Children and Families, directed at foster kids, giving them tours of the FIU campus, taking them to the Davie Ranch to ride horses (where they’ll meet Burnie), and then doing team-building on a ropes course. At night, he’s hosting a shooting camp at Belen Jesuit.
> 
> Those camps are closed, but he still has space available for the Dibia Athletic Development Elite Skills Basketball Camp, which will be held July 23 to 27 at Ransom Everglades school in Miami. Jones runs the camp along with former University of Miami teammate Brandon Okpalobi. Click here for more information.
> 
> After the Heat added Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen to the roster, who will win the shooting contests in practice?
> 
> “Me,” Jones said. “I win them all. Of course.”


Looks like all of our 6-8 guys except LeBron are involved now.


----------



## Smithian

Dorsey would be an interesting pickup. He's a bowling bowl who is physical and can rebound. Could do worse for an end of the bench guy who wouldn't play all that often.


----------



## Jace

@ Impact Basketball in Vegas


----------



## Wade County

Keep practicing that corner 3, Shard.


----------



## Jace

Regarding Fiz, I know Smithi isn't a fan, but I always like what I hear/see out of him, and can definitely see him given a head coaching opportunity down the line with the youth movement there. Definitely respect him not jumping at the first chance, but he's in a great spot right now. I think he was an underrated hire to fill Erik's rookie cabinet.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Man, even after all these years on this board and reading every single posts in this Miami forum, I still don't understand how you guys know the coaching staff so well. College players, I get it. You can follow them in the states but assistant coaches!? I don't know squat about them and never get to read anything about them unless they are head coaches. I didn't know shit about Spo until he became coach (although I kept hearing his name around). I keep hearing this Rothstein or something like that name but I have no idea what is his background. I have never heard of this fiz until now.

Where do you guys get your info!?


----------



## Dee-Zy

Did a quick google, just learned that Rothstein was the first Heat head coach in history.

Interesting.


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> Regarding Fiz, I know Smithi isn't a fan, but I always like what I hear/see out of him, and can definitely see him given a head coaching opportunity down the line with the youth movement there. Definitely respect him not jumping at the first chance, but he's in a great spot right now. I think he was an underrated hire to fill Erik's rookie cabinet.


I don't dislike Fizdale, I just don't know enough to "like him". No real opinion on any of the assistants minus Ron Rothstein. I have a love/hate relationship with him.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Tisdale seems to have a good relationship with the players and with LeBron


----------



## -33-

Dwyane Wade said:


> Tisdale seems to have a good relationship with the players and with LeBron


It's not 









It's









FIZdale


----------



## Wade2Bosh

RIP Wayman.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dee-Zy said:


> Man, even after all these years on this board and reading every single posts in this Miami forum, I still don't understand how you guys know the coaching staff so well. College players, I get it. You can follow them in the states but assistant coaches!? I don't know squat about them and never get to read anything about them unless they are head coaches. I didn't know shit about Spo until he became coach (although I kept hearing his name around). I keep hearing this Rothstein or something like that name but I have no idea what is his background. I have never heard of this fiz until now.
> 
> Where do you guys get your info!?


Not hard with the Heat. They've pretty much had the same coaching staff in place since Riley was coaching, with the only differences being Rothstein and Fizdale. Chad Kamerer was also added a couple of years ago, but he and his dad have been with the organization for years as well.


----------



## Jace

DZ, you'll see them occasionally mentioned in sun-sentinel or herald articles. Everything from Bob McAdoo's tennis playing daughter to Keith Askins' fully-loaded Heat DNA.


----------



## Dee-Zy

aaaaah, I don't get to read any of that here...


----------



## BigWill33176

I never knew Fizdale's name...always referred to him as Coach B-Real


----------



## Jace

Dee-Zy said:


> aaaaah, I don't get to read any of that here...


As tempting as it is to make a Canada/internet joke, I'll stay classy:

Click on my Boshes below for the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald Heat sections, respectively. Sun Sentinel features Ira Winderman, whom we often mention here.

:bosh1::bosh2:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

:laugh: click on my boshes

Dont forget Ethan at the palm beach post.

Andray Blatche is about to be amnestied.

Not gonna happen though. Does not fit Heat culture.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Shandel Richardson
> Caught up with Rashard Lewis after his workout today in Vegas. He's in the middle of his second 14-day stretch and will finish with a 6-week session in August. The reason: "I've got to contribute to this team," he said. "I don’t’want to be a guy that sits on the end of the bench to win a championship.”
> 
> More from Rashard Lewis on contributing: "I want to go through some wars with these guys and not just be one of those guys sitting down just riding the ship just to try to get a ring."


,,


----------



## Jace

^That's awesome. Was hoping he'd work really hard, but wasn't sure if he would or not. He can be so big for us if he can fairly-efficiently make the same sort of plays (not production) he did in Orlando. Glad he's motivated to contribute.

Re: Blatche, not Heat at all. Sucks, because he's so talented. He looked really good that one year when he beefed up and got steady minutes. Oh well.










^Proof we made the right decision. Look at Justin dominate Arnett from behind. He really knows how to get inside his matchup.


----------



## Jace

Oh yeah, Mike isn't retiring and is optimistic of avoiding surgery. Says rest has helped. Ethan had some tweets about it, and Tim Reynolds just tweeted this:



> Tim Reynolds ‏@ByTimReynolds
> 
> Sorry, been running around on some stuff, but the Mike Miller news in a nutshell: No plans to retire, no plans for surgery.


Happy he's coming back, but would feel much better knowing he's been surgically repaired (as in there'd be hope he won't be Mr. Potatohead by the playoffs again next year) and we'd have an extra $3 mill to spend. Him just resting makes me think the problem will manifest itself again. At least next year he can just be the crazy secret weapon we randomly release off the bench, with Ray/Lewis hopefully contributing ahead of him.



> Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine
> 
> In other waiver-wire news, NBA teams notified this evening that Josh Childress has cleared waivers and is now an unrestricted free agent


Pretty sure all I hear is he sucks now, but four years ago he was still young with upside and playing really well. Would've been a great combo-forward for us.


----------



## Jace

Could Childress be cooked? He just turned 29. (BTW, could've sworn he's played PF, but I see him being called a swingman and G-F on basketball-reference). He shot 57% from the field in 76 games his last year in the NBA before going to Olympiacos for 2 years, and again in 54 games upon his NBA return in PHX (only a year ago).

His numbers aren't incredibly impressive beyond his efficiency, but he's definitely a strong intangible player who might fit a team like ours perfectly.

From draftexpress.com after the 07-08 season (his last before his NBA hiatus)



> *Overview:* A long, lanky swingman with a solid all-around skill set. Does not excel in any one particular aspect of the game. Possesses solid athleticism, but his great work-ethic and feel for the game makes this less conspicuous. Has put on some weight since coming into the League. Remains very skinny, which makes him a bit injury prone. Owns a huge wingspan. Displays high-character off the floor, something that became very clear during his collegiate career with the Stanford Cardinals. Won the PAC 10 Player of the Year Award in 2004. Inability to add significant bulk has limited his durability and effectiveness around the rim. Versatility, smarts and finesse make him a valuable asset. Is a restricted free agent this offseason, and should find a number of suitors around the League.
> *
> Offense:* Has a very smooth offensive game, but is the owner of one of the League’s most awkward jump shots. Displays a major hitch in his jumper and releases it with minimal elevation. Knocks it down consistently enough not to not have to fix it. Scores efficiently, which is the result of great shot selection. Shows a deceptive first-step. Is able to attack the rim off the dribble, and sets his man up by moving well off the ball. Isn’t the most efficient finisher due to his lack of vertical explosiveness. Does a good job of using his length and crafty footwork to beat defenders to the rim or get to the line. Doesn’t pull up off the dribble very often, since he connects with those kinds of shots at a pedestrian rate. Shows range out to three-point range, but his form gives him a very small margin for error, which is represented in his three-point percentage. Finds his offense in transition situations and drives off the dribble, both of which embody his desire to run the floor and his capacity to handle the ball well. Has good court vision, passing ability, and decision-making skills. Doesn’t play all that much point-forward since Joe Johnson fills that role. Won’t light up the scoreboard, but is a consistent contributor that gets his baskets in the flow of the offense. Provides a steadying presence on the floor in Atlanta, despite his age, and is a valuable asset in half-court sets.
> 
> *Defense:* Atlanta’s most fundamentally sound defender. Doesn’t have ideal foot-speed, but has tremendous defensive intangibles and a great wingspan. Reads ball-handlers extremely well, and creates turnovers by getting into passing lanes. Length and effort make him a very good perimeter defender. Lacks the bulk to defend strong players in the post, but makes an effort to deny entry passes by working hard to take away angles. Gets beat off the dribble periodically, but doesn’t give up anything easy at the rim. Does a good job of rotating with the ball. Isn’t reckless when closing out his man off of skip passes. Still manages to block a few shots due in large part to his long arms and good timing. Has great timing and knows how to get his team extra possessions.


I think we all agree we'd like the last two spots to go to bigs, but if one doesn't, he'd interest me. Would really fit the "position-less" philosophy.


----------



## Wade County

Childress sucked pretty bad for Phoenix, which is weird because I thought he'd be a good fit there. He can't shoot though, that's the problem. Has a Matrix style hitch to his shot.

He could be a good defensive option, but really we are very deep at the SF spot. He's not neccessary. I'd rather we stock up on big men at the end of the bench (maybe T-Harris too).

Moultrie better not be the new Marcus Thornton....


----------



## Jace

Yeah, I'm just getting carried away. He's shot decent 3pt percentages, though in fairly low attempts. Would make sense if Shane wasn't here.

*Video: Rashard Lewis Interview*


----------



## MarioChalmers

Wade2Bosh said:


> Andray Blatche is about to be amnestied.
> 
> Not gonna happen though. Does not fit Heat culture.


Not Heat culture at all, yes, but didn't we think that about Lamar Odom before signing him?


----------



## myst

ASSISTANT COACHES
Bob McAdoo (College - North Carolina) - 1975 NBA MVP. 
Keith Askins (College - Alabama) - Ex Heat player
Ron Rothstein (College - Rhode Island) - First Head coach of the Heat, also coached the Miami Sol WNBA team
David Fizdale (College - San Diego) - Started in the Heat's video room like Spo, 
Chad Kammerer (College - Westmont) - Does a lot of scouting and game planning.


----------



## -33-

myst said:


> ASSISTANT COACHES
> Bob McAdoo (College - North Carolina) - 1975 NBA MVP.
> Keith Askins (College - Alabama) - Ex Heat player
> Ron Rothstein (College - Rhode Island) - First Head coach of the Heat, also coached the Miami Sol WNBA team
> David Fizdale (College - San Diego) - Started in the Heat's video room like Spo,
> Chad Kammerer (College - Westmont) - Does a lot of scouting and game planning.












What about THE coach? YEAH BABY!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Nuggets are gonna amnesty Chris Anderson. So another possible target if he clears the bidding process.


----------



## Jace

*More on Lewis
*


> *Heat's Rashard Lewis not just along for the ride*
> 
> LAS VEGAS –—
> Rashard Lewis is at a stage in life where nightlife is the least of his concerns.
> 
> He's married and more focused on finding the perfect pre-school for his five-year-old daughter this fall in Miami.
> 
> So a few weeks here in Sin City to train in preparation for his first season with the Heat is no problem. Even if there were temptation, Lewis avoids it by taking the same route from his hotel to make it on time for his 8 a.m., workouts.
> 
> "You come down on the elevator and you go out by the valet area," Lewis said. "In the morning when I come downstairs, I don't even see the casino. When I come back, I just go straight up to my room."
> Lewis is attempting to regain some of the form that made him a two-time All-Star during the early portion of the decade. Injuries have slowed him the last two seasons, but spending most of the summer training at Impact Basketball has him back on track.
> 
> Lewis is in the middle of his second 14-day stint at the facility. After a brief trip home to Houston, he will return for a six-week stay with hopes of arriving in peak shape for Heat training camp in late September.
> 
> "I'm at a point in my career where I know how to discipline myself," Lewis said. "I put the work in. I've had a lot of fun in my career and my life. I'm kind of past that point. I know when I set my mind on something I'm going to go out there and try to do it."
> 
> The reason for the dedication is Lewis wants to contribute if Miami is going to win another championship.He's seen too many veteran players collect a ring while sitting on the end of the bench.
> 
> That's not Lewis' style.
> 
> "As long as I'm out there helping the team, I'm fine," Lewis said. "My goal is to be ready on the court and put in work. I want to go through some wars with these guys and not just be one of those guys sitting down just riding the ship just to try to get a ring."
> 
> It's why Lewis decided on getting his first experience at Impact Basketball, a training facility on the outskirts of Las Vegas that has helped professional players for more than 15 years. Lewis had heard the stories of how it was a haven for players needing to recover from injuries, improve physical condition or impress NBA scouts. A list of jerseys hang on the walls, with noticeable last names on the back. Lin. Garnett. Wall. Maggette.
> 
> On Tuesday, while Lewis was finishing his workout, free agent center Jermaine O'Neal was running through a series of drills for Los Angeles Lakers coach Mike Brown and general manager Mitch Kupchak. Two days before, it was Washington Wizards center Emeka Okafor holding a personal workout.
> 
> Lewis was next.
> 
> After playing just 28 games last season because of tendinitis and bone bruises hampered both knees, he contacted Impact Basketball founder Joe Abunassar in May.
> 
> "He and I talked early when the season ended," Abunassar said. "For me at this point, if a guy is just going to come in and work out a little bit, I'm not all that interested because I want to have an opportunity to have an effect on a guy. He made a commitment to me."
> 
> Abunassar said Lewis has "looked great" thus far. He's worked out twice a day, at 8 a.m., and noon. The sessions consist mostly of weight-training and basketball drills conducted at "game speed."
> 
> "Even with the shooting drills, it's all conditioning," Lewis said. "It's seems like everything has some type of conditioning, even when you lift weights. Everything has some type of running."
> 
> Lewis says he will gradually advance to playing pick-up ball against the various NBA players who use the facility. That should be soon, considering he feels the healthiest since he was in Orlando in 2009-10. That was his last productive year before trading to the Wizards early the following season.
> 
> Lewis was disappointed about going from a contender to a lower-tier team.
> 
> "They decided to blow it up, traded Vince Carter and put the deal on with me," Lewis said. "Ever since then, the team (Orlando) has been, not to say anything bad about the organization because I respect them a lot, but they first started to go through their ups and downs when they made that trade."
> 
> Lewis is back on a favored team, only with fewer individual expectations. He took a lot of criticism in Orlando because his numbers didn't match up to his six-year, $118-million contract. Now, he plays for the league veteran's minimum of $1.3 million and expected to produce in certain situations.
> 
> "I think it will be a little bit easier," Lewis said. "That big contract is not hovering over you, but at the same time the pressure will still be there because you have such a talented team that's won a championship. It's always harder to win for the second time."
> 
> The biggest difficulty for Lewis aside from health is dealing with the expectations. He said his friends and family have made it feel as if he's already won a title because the additions of him and Ray Allen. Lewis used the example of the 2003-04 Lakers, already a championship-caliber team, adding veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone.
> 
> Those Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals.
> 
> "Everybody is talking about how they're coming down [to Miami]," Lewis said. "I'm like, `You didn't come down when I was playing in D.C … It's like they think I've already won a championship, but I'm trying to stay relaxed and calm to where I'm thinking my job is not done yet."


----------



## UD40

Rothstein is also in the University of Rhode Island Hall of Fame.

Used to walk past his plaque on the wall of the Ryan Center every day of my internship.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

Pardon me if someone already posted this: the Miami Herald is reporting that Mike Miller will try to avoid having back surgery and will return next year. #LetItFly


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> Front runners for free agent center Darko Milicic are Miami, Clippers, Chicago and Brooklyn, source tells Y! Sports.





> Ira Winderman
> Agent Marc Cornstein confirms to Sun Sentinel conversation with Heat regarding amnestied center Darko Milicic. "We've certainly talked about it," he said of his discussions with Milicic.
> 
> Agent Marc Cornstein, on Heat only having veteran minimum to offer Milicic, "I guess the beauty of amnesty is he's already receiving his whole contract by clearing waivers. Money is always a factor, but in this case it really becomes a much smaller factor."


..


----------



## Jace

I've soured on Darko. Don't like his approach to the game or attitude. Not good enough at anything to make up for it. I think he can hurt chemistry and won't be on the floor enough for it to be worthwhile.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Lol if Darko came here...the 03 Draft was

1.*Lebron*
2.*Darko*
3.Melo
4.*Bosh*
5.*Wade*


----------



## -33-

Jace said:


> I've soured on Darko. Don't like his approach to the game or attitude. Not good enough at anything to make up for it. I think he can hurt chemistry and won't be on the floor enough for it to be worthwhile.


If he's interested for the minimum, you go for it. Well worth that even if he doesn't pan out. Good low risk, high potential reward.


----------



## -33-

Just picked this up today 









Haven't read through it all, but some interesting "trivia" in the back of the magazine. I feel like I know my Heat history pretty well, some of them were very easy, but a few stood out to me...

*In the '88 expansion draft the Heat accepted the Lakers' 1992 second-round amateur draft pick in exchange for agreeing not to take NBA all-time scoring leader Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. (Did not know that) The Heat ultimately took Matt Geiger with that pick.

*Who was the only player under 6 feet tall to play in a regular-season game for the Heat? Travis Best. (I'm shocked that we've had ONE player under six feet tall in our near 25 year history...trying to find proof this is wrong)


----------



## Jace

Only because Brian Chase was shafted.










Crazy if true though. I knew Riles hates little people, but what about the first 7 or so years of Heat basketball?



doctordrizzay said:


> Lol if Darko came here...the 03 Draft was
> 
> 1.*Lebron*
> 2.*Darko*
> 3.Melo
> 4.*Bosh*
> 5.*Wade*


Ya don't say...


----------



## UD40

I'd LOVE Darko here. Don't like his personality, but the guy is a good defender.

Go get 'em, Riles!


----------



## Dee-Zy

I have a feeling that if we wrap up Darko, we just slam dunked our off season.

Was KAJ any good by 92?


----------



## Jace

Question is, was he in '88?


----------



## -33-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoDKtzjLS9k&feature=player_embedded

Can't wait til Joel picks this up...unstoppable in the post if he catches the ball


----------



## Wade County

Jace said:


> Question is, was he in '88?


14 and 6 in 28 minutes on 53% shooting. So, he was OK but hardly Kareem-esque.


----------



## Wade County

What's the likelihood that the 76ers finish around 8th in the conference next season? Reasonably high?

I want that mid-1st rounder next season, and I want it to be around 15th or 16th. Better make missing on Moultrie worth it .

They're planning on starting:

PG - Holiday
SG - Turner / N.Young
SF - Igoudala / D.Wright / M.Harkless
PF - Hawes / T.Young / A.Moultrie
C - K.Brown / L.Allen / N.Vucevic

Not sure who their backup PG will be.

They've lost Lou Williams too, but recovered with that trade for Dorell. Good bench too with the Young bros. and Dorell.


----------



## Jace

I look at Young as being more of the replacement for Williams. Both streaky go-to scorers.

I think they got worse, though. I could see them not making the playoffs.

Don't really care though. That pick is getting traded. Whether directly for a vet, or in a package sweetener. I'd be very surprised if we use it. That's why I'm less peeved we passed on Moultrie, PJ3, Taylor (looking great in CHA), and Ezeli. Riley clearly was eyeing switching it out for a higher pick so he could use that as trade bait.

EDIT: Does anyone remember Brian Chase? I loved him in the preseason. He made every jump shot and was great at getting to the hole. Me and my buds named him "Mighty Mouse." We needed a PG that year, too. He was just too short. CQuinns probably locked his spot up as the backup PG when Riley found Chris stuffing Chase into his locker.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Close friend of Shaq if I remember correctly. Think Shaq even had a hand in getting him here. Thought that would have given him the edge.


----------



## Jace

Good memory, I had forgotten that. Shaq sure got a few of his friends down here, heh. I don't see that with LeBron. He allegedly tried to get his old Cavs teammate Latavious(?) Williams signed in 2010 and that never happened.


----------



## Jace

Mehmet Okur. 33. Guessing he has nothing left. He'd have been a good fit if he were a little younger. Bah.


----------



## Jace

:lol:


----------



## Dee-Zy

That guy definitely has emotional issues.

I think he is the one who was saying that he would kill the ref's family or something...


----------



## Jace

Not kill. Just rape. Darko has a sense of preservation of life.


----------



## Dee-Zy

hahahaha


----------



## Wade County

bahahaha Darko - you crazy son of a bitch. That is one impressive rant, nutbag.

Sign him


----------



## NBAoz

I really hope the Heat sign Darko. He is still relatively young for a center and I still hold hope (admittedly dwindling with each season) that in the right environment and under the right circumstances, he can fulfill his potential or at least come close to it. He wasn't half bad when he played for the Magic alongside Dwight and has been in the top 5 shot blockers numerous times during the course of a season. Apparently the Nets are no longer interested and the Clippers have now signed Hollins, so Miami's only known competitors at this stage look to be the Celtics and Bulls. I'm intrigued to see how he would fit in here and we do need another big. C'mon Darko, choose Miami!!!


----------



## Jace

Back to back posts from Australia! Sweet!

Though Ronny was a much more amiable crazy, every championship team needs one batshit dude. Turiaf isn't likely to be back -- let's make it Darko!

I'm not as down on it as I was a couple days ago. After reading some more stuff about him, viewing some teape, and realizing he's almost as young as Rio, I see the potential for some nice things. When he's been in comfortable situations he's performed nicely. We may have to just treat him with kid gloves a bit. Even if I wasn't coming around on him, I have faith in just about everything the Heat do. They sure as hell know what they're doing better than I do.










Something about Darkos and lunacy.


----------



## Wade County

I remember I used to draft or trade for Darko all the time in NBA Live 2004/2005 where he used to blow up massive.

Nowadays if he started in your NBA 2K12 team you might get 7 and 5 from him :laugh:


----------



## Jace

Haha, oh potential...

Starting to also warm up to Blatche, as shameful as I feel saying it. I can't see him creating problems here, and even if he did, he'd be easily let go of. He's very skilled, has athleticism, length, and size. He could really be one of those signings that looks questionable at first, but then comes out of nowhere to appear genius.

If we're going to fill one of our last two spots with a rotation player, its going to be a risk/reward situation. I do like that two of our potential options are 25 and 27...that's not even counting Oden.

I've been speaking lately of thoughts and hopes that an expiring Al Jefferson could shake free, if not this summer, than during the season. I should have looked at his numbers before bringing this up. They're much better than I thought. Kanter and Favors will have to really step up to push him out in my eyes. Not sure why Al never seems to be mentioned amongst the best bigs in the league. Seems a consistent near-20/10.


----------



## Jace

He's wagging his finger at Mutombo -- WITH HIS EYES.


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> Haha, oh potential...
> 
> Starting to also warm up to Blatche, as shameful as I feel saying it. I can't see him creating problems here, and even if he did, he'd be easily let go of. He's very skilled, has athleticism, length, and size. He could really be one of those signings that looks questionable at first, but then comes out of nowhere to appear genius.


----------



## Wade County

Well, if no Curry, there needs to be a Blatche just to draw Smithi's ire :laugh:


----------



## Jace

Maybe your boy Randy Whittman rubbed off on him just enough to plant a seed of grit and purity :laugh:

In all seriousness, look at what happened to McGee when he went to Denver. He was more of an on the court knucklehead, but something similar could happen for Blatche. He's young, and it wouldn't be the first time we've seen a malcontent turn it around here.

Open your heart. :keaf:


----------



## Jace

A happy 37th birthday to Jesus :clown:










Its a Miami Heat Christmas!



*From Ethan Skolnick:*



> But how will the Heat handle its new roster riches, especially on the perimeter?
> 
> Is there time for everyone?
> 
> “A lot of it depends on Mike, and I don’t think anybody really knows what that situation is going to be,” Battier told the Palm Beach Post, referring to his close friend Mike Miller, who is forgoing back surgery for now in the hope his back heals. “I think (Pat) Riley is being sold on smallball. I think that he’s had a Come to Jesus moment. I think we’ll have a lot of flexibility like last year. I don’t know how that’s all going to play out, because we’ve got a lot of players. We’ve got a lot of good players who can play. I think Spo will have an interesting job trying to create rhythm and rotations, but it’s a good problem to have.”
> 
> Battier understands his defensive work, as an undersized power forward against the likes of David West and Brandon Bass, may have pushed Riley in this direction.
> 
> “You can get away with it,” Battier said. “You can get away with a stretch four guarding (someone). I think we’ve proven we can do it. I think for 82 games, it’s a little more difficult, because you do have to expend a lot of energy when you’re smaller. I play at 215 pounds, and I’m banging a guy 50 pounds heavier than me. It does take its toll energy-wise. We’ll be able to go to that lineup, I don’t think we’ll be able to beat it to death.”


Looks like he'd rather not start at PF. I know LeBron won't want to start there full-time. Unless they just switch off by possession or so to conserve energy, I'm guessing it'll be a pure PF (or "pure-er" a la Lewis) or less likely a C (Darko? The Earl Barron?) filling the 5th Beadle role.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

We can get away with starting UD or Joel next to Bosh for the regular season and then splitting the rest of the back up 4 minutes between Battier, Lewis and UD if he doesnt start. No need to play Battier over 30 minutes a night at the 4 like in the playoffs.

Definitely need to add another center though.

Nets look like they're on the verge of signing Nazr Mohammed, Ryan Hollins just signed with the Clippers, and the bulls are about to have to make a decision on Asik in the coming days. That's our main competition for Darko, if we really are looking at him.


----------



## Jace

When did the Rockets sign him to an offer sheet? Feels like they've been debating matching for ages.


----------



## 29380

Jace said:


> When did the Rockets sign him to an offer sheet? Feels like they've been debating matching for ages.





> The Rockets waived Jon Leuer and Jerome Jordan on Wednesday and will sign Asik to his offer sheet when those players clear the 48-hour waiver process.


...


----------



## Adam

Wade2Bosh said:


> We can get away with *starting UD* or Joel *next to Bosh* for the regular season and then splitting the rest of the back up 4 minutes between Battier, Lewis and UD if he doesnt start. No need to play Battier over 30 minutes a night at the 4 like in the playoffs.
> 
> Definitely need to add another center though.
> 
> Nets look like they're on the verge of signing Nazr Mohammed, Ryan Hollins just signed with the Clippers, and the bulls are about to have to make a decision on Asik in the coming days. That's our main competition for Darko, if we really are looking at him.


:weezy:


----------



## Dee-Zy

I don't want to see Bosh start at the 5 for 82 games.

What happened against Indiana is no fluke. Bosh doesn't have the body to get that type of battle under the basket done unless he bulks up like 50 lbs more, which will **** up his game.

How great would it be to see Bosh, like Lebron, improve and evolve his game with age? Gaining more muscles and becoming a legit C?

Pipe dream? I don't care if he can't take other 4s or 5s off the dribble, if he can still knock that long mid range and bang inside for D, Rebound and add a post game. I'd be happy.


----------



## Jace

Not sure Bosh's injury had to do with playing C. Probably would've happened either way.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I think it is sustained because he couldn't deal with the "wear and tear" of fighting for position with Hibbert.


----------



## Jace

For less than a half of basketball? That was Game 1. He even later said he felt a tweak in the spot weeks before the injury. I think this is confirmation bias on your part Dee-Zy.

Dan Le Batard is having an extended luxury tax/2014 opt-out meltdown on his radio show. So, we got two years of no "star hysteria," get ready for two years of "OH GOD WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN" now.










Toasting to Ray Ray's 37th. Look at Larry in the background!

Its cool how much Riles and Mick seem to kick it. The "family atmosphere" they preach ain't just lip service.

Is there a reason I feel like this was taken on a yacht other than the fact that Micky Arison is involved?


----------



## Adam

I agree with Deezy. Bosh hasn't physically conditioned his body to endure the rigors of that position and that is the reason for his injury. It's like going to work every day in some industrial job and not wearing safety equipment. The exposure is going to catch up to you and you're going to have adverse effects or an incident. The injury is only the tip of the iceberg that we get to see.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Wasn't it in game 2?


----------



## Jace

Nah...we played them fairly even in the first half of G1, I believe we actually trailed by 7 at the half. Bosh left the game somewhere around halfway through the 2nd quarter. In the second half LeBrane played well and we took control despite struggling with Bosh playing.

Recall, we lost G2 with Bosh not even at the game.


----------



## Drizzy

Not sure how many people here watch First Take, but loved how Skip managed to mention how easy our path to the Finals was due to other teams having injuries, yet Chris Bosh was not mentioned a single time.

If you're just gonna name D Rose being out, then sure. I still think we would beat the Bulls, but at least D Rose is a superstar. How can you mention Avery Bradley being out without bringing up Chris Bosh?

Slightly off-topic, but it was bothering me.


----------



## Drizzy

Also, Jace, sorry for copying ur avatar. Just love the photo so much. Gimme a shout if you want me to change it haha


----------



## Jace

Its cool its a beautiful image and I don't own it. Wouldn't mind seeing it everywhere.



> Chicago Bulls Rumors ‏@chicagobullsbot
> 
> Chicago Bulls contact repeats that Darko Milicic still exploring options but contact believes Milicic signing could be imminent pending Asik


I know nothing about the legitimacy of this person or their sources, just posting it since I saw it. Doubt they match Asik, so I think they're going harder on Darko than we are. Blatche's agent has said he doesn't think teams will seriously pursue him until after everyone's done with summer league. Seems we're waiting on all FAs til then.


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> Maybe your boy Randy Whittman rubbed off on him just enough to plant a seed of grit and purity :laugh:


Did you see they got Okafor, Ariza, and then drafted Beal? And in the same 6 month period dropped Nick Young, Andray Blatche, and JaVale McGee?

The level of grit and purity on that team is impressive. Their turnover from the crap show of the last couple seasons is staggering.


----------



## Jace

Ariza was an interesting acquisition for him, because there were many rumblings about him being a bad teammate and disliked in both Houston and NO. Still solid work by them.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wizards are gonna be an interesting team. They are DEEP at the 4 and 5 position. Booker, Vesely, Seraphin, Okafor and Nene. 

C's picked up Jason Collins. Depth will not be a problem for them this season.


----------



## Jace

Jason Collins is still throwing it around huh? What about Jarron?






I disagree that we're going to run dramatically less plays for him. I think having him run around as an X-factor option or decoy will really open things up for our major players, even moreso than Ray just spotting up. Depending on the poison defenders pick, it could also result in many easier looks for Ray; perhaps even approaching a respectable fraction of the 3s per/gm Dee-Zy is hopeful of Ray producing. 

And those pin-down curls he notes we rarely run will be seen a lot more. We still run that play for Miller for 3s all the time, even though he never hits them. Jones does every now and then. We used to run that play, "floppy," for Eddie Jones a lot, successfully, usually for mid-range Js. We also started running it for Wade in his 2nd and 3rd years, but have gone away from it as his game has evolved. Ray would really be the only person on the roster capable of running it effectively.



> Q: Ira, are people understating or underestimating the impact Rashard Lewis will have? If healthy and in shape, which apparently he is, he is only 32. I would love to see Lewis start with LeBron James and Chris Bosh in the frontcourt. -- Joe, Miami.
> 
> A: But it's still a bit of a leap of faith to assume that he can return to his form of three years ago. It's not as if he hasn't had chances along the way, which is among the reasons he was available at the veteran minimum. But there is something to be said about your thinking, since it would allow Shane Battier to return to his role of defensive stopper off the bench and eliminate the need of force-feeding a center into the starting lineup. For Lewis to start at the four alongside Bosh, he is going to have to show more off the boards than he has to this stage.


Is it really necessary that Lewis rebound like a PF to start? Did Battier? When our SF leads the team in rebounding regardless of who starts, not sure the other forward needs to pull 'em down like his name rhymes with **** Filler. Comes down to whether or not Lewis can defend either forward spot relatively effectively.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Bosh and Lewis front would be interesting. Lewis can pretty much do what Battier did offensively in the Finals...except he is taller. Lewis' defensively is obviously a huge step below Battier though.

I'm just very interested in what the Line-ups are going to be like. Minutes will have to be cut down somewhere, Can Spo limit Lebron's minutes effectively this year? With Allen in the mix Wade won't have to play 37 a game...32-34 would be awesome for him. 

I want to see a line-up like this to end the first quarter.

PG - Lebron
SG - Allen
SF - Battier
PF - Lewis
C - Bosh

This lineup is going to MASSIVELY clear the basket for Lebron and when a defender come's to help. Open 3. The only Defense liability here really is Lewis.


----------



## Dee-Zy

At this age, I don't think Allen is that good on D anymore.

That line up is great offensively but on D, depending on match ups, it might be quite disgusting/frustrating.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Dee-Zy said:


> At this age, I don't think Allen is that good on D anymore.
> 
> That line up is great offensively but on D, depending on match ups, it might be quite disgusting/frustrating.


Allen was starting on of one of the best defensive teams the league had for about 5 years. He's still quick for his age and can play defense very well, he's still quit a bit above average. Lebron is the best defender in the league, Bosh was terrific in the finals and has always been above average, Battier is still one of the best even though he has slipped a bit, Lewis isnt good...but then again he's never played for a team that plays D, And Allen will be fine, we play team defense and Allen is still very quick on the switch...Hell last year he made D-Wade run around like a chicken. 

Wade would go terrific with this Line-up too...if u switched Lebron with Wade at the PG.


----------



## UD40

So since it's the off-season and we've seemingly made our moves....who here has seen The Dark Knight Rises!?!?!?


----------



## doctordrizzay

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h385/trillzmowheelz/ixxfz7.gif


----------



## NBAoz

Ira Winderman: "With Nazr Mohammed leaning toward signing with Bulls as Asik replacement, Heat could become default option for Darko Milicic."


----------



## Jace

So "meh" on Darko. Whatever.










Really don't want to see this.


----------



## NBAoz

Yeah, I really don't want to see advertising on player's jerseys either. We have had it in our league (Aussie NBL) for a long, long time, however a lot more in your face than that pic.


----------



## Wade County

Yeah I hate the sponsors on jerseys ideas. I get why they do it, but it looks so cheap and nasty. Hurts the product IMO.

Darko would be a solid end of bench guy.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I feel better about Darko when I don't look at him as a starter/relied on rotation player. We still haven't solved the issue of getting our asses handed to us on the boards frequently throughout the season, so maybe, just maybe, Darko can help a smidgeon there.




> @LindsayFaulk: Brooklyn & Uncle @dwyanewade playing Volleyball #SundayFunday












HE'S BEEN CLEARED FOR VOLLEYBALL ALREADY!!


----------



## NBAoz

I also think that Darko would be a solid end of bench guy. We need some height at the center position as most of Miami's other bigs are undersized with no one 7 foot or over (eg, Joel at 6'9"). Darko is a legit 7 footer and would be a low risk signing. You never know, he could work out here. Plus he is a decent shot blocker and more offensively talented that Joel. Let's put it this way, I would rather have Darko taking up a roster spot than say Juwan Howard or Eddy Curry. I wouldn't mind Turiaf coming back either if he doesn't sign with anyone else.


----------



## Jace

One thing that tempers my enthusiasm is Darko's rebound rate last year was 11.4 while Joel's was 11.1. Not encouraging.










If anyone sees this shirt for sale, let a fella know. Sweet.


----------



## Dynasty Raider

doctordrizzay said:


> Bosh and Lewis front would be interesting. Lewis can pretty much do what Battier did offensively in the Finals...except he is taller. Lewis' defensively is obviously a huge step below Battier though.
> 
> I'm just very interested in what the Line-ups are going to be like. Minutes will have to be cut down somewhere, Can Spo limit Lebron's minutes effectively this year? With Allen in the mix Wade won't have to play 37 a game...32-34 would be awesome for him.
> 
> I want to see a line-up like this to end the first quarter.
> 
> *PG - Lebron
> SG - Allen
> SF - Battier
> PF - Lewis
> C - Bosh*
> 
> This lineup is going to MASSIVELY clear the basket for Lebron and when a defender come's to help. Open 3. The only Defense liability here really is Lewis.


Where does WADE fit in?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wanna sign Darko just for this one play alone 






Seriously though, he's probably the best and most affordable 7fter left on the market. And although the things coming out of Minny about him being a cancer do make me a bit skeptical, I trust our organization and the leaders on this team, most of them being his fellow '03 draftees, to keep him straight.

And I saw nothing from anyone on our summer league roster to warrant holding a roster spot for.

I guess the next question is: All things being equal, Darko or Turiaf? Who would you rather have?


----------



## Jace

Apparently Turiaf is considering Real Madrid. But yeah, Darko has way more upside than Turiaf. Lacks the moves though.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Real Madrid? WTF, I hope he gets more money there...


----------



## doctordrizzay

Dynasty Raider said:


> Where does WADE fit in?


Did you read what I said? No you didn't. I said this is a line-up where we should CLOSE THE FIRST QUARTER WITH. If you ever watched a damn Heat game you will notice that Wade sits out the last 4 minutes of the 1st quarter.

Watch some Heat ball before you post something like that. smh


----------



## Wade County

I dont think there's any questions Darko is more talented than Ronny...but there also isnt any questions about who would be more willing to accept their role and who isn't a Serbian mobster :laugh:


----------



## Dee-Zy

doctordrizzay said:


> Did you read what I said? No you didn't. I said this is a line-up where we should CLOSE THE FIRST QUARTER WITH. If you ever watched a damn Heat game you will notice that Wade sits out the last 4 minutes of the 1st quarter.
> 
> Watch some Heat ball before you post something like that. smh


Calm down buddy. I don't think he was going at you man, I think it's just a question.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Dee-Zy said:


> Calm down buddy. I don't think he was going at you man, I think it's just a question.


Sorry GF's on her period, in tends to reflect my emotions as well. lol


----------



## NBAoz

Wade2Bosh said:


> Wanna sign Darko just for this one play alone
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Seriously though, he's probably the best and most affordable 7fter left on the market. And although the things coming out of Minny about him being a cancer do make me a bit skeptical, I trust our organization and the leaders on this team, most of them being his fellow '03 draftees, to keep him straight.
> 
> And I saw nothing from anyone on our summer league roster to warrant holding a roster spot for.
> 
> I guess the next question is: All things being equal, Darko or Turiaf? Who would you rather have?


Haha, that video is awesome!  Great find Wade2Bosh. I think I would rather have Darko.


----------



## Adam

Drop Pittman and sign Darko. Darko is no world-beater but he's 7 foot and can play defense. I think he could even start for us.


----------



## -33-

Save his soul Riles!


----------



## doctordrizzay

Id take Darko if he isnt a cancer. we need another whiteboy anyway.


----------



## Ben

I just can't see Darko being that much of a cancer that he can't accept his role on this team. With Wade, Bosh and LeBron, I just refuse to believe someone's stupid enough to do their own thing. :laugh:


----------



## Dee-Zy

WTF, if all the stats of Blathe's infographic is true, it angers me. Driving without a license is only 150$ fine?

Isn't dude a ****ing millionaire? That is cheap change for him, no ****ing wonder he keeps doing it again and again! He was speeding and even got awhole bunch of shit dropped, was supposed to go to jail and was dismissed?

**** this law system.


----------



## Dee-Zy

*TWITTER: Dwade tweets Lakers*

Did I miss a news here? Why did DWade Tweet "LAKERS!!!"?

Dwight going there after all? Trolling?

https://twitter.com/DwyaneWade/status/227843730227478528


----------



## 29380

*Re: TWITTER: Dwade tweets Lakers*



> DwyaneWade
> YES!!! Birthday game this year... 2nd time now in my career


The tweet before that one.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Re: TWITTER: Dwade tweets Lakers*

Had enough time to start a whole thread on this but not enough to just scroll down and read his previous tweet? :laugh:

Gotta say though, when I saw that tweet I was thinking that they got Dwight, but then I saw his previous tweet.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I didn't see it on Twitter, saw it on Facebook.


----------



## Wade County

This is the part of the offseason that depresses me most. All the good FA have signed. No trade rumours pending. No summer league.....sighhhhhh....

Ah well, guess i'll just go back to enjoying being a Champion again


----------



## Jace

This is definitely the hole of the doughnut. Especially after Blatche/Darko sign. We'll then have to wait until the end of training camp for vets to shake loose.


----------



## -33-

I'm in an NBA simulation league and control the Heat, I have the roster of the Heat as of July 1st (no Ray Ray, Rashard), same free agents (Juwan, Eddy, Harris, Turiaf)...

Would you do this trade if you're the Heat: (thinking both talent and financially)

Bosh (4 yrs, $79.3M left - can opt out in 2014)
Mike Miller (3 yrs, $18.6M left)
#27 pick 

for

Nene (4 yrs, $52M left)
Trevor Ariza (2 yrs, $14.9M left)
Kevin Seraphin (3 yrs, $8.4M left on rookie deal - RFA after 2014)
#3 pick (could draft Beal, MKG, or T-Rob)

*Over the course of their contracts, Miami saves around $22 million

Likely lineup after trade:

C - Nene / Seraphin / Pittman
F - LeBron / Haslem / Joel
F - Ariza / Battier
G - Wade / (MKG/Beal)
G - Chalmers / Cole

As Heat fans, if this was presented in real life - how would you feel about it?


----------



## Smithian

No. One, don't really like makeup of new team. Two, no reason to totally revamp a championship winner.

Not sure the Wizards even say yes to that. Doubt they would.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The Arison's and Riley's seem to be travelling Europe on Micky's ships. They stopped in Barcelona to watch Team USA take on Spain and tonight they had dinner with Lebron and his fiance


> Micky Arison ‏@MickyArison
> Enjoyed a wonderful evening with @KingJames & @SavannahRB #HeatFamily http://instagr.am/p/NhQCpBO8IS/


----------



## doctordrizzay

-33- said:


> I'm in an NBA simulation league and control the Heat, I have the roster of the Heat as of July 1st (no Ray Ray, Rashard), same free agents (Juwan, Eddy, Harris, Turiaf)...
> 
> Would you do this trade if you're the Heat: (thinking both talent and financially)
> 
> Bosh (4 yrs, $79.3M left - can opt out in 2014)
> Mike Miller (3 yrs, $18.6M left)
> #27 pick
> 
> for
> 
> Nene (4 yrs, $52M left)
> Trevor Ariza (2 yrs, $14.9M left)
> Kevin Seraphin (3 yrs, $8.4M left on rookie deal - RFA after 2014)
> #3 pick (could draft Beal, MKG, or T-Rob)
> 
> *Over the course of their contracts, Miami saves around $22 million
> 
> Likely lineup after trade:
> 
> C - Nene / Seraphin / Pittman
> F - LeBron / Haslem / Joel
> F - Ariza / Battier
> G - Wade / (MKG/Beal)
> G - Chalmers / Cole
> 
> As Heat fans, if this was presented in real life - how would you feel about it?


No. Mainly because Ariza sucks and we lose alot of Offense.


----------



## Adam

-33- said:


> I'm in an NBA simulation league and control the Heat, I have the roster of the Heat as of July 1st (no Ray Ray, Rashard), same free agents (Juwan, Eddy, Harris, Turiaf)...
> 
> Would you do this trade if you're the Heat: (thinking both talent and financially)
> 
> Bosh (4 yrs, $79.3M left - can opt out in 2014)
> Mike Miller (3 yrs, $18.6M left)
> #27 pick
> 
> for
> 
> Nene (4 yrs, $52M left)
> Trevor Ariza (2 yrs, $14.9M left)
> Kevin Seraphin (3 yrs, $8.4M left on rookie deal - RFA after 2014)
> #3 pick (could draft Beal, MKG, or T-Rob)
> 
> *Over the course of their contracts, Miami saves around $22 million
> 
> Likely lineup after trade:
> 
> C - Nene / Seraphin / Pittman
> F - LeBron / Haslem / Joel
> F - Ariza / Battier
> G - Wade / (MKG/Beal)
> G - Chalmers / Cole
> 
> As Heat fans, if this was presented in real life - how would you feel about it?


No. That would be like Miss Universe getting a nose job. And nobody incoming is as good as Bosh.


----------



## -33-

Guess the people have spoken...I haven't found anyone between here and a few others I asked that liked it. Guess I'm overvaluing that package or undervaluing Bosh.

Not making that deal


----------



## Wade County

It's a tough one. I think Nene's contract is just too big. That, and neither Beal nor MKG really fit a need. If it was AD though....


----------



## Jace

No for reasons stated above. I don't like Ariza and have heard bad things. Nene was shipped out of Denver for a reason. He hasn't been the player many thought he would/should be. Seraphin might be the player I like the most out of that package, and I've barely seen him play.

And that pic of Arison and co. is awesome. Can't imagine LeBron having spent that kind of QT with the Cavs FO, with all the stories I've heard out of there. Hopefully this stuff keeps up and he doesn't even have an inkling to leave...ever. I'd love to see him join the FO after he finishes his career here and gets his jersey retired. Imagine Zo and LeBron walking in a room with Pat to recruit someone. Scary. (That's in your future, Andrew Wiggins!)


----------



## NBAoz

Turiaf is signing with the Clippers. I guess it will now be between Darko and Blatche if the Heat do decide to sign anyone else.


----------



## Jace

Whoa...that's interesting. Riley is obviously out cruising so he's in no rush.


----------



## -33-




----------



## Dee-Zy

Man, I'm gonna miss him.

For Real.


----------



## doctordrizzay

We went from having a terrible bench to having this.

PG - Cole
SG - Allen/Miller/Jones
SF - Battier/Miller/Allen/Jones
PF - Haslem/Lewis
C - Anthony/Pittman/Hamilton (hopefully Darko)


----------



## Jace

We added Allen and Lewis, and by your count, Hamilton. Not a complete upheaval in my opinion. Obviously an improvement, but let's not get carried away. Through the first quarter of last season people were calling our bench the best in the league...erroneously, obviously.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> We added Allen and Lewis, and by your count, Hamilton. Not a complete upheaval in my opinion. Obviously an improvement, but let's not get carried away. Through the first quarter of last season people were calling our bench the best in the league...erroneously, obviously.


? Lewis and Allen have been solid Starters their whole career. Now we get them coming off our bench. Thats HUGE.


----------



## Dwyane Wade

It's the Ray Ray addition that excites me. Honestly I'm not sure what to expect out of Lewis


----------



## Jace

doctordrizzay said:


> ? Lewis and Allen have been solid Starters their whole career. Now we get them coming off our bench. Thats HUGE.


I understand. While I'm excited and optimistic about Ray's ability to play well next season, you can't discount he's 37 and coming off ankle surgery. Its not like we added a leading young, leading 6th-man candidate. I'm being a little bit contrarian right now, I'll admit. I just don't want us all to get carried away praising our bench again. Look at what Boston did to their bench, even while losing Ray. Imagine how nuts Heat fans would be going if we added Terry, Lee, Melo, and Sullinger.

I don't even need to go into why Lewis isn't a sure thing.



I've been predicting black inaugural throwbacks this season to celebrate 25 years of Heat, but it seems we might go red by league mandate:

*NBA Ready to Take us all Back to the ’90s*



> Hey, remember the ’90s?
> 
> Well if you don’t you’re about to get a rude awakening.
> 
> For the upcoming 2012-13 season the National Basketball Association and their Hardwood Classics program is set to honour the most experimental period, uniform-wise, in it’s history.
> 
> Thanks to a series of Tweets from SaltCityHoops.com’s Spencer Ryan Hall we have gotten a look at what teams will be taking part and what uniforms they’ll be using… and all the classics are there.
> 
> See for yourself:




























However...



> UPDATE (Jul 24/12 @ 13:29 ET): The apparent official Toronto Raptors Media account @RaptorsPR is claiming the Raptors will not be wearing this uniform in the upcoming season, it’s possible that these are then just jerseys adidas is producing for sale and nothing more? No words from any of the other teams listed as of yet…


Gonna scour uni-watch.com to see if they have anything else on this. Those old red Heat jerseys and the pinstripe black Bulls are two of my all-time favorite jerseys. Would be sick to see our guys wearing 'em, particularly Cole if he keeps the flattop. Also like the black Suns a lot. Those Rockets pinstripe jerseys always reminded me of pajamas when I was young. I thought Barkley looked like a big fat toddler.


----------



## Jace

Ahaaah...the 'Randy' episode is on CC. The moment just happened. Hilarious every time.


----------



## Wade County

Have so much mad love for those 90s jerseys. Some absolute money ones in there.


----------



## Jace

From uni-watch.com



> Uni Watch News Ticker: “I saw the Spring 2013 Adidas NBA Catalog and there are some new on-court offerings,” says Chris Blackstone. “There are new jerseys for Christmas Day and for home weekend games during the second half of season, called the Winter Court jerseys. They’re monochrome like the all-black Miami uniforms from the past couple years, but in team colors. Also, there are Hardwood Classic jerseys for Indiana (home from 1997-98 through 2004-05), Milwaukee (late ’90s), Chicago (mid-’90s alternate), Atlanta (late-’90s road), Miami (late-’90s alternate), Sacramento (mid-’90s alternate), Phoenix (1990s alternate), Philly (early-’90s road), Cleveland (mid-’90s road), Toronto (late-’90ss home), Houston (late-’90s road), and Utah (late-’90s road).” No word on whether the NBA plans to put ads on throwbacks in 2013.


Perhaps @RaptorsPR has no idea what they're talking aboat.

Interesting with the special Christmas jerseys and 2nd half, weekend home game monochrome jerseys, a la the Heat's all-blacks. Surely we'll see an all-green Celtics, perhaps an all-red Bulls, etc. I really believe we're inching toward an era where every team wears 82 jerseys every season.


----------



## Adam

I hate the hawk logo for Atlanta. The old pacman style logo was the best. All the animal logos like the hawk or the buck or the wolf are the jock equivalent of those power animal shirts that nerds wear.


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> Ahaaah...the 'Randy' episode is on CC. The moment just happened. Hilarious every time.


Did you see that ghost?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Last week they were dining in Europe with Lebron and his Fiance, and this week the Arison's are dining in Europe with Chris and his wife.


> Micky Arison ‏@MickyArison
> Wonderful evening with @chrisbosh @MrsAdrienneBosh #Heatfamily


----------



## UD40

The life of a champ...seems stressful.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chris Bosh ‏@chrisbosh
> Just finished dinner. I think I have something in my teeth




__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content











:laugh:


----------



## Jace

Ohhhh...only saw the second picture at work and was wondering how they got Larry to Chris so fast. I wonder if the Bosh's (and now Arisons) are still in Italy. Dwyane should be in London by now.

On LeBatard Micky made it seem like he doesn't talk to the players much, to avoid circumventing the coaching staff, cool to see him hanging with the players early on in the offseason. Surely having a championship to continue celebrating helps.


----------



## Jace

Looking good. Gotta add a few more years to it though.


----------



## -33-

Wade County said:


> Have so much mad love for those 90s jerseys. Some absolute money ones in there.


I had a game-worn Zo jersey just like this...glad we're bringing these back.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I love the black too, but glad they skipped to the red. Might be my favorite Heat jersey all-time of the seven somewhat-main ones we've seen (both sets of 3 + all-blacks).


----------



## Wade County

Game worn Zo jersey....you bastard

And yeah, they are gonna look so awesome. Hope we rock red sweats with them too :laugh:

Although, we could go the Gatling look:


----------



## Jace

Wade County said:


> Game worn Zo jersey....you bastard
> 
> And yeah, they are gonna look so awesome. Hope we rock red sweats with them too :laugh:
> 
> Although, we could go the Gatling look:


Does the pic not show up for anyone else? I saw it by copying and pasting, though.

EDIT: Working now. Comp was just being weird I guess.

Surely we'll see some new gear thing this upcoming season. They've been adding things every year since 2009/10. Starting from white shoes at home, to black socks on the road, white sleeves at home, to white kneepads....this year I wouldn't be surprised to finally see colored sweatbands/sleeves/knee pads. Red would look awesome with the road blacks.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Not really Heat related but thought it was so funny that I wanted to share with the Heat fam!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Spo is back in the Philippines. This site gives details on his trip including schedule, videos and articles.

http://www.philstar.com/sportshub/erik-spoelstra-2012/default.aspx


----------



## Wade County

Heat and Spurs showing interest in Andray Blatche according to Marc Stein. Interesting.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Blanche is 6'10, and also an idiot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDzRvZcFn48

Look at this idiot, I hope to god we don't sign this fool. Dude plays for his own stats...probably the worst sequence of events ive ever seen in the NBA


----------



## Jace

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, as I've stated here before, I'd take Blatche. One 25-year-old isn't going to blow up our chemistry and send out locker room in disarray, even if its accompanied by the loss of Juwan Howard. We don't have many places on our roster we can fit talent that could seep into the rotation; the power rotation is the only spot. We're not going to find a very good center (I'm less sold on Darko), so why not a very talented combo-big who can be a pure backup skill-wise to Bosh? There's still a ton of untapped potential there, and I'd imagine he wouldn't be playing out of shape like he has the past couple of seasons in WAS. 

Low risk, high reward. Dale Riles!


----------



## Smithian

> @ESPNSteinLine: Free-agent rumble that just dribbled across the pond: Heat & Spurs among teams to express exploratory interest in free agent Andray Blatche


At first I was like










Then I was like










Then I accepted the inevitable


----------



## -33-

Low risk, High Reward

It's got Riles written all over it

1 year minimum, with a team-option for year two?

DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Smithian

I wish I could violently shart in the face of anyone advocating the Heat sign Andray Blatche. If that includes Pat Riley, so be it.


----------



## Adam

Smithian said:


> I wish I could violently shart in the face of anyone advocating the Heat sign Andray Blatche. If that includes Pat Riley, so be it.


And he's not even good. He's like a shitty version of Josh Smith, and I wouldn't even want Josh Smith on any team of mine. He's a faceup 4 who takes bad jumpers and shoots a low percentage.


----------



## MarioChalmers

1. Riley's decision
2. We're in the company of the Spurs

I know it's less fun when you don't bitch about things and just admit that these people are more qualified to make these decisions, but this is just too negative. Blatche would be great for this team.


----------



## Dee-Zy

MarioChalmers said:


> 1. Riley's decision
> 2. We're in the company of the Spurs
> 
> I know it's less fun when you don't bitch about things and just admit that these people are more qualified to make these decisions, but this is just too negative. Blatche would be great for this team.


This.

It's not as if the Heat was going up against the Raps and Wizards for the guy.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Though Miami is reportedly one of several teams that made an exploratory inquiry about former Wizards power forward/center Andray Blatche (but no contract offer), Heat president Pat Riley, making a tour of local radio stations this past week, told WQAM's Joe Rose that "unless there's an injury, we really don't need [to add a veteran] center."...
> 
> Riley also told WMEN's Orlando Alzugaray: "I don't think [Dexter Pittman] had a very solid summer league. We need him. He's got the bulk. He's got the size. He's got the hands. He needs to break through, though.''...
> 
> An official on the Heat's basketball side said the team’s philosophy is simple: “We have to surround our great players with speed. Big, slow guys are not what we need. Size is never going to be our strength.”


Link


----------



## Adam

They need to stop with this Pittman experiment. They're missing and missing really badly on this guy, and it's 100% because of money.


----------



## UD40

I find it hard to believe that we aren't in talks with a veteran big man.


----------



## Jace

There could be a smidgeon of subterfuge there. We're definitely poking at every potentially intriguing big, I don't know that they see Blatche as a "center center," so I don't fully agree with Barry's logic there. I do like that they're all in on the speed around the big 3 concept. Even Ray runs around like he's on meth. I think we'll see a lot of lineups with Rio/Ray next to the 3, assuming there's no large SF to guard. So often pure SFs are playing PF anyway nowadays, once teams go to their bench, at least.

And I'm glad Riley is keeping it real about the Pittman suckfest. I didn't expect anything close to 20/10 from him, but at least catch rebounds/passes and foul like you're going into your 3rd season after four in college. He had the occasional nice offensive move, but we'd see that close to never in the regular season (aside from blowouts.)


----------



## Wade County

Looks like i'm the only one who isn't totally against Andray Blatche for the minimum. 

Yes he has done some stupid, immature things on and off the basketball court. But the guy is 25, 6'11, multi-skilled big man who we could get for a minimum contract. We're not exactly in the position where we can get young, reasonable players (particularly big men) on cheap deals. 

The Wizards locker room has been a mess the past few years with no leaders. On this team, he would have to respect LBJ, Wade, Bosh, UD, Ray Ray....etc. Look at what JaVale McGee did in the postseason on the Lakers - he had a terrific series against one of the better bigs in the league in Bynum. Blatche could fill a role here.

Would a veteran like Kurt Thomas be a better fit? Yeah probably. But all the decent vets are signed. So why not take a flyer on Blatche. If he sucks - cut him.

While we're at it - i'd like to see how Oden is coming along with that knee(s). If he ever got 85% healthy...on this team...


----------



## Smithian

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ndray-blatche/2012/07/17/gJQAT5JmrW_blog.html

Required reading for anyone advocating Blatche. I recommend #2, 4, 8, 9, & 10 as main reasons advocating for his signing makes you "shart in the face" worthy.


----------



## Wade County

Guess I am shart worthy then :laugh:

Randy style?










I'm not saying he isn't a knuckle head. I'm saying over here, we wouldn't tolerate his bullshit. Riles may be able to get something out of the guy.


----------



## UD40

I see it in the same light as Eddy Curry. A guy who "could've been" but had some issues, came into the system, knew his position and got what he earned. For Curry, that was an awesome set of shoulders from waving a towel. Let Blatche earn what he gets.


----------



## Adam

Wade County said:


> Looks like i'm the only one who isn't totally against Andray Blatche for the minimum.
> 
> Yes he has done some stupid, immature things on and off the basketball court. But the guy is 25, 6'11, *multi-skilled big man* who we could get for a minimum contract. We're not exactly in the position where we can get young, reasonable players (particularly big men) on cheap deals.
> 
> The Wizards locker room has been a mess the past few years with no leaders. On this team, he would have to respect LBJ, Wade, Bosh, UD, Ray Ray....etc. Look at what JaVale McGee did in the postseason on the Lakers - he had a terrific series against one of the better bigs in the league in Bynum. Blatche could fill a role here.
> 
> Would a veteran like Kurt Thomas be a better fit? Yeah probably. But all the decent vets are signed. So why not take a flyer on Blatche. If he sucks - cut him.
> 
> While we're at it - i'd like to see how Oden is coming along with that knee(s). If he ever got 85% healthy...on this team...


That would all be well if it were true but it isn't. He's not skilled. He can't pass and doesn't, and he can't shoot and takes bad shots. He's just a bad basketball player with some streetball skills.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Smithian said:


> http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ndray-blatche/2012/07/17/gJQAT5JmrW_blog.html
> 
> Required reading for anyone advocating Blatche. I recommend #2, 4, 8, 9, & 10 as main reasons advocating for his signing makes you "shart in the face" worthy.


Keep Andrey away, he seems like a guy who would poison Wade Bosh or Lebron before a game for his own pleasure.


----------



## Jace

What about 5 Smithian?



> 5. Solicitation
> 
> “Washington Wizards forward Andray Blatche, who was arrested Aug. 2 in an undercover sting, agreed today to attend a day-long seminar offered by prosecutors for men who solicit prostitutes.”
> 
> Yeah.





Wade County said:


> *Looks like i'm the only one who isn't totally against Andray Blatche for the minimum. *
> 
> Yes he has done some stupid, immature things on and off the basketball court. But the guy is 25, 6'11, multi-skilled big man who we could get for a minimum contract. We're not exactly in the position where we can get young, reasonable players (particularly big men) on cheap deals.
> 
> The Wizards locker room has been a mess the past few years with no leaders. On this team, he would have to respect LBJ, Wade, Bosh, UD, Ray Ray....etc. Look at what JaVale McGee did in the postseason on the Lakers - he had a terrific series against one of the better bigs in the league in Bynum. Blatche could fill a role here.
> 
> Would a veteran like Kurt Thomas be a better fit? Yeah probably. But all the decent vets are signed. So why not take a flyer on Blatche. If he sucks - cut him.
> 
> While we're at it - i'd like to see how Oden is coming along with that knee(s). If he ever got 85% healthy...on this team...


Don't forget me! You made all the right points. Don't see why people are acting like this is injecting an experimental drug that may or may not kill us. If he acts up, its a minimum deal. They get swallowed every year. Too big of a reward to scoff at.

And yeah, the Oden potential is also tantalizing. Not many other places we could possibly find a real, potentially productive center.


----------



## Jace

The Arison cruise took a stop through Wade County (and the State of the Union).










I'm guessing Eddy Curry will be next.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Union is 11 years older than Wade, I still can't believe it. She looks like she is younger than Wade!!!


----------



## -33-

Jace said:


> What about 5 Smithian?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Don't forget me! You made all the right points. Don't see why people are acting like this is injecting an experimental drug that may or may not kill us. If he acts up, its a minimum deal. They get swallowed every year. Too big of a reward to scoff at.
> 
> And yeah, the Oden potential is also tantalizing. Not many other places we could possibly find a real, potentially productive center.


I'm in favor of Blatche at the minimum.


----------



## Jace

Dwyane looks so much better than he did before/after his first surgery. He didn't put on much, if any, weight this go-around, and it seems he's been cleared to at least condition way earlier. I might be a little off in my previous belief that he won't look very good until late in the season/playoffs.



Dee-Zy said:


> Union is 11 years older than Wade, I still can't believe it. She looks like she is younger than Wade!!!


Great for him now, considering he probably had his first wet dream to Gabby when he was 12, but it won't be long before he regrets it...hate to say it. She does have a great personality, though...for what it's worth. 


Here is an underrated aspect of *The Ray Effect*:



> Avery Bradley expressed his gratitude to Ray Allen in how he helped tutor him offensively during their two seasons together with the Celtics.
> 
> "Ray was a great tutor," said Bradley.
> 
> "I'm sad that he's gone, but we all wish the best for him. But he definitely meant a lot. He helped me out every single day. Sometimes I'd just be working out and he'd be watching on the side. He'd get up and tell me what I needed to work on, or tell me how I can be more consistent. I really thank him for that."
> 
> Bradley entered the NBA with excellent defensive potential but an offensive game that needed more improvement.
> 
> "Ever since my rookie year, all [the veterans would help] because I was so open to learning," Bradley said. "But especially Ray. Once I started playing the 2-guard, he wanted to help me out, so that I could be the best 2-guard I could be."


Avery was a curious case to me as a highly touted combo guard prospect going one and done. I understood he was very athletic with a defensive demeanor, but offensively the story was he couldn't run a team, was a bad shooter, and a subpar finisher at the rim. Essentially he was a combo-guard with neither guard's ability, it seemed. Scouts/teams still seemed to love him, including the Heat. 

Anyway, since then he's developed a great 3-ball, especially from the corners, from what seems like out of nowhere. Makes sense that Ray played a part in this. I love the image of Ray watching over Avery's workouts from the sidelines, creepily in the shadows. 












_Jesus has some notes for you, my young disciple._



Before even reading this I'd thought about what Ray can do for Rio, just in the shooting department alone. We know Rio has the touch and talent from beyond the arc, but I think a lot of his lower body activity causes some of his inconsistency (part of what makes Ray such a great shooter is his footwork. Watch how quickly and precisely he gets his feet set from anywhere on the floor, on the move or spotting up. **** that greasy dude who played in LA, Ray is "the Machine.") He may also have mechanical inconsistencies up top Ray would surely notice (he is officially O.C.D., in all aspects of life.) Not to mention, Rio has shown great adeptness at hitting midrange J's when he gets looks there. He's not great at pulling up off-the-dribble, but if Ray could show him a thing or two about coming off screens off-the-ball, and Spo were willing to put Rio in that role in some of our sets, he could thrive there. Imagine defenses having to keep track of Rio and Ray getting any sort of daylight while holding down the big 3. Sexy thoughts.

Of course, NoCo could use a Ray-ing even more. He actually has some similar attributes to Bradley. Not as tall or athletic, but same defensive tenacity and better driving ability. Cole also would give Ray more to work with in terms of shooting ability (he's a better natural shooter than Avery.) Cole also has inconsistent mechanics in both his upper and lower body movement, again fixable by someone with Ray's meticulous eye. Spo gave Wade a jump shot, but he's no Jesus. 

Speaking of Wade, if he's open to Ray giving him pointers and essentially being the shooting coach he's mentioned seeking multiple times this summer, we might see some '09 shooting performances again.


*FLASHBACK!!* _(This is the @ORL highlight I meant to post when I posted one of Dwyane's 50pt games from that season recently)
_





Both games at Orlando that season were huge for him. This, however, is the game I always think of when I ponder Dwyane's best jumpshooting performances. The move at 2:33 replayed in slow-mo at 2:57 is simply jizzy. He rocked Keith Bogans (when he was still a legit defender) and drilled a beautiful step-back 20-footer. Its not like he was chucking, he was 14-20 by that point.


Back on the Ray effect, one last player who can pay huge dividends: Terrel Harris. Indications are the Heat wants him for one of those final two spots (I, and Adam, approve, particularly after the way he looked in SL.) Terrel has the perfect game to model after Ray. Throw in his defense and attacking ability and he could be a real gem if he makes strides.

Shit, Ray should just run our summer program.


----------



## MarioChalmers

I'm for Blatche too. Because yeah, he's totally going to be a bad influence on LeBron, Wade, Bosh, and Allen.


----------



## doctordrizzay

MarioChalmers said:


> I'm for Blatche too. Because yeah, he's totally going to be a bad influence on LeBron, Wade, Bosh, and Allen.


He's been fined and arrested many times...He would be a huge distraction. Media every day would be Blatche this Blatche that...then they would ask wade lebron and bosh about it over and over again. I mean come look his damn record, its ****ing ridiculous...the guy is a nut. Why the **** would anyone even remotely think we should take him? R u insane?? He is all- around BAD news.


----------



## MarioChalmers

doctordrizzay said:


> He's been fined and arrested many times...He would be a huge distraction. Media every day would be Blatche this Blatche that...then they would ask wade lebron and bosh about it over and over again. I mean come look his damn record, its ****ing ridiculous...the guy is a nut. Why the **** would anyone even remotely think we should take him? R u insane?? He is all- around BAD news.


So you think he's bad news?


----------



## Jace

*Miami's Wade: Rehab going well after knee surgery
*



> LONDON (AP) - Dwyane Wade's recovery from knee surgery is right on schedule, and the All-Star guard expects to be ready to go when the Miami Heat open the defense of their NBA championship.
> 
> The way he was walking around London on Wednesday, it would have been tough to guess he had surgery a month ago.
> 
> "I feel good. Rehab is going very well,'' Wade told The Associated Press. "I'm happy with it. I'm more encouraged than I was, obviously, when I knew I had to get surgery. So I'm happy.''
> 
> Wade was in London making a promotional appearance at NBA House for Gatorade, one of his longtime sponsors, and its sports science institute. If the knee surgery wasn't needed, Wade would have been in London for another reason - playing in the Olympics with the U.S. squad. He helped the team win a bronze at the 2004 Athens Games and gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
> 
> He didn't hesitate when asked if he thought there was a chance his Heat teammate LeBron James and the rest of the U.S. men wouldn't win gold.
> 
> "No,'' Wade said. "No. Simple as that.''
> 
> He had surgery on his left knee on July 9, after helping the Heat win the NBA championship despite his being bothered by knee pain and swelling throughout the playoffs. Once it was determined that he needed surgery, Wade removed his name from consideration for the Olympic team.
> 
> Wade will spend a few days in London, planning to watch the U.S.-Japan women's soccer gold-medal match on Thursday, basketball and track and field, among other Olympic events. Then it's off to Switzerland for meetings with a watch company that sponsors him and back home for the busiest part of his summer.
> 
> The book he wrote about fatherhood comes out Sept. 4, the day he'll start a whirlwind promotional tour. Before that, he'll host a fantasy camp for people who want to live like NBA players for a few days, along with a series of events for kids in his native Chicago.
> 
> "I'm pretty much busy,'' Wade said. "Business things and also spending time with my boys. There's a lot to do. I'll be busy all the way from now up to training camp.''
> 
> He started rehabbing almost immediately after surgery, first trying to build strength in his hip and knee areas. Around Sept. 1, he expects to do more intense training, which would coincide with the start of the book tour.
> 
> "So I'll be doing both,'' he said. "I'll be working out on the tour.''
> 
> The Heat will open training camp in late September, and Wade said he expects to be fully ready to go when Miami opens the defense of its title against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 30. He even hopes to be ready for the start of camp.
> 
> "I should be. We'll see,'' Wade said. "We'll see how we approach it as an organization. But I should be able to go. It just depends on how much they feel like they want me to work. But I should be ready when the season starts.''


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ Sounds good I guess, I really hope he really does workout on his tours. And I hope he finds time to work on his jumper.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Obviously I want him to be fully healthy for the start of camp, but it wouldnt be too bad if he had to miss the 1st week or so and be able to work Ray Allen in and get comfortable. Then again, this isnt last season so there will be plenty of time.


----------



## Smithian

doctordrizzay said:


> He's been fined and arrested many times...He would be a huge distraction. Media every day would be Blatche this Blatche that...then they would ask wade lebron and bosh about it over and over again. I mean come look his damn record, its ****ing ridiculous...the guy is a nut. Why the **** would anyone even remotely think we should take him? R u insane?? He is all- around BAD news.


:yesyesyes:


----------



## UD40

Dwight to the Lakers.


----------



## PoetLaureate

UD40 said:


> Dwight to the Lakers.


That is a monster lineup they have there now. Going to be fun next season!


----------



## Drizzy

I'm so sad.......


----------



## -33-

UD40 said:


> Dwight to the Lakers.












Still going to wait and see this team play together rather than crown them on paper...

Nash is a huge defensive liability, especially in a system as intense as Mike Brown's. Kobe is aging, but I'd never bet against him. He won't have to carry as much of the load now, so that might help him. Metta/Pau/Dwight is about as good as it can get defensively on your frontline. 

But looking at them - can you zone that team? Nash/Kobe beating you outside might be better odds than letting Pau/Dwight beat you up inside. 

Guess we'll see...

Rio/Nash
Wade/Kobe
Battier/Artest
Bron/Pau
Bosh/Dwight









Ain't scared


----------



## Jace

Let's see what they look like before we freak out. Nash for Sessions and Bynum for Dwight is no doubt an exponential improvement on paper, but Kobe appears to be on a steep decline (I know, I know...'12 scoring average. See: Chucker) and Nash might give up as much as he gives them at this point on the other end. Dwight has seemingly faded away from playing winning basketball (not to mention he won't be signing an extension, and therefore will have all the Orlando questions all over again going into 2013 free agency,) and who knows how into it Pau will be. It could earth-shattering just as easily as devastatingly underwhelming in my eyes. I'm excited to find out. This makes the league that much more fun.

EDIT: Didn't see your post before I posted, I see we agree on a lot. I think we'd only zone them if Pauward was really killing us inside.


----------



## -33-




----------



## Wade County

It's gonna be heavyweight warfare when these 2 teams meet. HOFers all over the place.

Do we think we're going to go with the Lebron/Battier 3/4 tandem all season too? I guess so?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

They still gotta get through the tough west.

How about what this does for Philly?

Holliday
JRich
Turner
Allen/Young/Moultrie
Bynum/Hawes

Pretty formidable.

Also, we need to add a big.


----------



## Jace

I don't think Battier will start, especially after what he said at the MJ golf tourney.



Wade2Bosh said:


> They still gotta get through the tough west.
> 
> How about what this does for Philly?
> 
> Holliday
> JRich
> Turner
> Allen/Young/Moultrie
> Bynum/Hawes
> 
> Pretty formidable.
> 
> Also, we need to add a big.


Not enthralled with Philly's moves. I know they were dangling Iggy, but he was big for them. They lost Lou Will too who was their leading scorer. I know they got Nick Young and Dorell, but I have trouble seeing Bynum going all-in mentally there. Hopefully they make the playoffs, though.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I think Evan Turner has a chance to make a big leap of improvement this upcoming season. He's their key if Bynum doesnt play like he doesnt wanna be there.


----------



## Adam

I don't care about Dwight. He's easier for us to shut down offensively than Bynum. This is the guy Detroit would shut down with Jason Maxiell.

Some Lakers fan will probably pop in this thread and say that I'm scared, but I've been saying for years now that Dwight isn't as good as people think he is. He's not winning a championship as a #1 and if this was the '90's he wouldn't be a top 5 center.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Scary line up, especially with Pau next to him. I'm pissed that Lakers keep getting big trades and signing without giving up much.

Lakers are def the lil princess of the NBA. I was never able to cheer against the Lakers because of Kobe, now they have Nash but I think as soon as Kobe is gone, I will be happy to cheer against them.


----------



## doctordrizzay

So how many superstars has kobe played with now?

Laker fans are acting like they won already, they still have no bench, and still older than most. OKC will still beat them. Dwight remember was a 49 percent freethrow shooter last year. Bynum was very good at that and better offense. Dwight is better defensively but Do we really think Dwight and Kobe can co-exsist? both are the big baby's of the NBA.


And do you think Pat Riley will try to sign a center now?


----------



## Wade County

Their lineup is sick.

PG - Nash/Blake/Duhon
SG - Bryant/Goudelock
SF - Metta/Clark
PF - Gasol/Jamison/McRoberts
C - Howard/Hill

Now we all know paper wins guarantee nothing...but that is a scary mother ****in lineup. Really looking forward to the battles we will have.

OKC gonna have a tough time out West with them.

Lakers bigs vs Heat smalls. Bring it on. I love this game.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Wade County said:


> Their lineup is sick.
> 
> PG - Nash/Blake/Duhon
> SG - Bryant/Goudelock
> SF - Metta/Clark
> PF - Gasol/Jamison/McRoberts
> C - Howard/Hill
> 
> Now we all know paper wins guarantee nothing...but that is a scary mother ****in lineup. Really looking forward to the battles we will have.
> 
> OKC gonna have a tough time out West with them.
> 
> Lakers bigs vs Heat smalls. Bring it on. I love this game.


Im confused is are you sarcastic? or for real?

Thats one of the saddest benches i've ever seen lol.


----------



## Gx

Well, we're probably not the most hated team in the league anymore. Seeing comments like these on ESPN and other news sites/message boards:



> TruthHurtsFans 2:55:16 AM
> Lakers fans are single handedly going to make the rest of the country root for LeBron.


----------



## UD40

So what are the chances the Sixers make the playoffs this season?

Let's hope they do so we can snag their first round pick.


----------



## Dee-Zy

doctordrizzay said:


> Im confused is are you sarcastic? or for real?
> 
> Thats one of the saddest benches i've ever seen lol.


I know nothing of Hill but a big man rotation of Gasol/Howard/Jamison is pretty nice. McRoberts as the 4th big man is not bad at all.

A PG rotation of Nash/Blake/Duhon is pretty good too.

The scary part is their starting 5. Their bench is not awesome but it is decent.


----------



## UD40

The Nets were offering Lopez, Brooks, Humphries & four unprotected first rounders.

Yet the Magic felt Moe Harkless & co. was a better deal?


----------



## PoetLaureate

Can't blame them for not wanting Brook Lopez at the max for the next 5 years. Not that this shit sandwich is any better. Probably just better off letting Dwight walk or taking that Houston deal if it was legit.


----------



## -33-

I don't understand how Houston couldn't beat that offer with all the prospects and picks they have...


----------



## Jace

I'm mystified by how they didn't get Bynum in return. He'll re-sign with whomever has his Birds.

DZ, Jordan Hill is a pretty solid big. More of a PF, in my opinion, but very bouncy and energetic. Kind of like a better, thicker version of Amir Johnson.



> Paul Coro ‏@paulcoro
> 
> Free agent center Jermaine O'Neal has agreed to sign with the #Suns.


OK, *NOW *we need to sign a center! Heat vs. Suns 2013 Finals.


----------



## Jace

One more thing: The Heat were underdogs for the first time in the Finals, and thrived. This Lakers deal puts us back into the shadows, a little bit. No doubt that'll give us a mental edge. Hopefully it won't cause us to push too hard during the regular season. This should be fun though: Wade/Allen/LeBron/Bosh vs. Nash/Kobe/Pau/Howard...crazy starpower.

Just to make sure, I don't mean to imply that's my Finals matchup. We still have to get there, and I'm not sold they're better than OKC.


----------



## ATLien

If I were Miami or a Western conference team I would try to swing a deal for Zaza Pachulia. Done well vs. Dwight in limited action


----------



## Jace

Pretty sure we still hate Zaza too much. Good thought though. A lot of bad blood there, mostly pre-Big 3 era, though.


----------



## Jace

Lakers just signed Jodie Meeks too. Slide him in the rotation for Goudelock. Nice move.

Wow, I just looked up Howard's measurements, since I see his height listed all over the place. This is crazy: Howard and Durant are the exact same height, with Durant having an extra quarter-inch of wingspan. Howard's high-set shoulders do give him an extra 1.5 inches of standing reach, however. Still nutty. Durant is such a freak.

So...the Lakers have traded for Chris Paul, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard since December. The only deal that wasn't extremely lopsided was CP3. Add into that the Pau acquisition (before we knew Marc could ball), and they've been really fortunate.

If we do meet them in the Finals, we have the secret weapon. Ray and Kobe had a long-lasting beef back in the day, and obviously recently faced in two Finals. No question he'd get up for that series, even if both of his ankles had turned to Pop Rocks.


----------



## Eternal

doctordrizzay said:


> Im confused is are you sarcastic? or for real?
> 
> Thats one of the saddest benches i've ever seen lol.


It's not like you have a good bench... Lakers possibly have a better bench then the Heat. Especially now with the Meeks signing.


----------



## Jace

Eternal said:


> It's not like you have a good bench... Lakers possibly have a better bench then the Heat. Especially now with the Meeks signing.


Please don't. Not with him.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Eternal said:


> It's not like you have a good bench... Lakers possibly have a better bench then the Heat. Especially now with the Meeks signing.


Allen, Lewis, Battier, Cole, Haslem etc. Is alot better than a Antwan Jamison led bench.

Hell we beat OKC without Lewis or Allen last year...Our bench doesn't get worse with them. Also Mike Brown is still coaching.


----------



## Adam

Eternal said:


> It's not like you have a good bench... Lakers possibly have a better bench then the Heat. Especially now with the Meeks signing.


:cosby:


----------



## R-Star

doctordrizzay said:


> Allen, Lewis, Battier, Cole, Haslem etc. Is alot better than a Antwan Jamison led bench.
> 
> Hell we beat OKC without Lewis or Allen last year...Our bench doesn't get worse with them. Also Mike Brown is still coaching.


Ray Allen isn't starting? Oh ok. Neither is Battier or Haslem? 

Hmmmm..... So do the Lakers get to call one of their starters a bench player as well?


----------



## Jace

Ray won't start. One of Haslem/Lewis/Battier is lined up to at the moment next to Chalmers + the 3.


----------



## R-Star

Jace said:


> Ray won't start. One of Haslem/Lewis/Battier is lined up to at the moment next to Chalmers + the 3.


Yea. Kind of assuming it will change depending on the team they're up against.

Unless for some reason the super human Battier we saw continues his play all of next season which is doubtful.


----------



## Jace

Exactly, I expect martini-hangover Battier until the playoffs, kind of like last year but this time at least with a championship in tow and the knowledge he can turn it around. He's said he's not comfortable playing a full season starting at PF, though he'd really be switching off with LeBron. I still see them preferring to put a more true PF out there to start off in Haslem (especially if remembers how to shoot) or Lewis (same, sorta.)



> Originally Posted by *ATLien*
> _We are all Lakers fans now. Anybody, but Miami._


OK...so we're still the hated ones I guess.


----------



## R-Star

Yep. You guys still don't have a traditional starting 4. And I don't see them wanting to throw Lebron through the wear and tear of playing PF all season.

To a normal team it would be a glaring hole. But obviously the Heat aren't a normal team and it doesn't really put them in a tight spot.


----------



## ATLien

Jace said:


> OK...so we're still the hated ones I guess.


I thought Oklahoma City was going to be up for the challenge, but it's on to the next one.

I would have preferred to have Howard in Brooklyn, though. The Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be a bore until the Heats core gets too old.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Eternal said:


> It's not like you have a good bench... Lakers possibly have a better bench then the Heat. Especially now with the Meeks signing.


I wouldn't go as far as saying that...

Lakers are big heavy, starters and "bench", or atleast, "heavier".

Miami have ridiculous depth at the wing, where Lakers are very weak and are starting a very old backcourt in Nash/Kobe/Metta


----------



## Dee-Zy

I don't think it will be hard to get to the Finals next season.

With Rose out and stealing Allen from Boston...


----------



## Jace

Boston made a net improvement, though, by adding Lee, Terry, and whomever else (healthy Wilcox, Green.) The combination of Lee and Terry, to go along with Bradley returning will cause them to forget about Ray very quickly.



ATLien said:


> I thought Oklahoma City was going to be up for the challenge, but it's on to the next one.
> 
> I would have preferred to have Howard in Brooklyn, though. The Eastern Conference playoffs are going to be a bore until the Heats core gets too old.


Why the passionate Heat hatred? Are you more of a fan of your team or an anti-fan of the Heat? I just don't understand why its so much worse for the Heat to raise a 3rd banner than the Lakers a 16th. What did the Lakers do in acquiring support for Kobe (from Pau on) that was so much more wholesome and venerable than Miami's building a team around Wade?

You can't just assume its the Heat every year no matter what. We saw a Bosh injury make things interesting in the middle two series. As I've mentioned, Boston improved and is playing with less pressure now. Chicago will be back in the mix, if not this season, then next. Even with full health, nothing's guaranteed. Strange things happen in every sport every season.


----------



## ATLien

Jace said:


> Boston made a net improvement, though, by adding Lee, Terry, and whomever else (healthy Wilcox, Green.) The combination of Lee and Terry, to go along with Bradley returning will cause them to forget about Ray very quickly.
> 
> 
> 
> Why the passionate Heat hatred? Are you more of a fan of your team or an anti-fan of the Heat? I just don't understand why its so much worse for the Heat to raise a 3rd banner than the Lakers a 16th. What did the Lakers do in acquiring support for Kobe (from Pau on) that was so much more wholesome and venerable than Miami's building a team around Wade?
> 
> You can't just assume its the Heat every year no matter what. We saw a Bosh injury make things interesting in the middle two series. As I've mentioned, Boston improved and is playing with less pressure now. Chicago will be back in the mix, if not this season, then next. Even with full health, nothing's guaranteed. Strange things happen in every sport every season.


Before the game and after the game, I don't care. I just can't watch a sports game without taking sides. FWIW, I like LeBron a lot but D-Wade brings it out in me. Not really passionate hatred tho.


----------



## Jace

> LeBron James ‏@KingJames
> 
> At dinner the other night. #grestfriends #gresttimes #greatlaughs


I wonder if Dwyane has a trainer over there helping him rehab the knee or how that works.


----------



## Jace

*RealGM
*


> While Derrick Rose recovers from his knee surgery, there is a possibility of him vastly improving his shot.
> 
> ‘‘He can only do three things,’’ said Tim Hardaway, who missed the 1993-94 season after suffering a similar injury. ‘‘He can dribble — not run and dribble, just dribble walking up and down the court; he can shoot a bunch of free throws; and he can shoot a bunch of set shots like he’s playing H-O-R-S-E every day, all day.
> 
> ‘‘But that’s going to make him better. If you shoot 1,000 jump shots a day, 1,000 free throws a day, you’re going to get better. That made my shot better. It really made my jump shot and free-throw percentage better.’’
> *
> Hardaway's niece, Mieka Reese, is Rose's longtime girlfriend.*


That's kinda wild, was not aware. I know they're both from Chicago, so its not too crazy. RECRUIT HIM TIMMY.


----------



## Jace

Black Floridians throwbacks again next year? Maybe, if Nike knows something we don't yet. LeBron's 10th signature shoe just leaked, and in a familiar colorway.










Never seen the swoosh backwards before. I like the courage, but not sure I love the execution.


----------



## Wade County

Judging by that shoe colourway, i'd say Floridians are a certainty.

Is it time we changed up our uni design do you think? We've had these ones for over a decade, and while I think they look nice - I wouldn't be against an update to something a bit different.


----------



## Eternal

Jace said:


> Please don't. Not with him.


I know. I just like responding to his posts sometimes as they are so outrageous.


----------



## Jace

I'd be surprised if we ride with these for more than 2 more seasons. Won't likely be a dramatic change, just the kind of updates teams like the Knicks, Lakers, and Trailblazers have done over their existence. As I've said before, there are a lot element of our older set I'd like to see us reincorporate (neck/sleeve borders, more detailed number/letter borders especially for the names, vertical numbers, probably thinner side panels.) You know they'll make sure to sneak it in before the big 3 can break up, which makes me think for 13-14. The league has to know a year in advance, so we'd probably be hearing about it pretty soon. However, somehow the Bobcats surprised everyone with their new ones this offseason. I don't think anyone knew they were planning to change, aside from maybe the league, but its never kept secret. Even the folks at uni-watch.com were caught off guard.

If it does wind up in a Heat/Lakers clash this coming Finals, that would be the 8th season in a row either the Heat, the Lakers, or LeBron James were represented in the Finals. **** yeah, lockout!

I say this partially in jest as the restrictiveness hasn't fully kicked in yet, but I don't think teams like LAL and NY will blink at paying ridiculous taxes to win. Letting Lin go doesn't make me think NY won't.



Eternal said:


> I know. I just like responding to his posts sometimes as they are so outrageous.


Man, I can't help it either sometimes. Wasn't sure how much you knew. :laugh:


----------



## Eternal

Dee-Zy said:


> I wouldn't go as far as saying that...
> 
> Lakers are big heavy, starters and "bench", or atleast, "heavier".
> 
> Miami have ridiculous depth at the wing, where Lakers are very weak and are starting a very old backcourt in Nash/Kobe/Metta


The Heat most likely do still have the edge in the bench department, but it's not by much... Both teams have VERY average benches at best. Which of course is the way it should be, seeing how both teams have put everything into their starting lineup.


----------



## Jace

Not entirely sure on LA's youth situation between Goudelock and the other guard (Murray?), but the Heat's bench has one or two mystery ceiling spots. Cole can very well make huge strides. After the explosive start he was lost most of the season until just before the playoffs, and again in the Finals. That experience, and Ray's presence, and his first Heat summer program will help a lot. His attacking ability gives us a much needed dimension when he's on, IMO. Chalmers rarely breaks the D down the way Cole can. Pittman I'm less optimistic about, but crazier shit's happened, I guess. All he has to do is be decent to give us something. That's been a lot to ask for the most part, though. Only other chance for a youth to step up and grab a semi-role would be if Jarvis Varnado, Mickell Gladness, or Justin Hamilton go nuts in training camp.

Beyond that, the possibilities for Lewis are too wide at this point for me call this one this early. Jamison is a similar X-factor. Hill is great relief for either Pau or Howard though. Meeks should also get better.


----------



## Jace

Holy shit. Just when you thought Jason Terry was dumb/annoying/shameful...










*




Jason Terry revealed a new tattoo that is sure to endear him to Boston Celtics fans.

Terry, who played with the Mavericks the last eight seasons before signing with Boston in July, shared a few pictures of his new tattoo via Twitter on Saturday. His new ink features the Celtics’ leprechaun logo with the championship trophy swapped in where the leprechaun would otherwise be balancing a basketball on his finger. The tattoo appears on the inner part of Terry’s left biceps, opposite the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy tattoo on his right biceps.

Terry’s original championship trophy tattoo became a source of controversy when it was revealed he got the tattoo before the 2010-2011 NBA season began. At that point he hadn’t won an NBA championship, and he promised to get it removed if the Mavericks didn’t win the title.

As fate would have it, Dallas rallied to beat Miami in the NBA Finals, making the tattoo decision look prescient. Celtics fans are hoping the new ink will result in the same outcome.

Click to expand...

*

I'm speechless. Never seen this done before. Especially for a team you haven't even played for yet at the end of your career. Alright.


Pretty awesome to see Morey take it in the chops again, after his cute pre-Decision comments. He amnestied Scola to get Dwight. Smooth.


----------



## Jace

Spo gives a hint at where next year's starting line-up stands: (Exactly what I assumed)

*



LIMITED DREAM: Spoelstra, amid the Olympics, had some fun during a media session amid his tour of the Philippines when asked to name his personal Dream Team. "I would start with a point-guard, Mario Chalmers," he said, indicating where he was headed. "This guy Dwyane Wade, let's start him, too. There's an up-and-coming fellow named LeBron James, I'll put him on. Udonis Haslem, one of my favorites, I'll put him on number four. And let's finish it with this guy named Chris Bosh. That would be my Dream Team." Of course, Spoelstra's NBA Finals "Dream Team" had Shane Battier starting in place of Haslem with that group.

Click to expand...

*

Would've been odd of him to say Lewis, which is the other possibility in my eyes. Hopefully one steps up early and grabs it.

NBATV is showing chronological "Championship Clinchers." 2006 is coming up next. After that you can watch LeBron's first Finals end.


----------



## doctordrizzay

R-Star said:


> Ray Allen isn't starting? Oh ok. Neither is Battier or Haslem?
> 
> Hmmmm..... So do the Lakers get to call one of their starters a bench player as well?


I don't know what planet you live on where you think Ray Allen is starting. And don't come in here acting like you know Miami Basketball, idiot. Fool getting cocky and acting like he know basketball. Get out of here lil Alberta punk.


----------



## King Joseus

:|


----------



## Wade County

lol @ Terry. **** I hate that guy.

And he's on the Celtics now, so my hatred will only get deeper.


----------



## Smithian

Joel Anthony > Your Bench


----------



## Wade County

What is our depth chart right now?

PG - Chalmers / Cole
SG - Wade / Allen / Miller
SF - Battier / Lewis / Jones
PF - James / Haslem
C - Bosh / Anthony / Pittman

Personally I don't think our bench is too bad. Am I biased?


----------



## Jace

Wade County said:


> What is our depth chart right now?
> 
> PG - Chalmers / Cole
> SG - Wade / Allen / Miller
> SF - Battier / Lewis / Jones
> PF - James / Haslem
> C - Bosh / Anthony / Pittman
> 
> Personally I don't think our bench is too bad. Am I biased?



I think Haslem will start off at starting PF, Lewis will back him up. Swapping UD for Battier makes our bench deeper IMO.


----------



## NBAoz

I still think the Heat need to sign Darko. Even more so now that the Lakers have got a front line of Howard and Gasol. If the Heat do meet the Lakers in the finals then Bosh would probably be defending Pau and that only leaves Anthony to guard Dwight unless they resort to Pittman...


----------



## doctordrizzay

NBAoz said:


> I still think the Heat need to sign Darko. Even more so now that the Lakers have got a front line of Howard and Gasol. If the Heat do meet the Lakers in the finals then Bosh would probably be defending Pau and that only leaves Anthony to guard Dwight unless they resort to Pittman...


Or Anthony on Pau and Bosh on Dwight would make better sense....

Darko would be really nice though. We need a 7 footer. If small ball isn't somehow working. Darko and Bosh front court would be nice.


----------



## NBAoz

doctordrizzay said:


> Or Anthony on Pau and Bosh on Dwight would make better sense....
> 
> Darko would be really nice though. We need a 7 footer. If small ball isn't somehow working. Darko and Bosh front court would be nice.


It would be indeed, however I wouldn't feel comfortable with Bosh having to guard Dwight for a majority of a game let alone an entire series. He could potentially wear down and foul out too easily, plus the Heat need him to conserve his energy for offence. Having Darko would give the Heat a legit 7 footer who's "strength" is his defence and being able to block shots. If nothing else, at least he would give the Heat 5 extra fouls at the centre position. I think Bosh, Anthony and Haslem would all be able to take turns guarding Pau too with varying degrees of success.


----------



## Jace

LeBron will guard Pau a lot, as he did in the gold medal game, and when we lost to LAL without Bosh. He somehow plays fairly effective D on him, especially for giving up 4 inches. Bosh can get by on Howard, who always hurts us more on the glass than offensively.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I cringe at the idea of Bosh guarding Howard for 30-35min a game for 4 to 7 games...


----------



## Adam

NBAoz said:


> I still think the Heat need to sign Darko. Even more so now that the Lakers have got a front line of Howard and Gasol. If the Heat do meet the Lakers in the finals then Bosh would probably be defending Pau and that only leaves Anthony to guard Dwight unless they resort to Pittman...


I don't know why it hasn't happened yet. Only explanation I can come up with is we're being cheap again. Our organization really tries to pinch pennies every once in a while. They will fire business side people, let some players go, and Micky was infamous for saying he would never pay the luxury tax. He has relented in times of contending somewhat but I think we see at times where he pulls himself back.

It would be a really bad idea to go into the season without a reliable center on the roster.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ I dunno, Last year Riley got no center cept Turiaf (Curry doesn't count) and he didn't even play in the finals. Id Like Darko though, in case Bosh is hurt again. When Bosh is out...it's very tough.


----------



## Jace

I know what you're saying with Micky, but I don't know if he wouldn't authorize the signing of one more vet min player. For just this next season, that's not a major tax hit. Younger players will have smaller contracts, but not by much.

My take is Darko and Blatche don't quite interest them enough that they're going to jump on them immediately, and would be willing to see an opponent take them off the market. They know the best vets tend to be bought out somewhere toward the end of training camp/preseason.


----------



## Jace

Man, back on the Terry tat, how awesome would it be if he gets packaged in a trade at some point this season. They'd rather move him than Lee if it came down to it. That would be endless hilarity. I don't understand how he could've been so shortsighted. 



> Tom Haberstroh ‏@tomhaberstroh
> 
> Interesting nugget: Danny Ferry says Orlando refused to trade Dwight Howard within the division, eliminating the Hawks.


For those who thought we could've traded Bosh for Howard.


----------



## -33-

Dee-Zy said:


> I cringe at the idea of Bosh guarding Howard for 30-35min a game for 4 to 7 games...


As Spo/Riley elude to all the time, don't just think about one end of the floor. They have to guard us on the other end.

If you use our Finals starting 5, Bosh can pull Dwight/Pau away from the rim. LeBron has a huge mismatch if they put Pau/Dwight on him, and Artest can't keep up with him anymore, Kobe isn't strong enough to guard Lebron. If you put Artest on Bron, Battier pulls Pau/Dwight away from the rim again. Rio would destroy Nash with his speed, and for those "Dwight erases mistakes" type people, Rio has a floater waiting for Dwight. 

I think we have more mismatches for them to guard, than they have over us.


----------



## ATLien

**** the Magic. **** Orlando. **** Mickey Mouse. Worst city in Florida I've been to after Jacksonville.


----------



## Jace

Plus, I don't understand why people feel we have to drive into shot blockers. Dwyane and LeBron are smart enough to throw up floaters or make plays for others when bigs step in to block shots. Rio has also shown a new ability to make good decisions in these situations. We may have to hit a few jumpers to keep their D true, but we have the shooters.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

High praise from Jim Boeheim for Lebron


> Boeheim also talked about some of the players on Team USA, and was especially generous with his praise of LeBron James. Cowherd asked Boeheim if James is a different player now compared to when he joined Team USA in 2005.
> 
> Here's some of what Boeheim had to say:
> 
> "Ten times better player. Some of it is maturity. He's a leader; he was a kid when we first got him. ... He's a 6-9, 260-pound point guard-forward-center. He guarded the post guys. They always say a guy can guard five positions, I've never seen that. I've heard about it. This guy can guard five guys. he can guard your center, he can guard your small forward, big forward, point guard, two guard. You put him on anybody and he can guard them."
> 
> So, just how good is James ... and how good can he be?
> 
> "I've always thought Michael Jordan was the best player that I've ever seen. I always have and and I didn't think it was close. I'm not so sure any more. And I love Michael Jordan. I'm not so sure anymore. This guy is 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, and he's getting better. He works on his game. His shooting is getting better. He's a phenomenal, phenomenal basketball player. I love this game, I love the history of this game. I know we've had great, great players through the years. He's like Magic Johnson with Michael Jordan-type skills as well."


Link


----------



## Jace

Whoa, Jimmy. LeBron has arrived in Jordan's class statistically, but I still think we need to see a little more big moment stuff to put him all the way there.

Definitely also some centers I wouldn't feel comfortable with him on, but he's no doubt the closest to a true 1-5 I've ever known of.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

More praise. This time by Coach K


> Mike Krzyzewski keeps topping his previous LeBron quote. Now he calls LeBron, "the most unique player ever, because he can play all five positions offensively and all five defensively." On ESPN Radio, he said about LeBron: "We can rave about his physical talents, but they're matched, they're definitely matched, by his leadership qualities and his brilliance. He's a really, really smart guy. Right now, he's in command of all those things.


What a difference 4 years makes when all that came out about Lebron was negative.


----------



## Jace

> Ira Winderman
> 17 minutes ago
> Well, so much for that, according to Sportando, Heat second-round pick Justin Hamilton, who holds a European passport has signed to play with Cibona Zagreb. Under such a scenario, the Heat would retain his rights and he would not count on the Heat's cap or tax.


So it goes. I like him, but didn't see him making the roster this year. We'll see if Varnado or even Gladness steps up, but I think its more and more likely the last two spots go to Terrel and a vet big.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Yeah, that's for the better. Keep his rights for another season or two since he was more than likely not gonna make the roster this season.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Ira Winderman
> 6 minutes ago
> NBA announces both Heat exhibitions in China vs. Clippers, Oct. 11 in Beijing, Oct. 14 in Shanghai, to be on NBA TV


Just two months away.


----------



## UD40

Wow. Thanks Olympics for making this off-season fly by!


----------



## Jace

Yeah that caught me off guard. I still haven't gotten to watching the championship celebration.


----------



## Wade County

When I was walking to work this morning it dawned on me again that we were NBA Champs.

**** yeah! 

Need to watch Game 5 again aka the Mike Miller show.


----------



## Jace

Saw it on NBATV the other day. Mike has forever cemented his legacy.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

#LetitFly


----------



## Jace

A year ago, we were stressing about the lockout, and the summer of Dirk.


----------



## IbizaXL

ATLien said:


> **** the Magic. **** Orlando. **** Mickey Mouse. Worst city in Florida I've been to after Jacksonville.


i mostly agree except for the Mickey Mouse part. :razz:

and wtf were you doing in Jacksonville? my goodness....


----------



## Jace

> @JohnTelich8
> 
> Source: #Cavs likely to buy out Omri Casspi from contract. Hearing this may be a mutual desire.


He'll look for more money, but it would be sweet to have him on the roster instead of a James Jones.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I'm happy with JJ. Let him retire in MIA.


----------



## Jace

I guess I'm a pragmatist.

G6 vs. Boston is on NBATV. I forgot about the Rio-Ray scuffle. :laugh:


----------



## Jace

> Josh Harrellson ‏@BigJorts55
> 
> Tired of it... Miami here I come Wednesday! Let's have a good workout


Jorts!

Well, he hustles and can shoot. Not sure how well he guards quality bigs.

He did average 11/10 per-36 last year, his rookie season. 42% though. Not sure he wouldn't be an improvement on Haslem, sad to say.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Don't know much of him but if he can consistently play like that, he is a poor man K-Love.

I like his grit though. Here or not, I will keep an eye out on him.


----------



## Jace

Oh yeah I was going to bring up a possible poor-man's Ryan Anderson comparison. Definitely nowhere near the shooter, but the combination of 3pt shooting and rebounding could be very valuable.



> Ed Downs ‏@eddowns
> 
> @mchalmers15 is truly a young athletic strong dude working out @TERFaf . I'm gonna turn him into a lethal weapon with a silencer
> 
> Ed Downs ‏@eddowns
> 
> @mchalmers15 U did good work @TERFaf ,


This is the guy who worked out the Big 3 last offseason. Rio is putting solid work in this offseason, guys.

And every tweet from LeBron seems to indicate he's somewhere new: NY, Akron...now, I believe, China. Kinda crazy considering he'll be back there very soon. I guess dude just can't rest.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I think he rebounds better than Anderson (could be wrong though) and he seems more scrappy too.


----------



## Jace

Good call:

Anderson - 8.6 per36, 13.8% rebound rate (last season, but almost identical to career numbers)

Harrellson - 9.6 / 15.4%

As a reference, UD was 10.6 per36 at 15.7% last year.


And its true LeBron is in Beijing. Dude should just stay there until camp starts. That flight is brutal.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

2 spots left open right? Wouldnt mind Harrellson fighting for one of those spots. He's a big body with an OK outside game. At this point, there's not much left.


----------



## Jace

Yup and there's at least some upside there. He's got some Heat characteristics that we could further mold.

His slowness might hurt his chances though.


----------



## Jace

Derrick Favors is saying he wants more PT this season...

My Al Jefferson pipedream is slowly formulating.


----------



## Jace

Fashion time!

A small glimpse of the monochromes right here:










So far I like the blacks better. These should be red/yellow, or maybe even yellow/white(or red) to bust our yellow jersey cherry. Oh well.

Also, while I can't confirm this, someone on the RealGM boards claimed they read somewhere else we'll be changing HEAT to MIAMI on the blacks. Reminded me of two games in 2007 for the first year (I believe) of Latina Noche. If you recall we wore these jerseys with the white strip on the side panels replaced by a stream of Latin American flags. I happened to be at both games.


























I kind of like it, even though it goes against our history. They should switch the reds to HEAT. I think it would look better there.

And while we're talking unis, NY is making a change (their last set was introduced two years after ours):


































Heat are on the clock.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Knicks' are nice.


----------



## Jace

Bigger look at the Winter Court monochromes.


















Some are really cool. Ours suck. A lot of them seem like a waste of time. I'm indifferent to this.

I like the gray ones and the Blazers a lot. Damn, forget yellow. Ours should be red/gray.

Between these and the throwbacks, I'd imagine there won't be a big game all season where we wear normal unis.


----------



## Wade County

Im fairly indifferent to the monochromes. A few like you mentioned will look good, but ours looks pretty shit.

I like the jersey update NYK has done, looks smooth.

I would like either a few subtle upgrades on our existing look, or a complete overhaul of the jersey design. I'm up for whatever.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I'm with you there, I've been saying minor updates, but a total overhaul would be cool too...if done right.

I also think NY made a huge improvement. Black elements on non-black color scheme teams is so 90's. I'm a fan of the silver, as well, even though that might just be a 2010's fad. Not sure how much I like the sleeve borders being incomplete, though.

Wait a minute, am I correct that NY went that entire last set with only one playoff win? I'm ashamed its against us.


----------



## Jace

Confirmed that the source on the road black change to MIAMI is an Adidas Fall catalog. Apparently it also says the other two will remain the same. It seems they soon-to-be-obsolete blacks have been 30% off all summer, and this is why. Strange to think it's going to be odd seeing HEAT on black jerseys eventually. Or this can be a transition thing, in anticipation of an updated set saying MIAMI on the main road jerseys, like most teams (city name on main roads, team name on alts).


----------



## Jace

*Ira: Harrellson, Andersen emerge as Heat options in middle
*


> With a 2012-13 roster otherwise mostly completed, the Miami Heat continue to deal with their remaining sizeable issue.
> 
> Free-agent center Josh Harrellson, traded by the New York Knick to the Houston Rockets earlier this summer and since released, confirmed on his Twitter account a workout with the Heat at AmericanAirlines Arena.
> 
> According to a source familiar with the situation, Harrellson is one of several big men the Heat have recently workout out.
> 
> Currently, Joel Anthony and Dexter Pittman are the only centers under contact to the Heat, although the Heat are expected to open the season with power forward Chris Bosh as their starting center, possibly with power forward Udonis Haslem as his primary backup at the position, continuing the small-ball approach the team utilized on the way to the 2012 NBA championship.
> 
> The Heat also have attracted the interest of free-agent center Chris Andersen, who recently bypassed a lucrative European offer and is believed to be amenable to a Heat offer at the NBA minimum salary, which is all the Heat, operating above the NBA salary cap, have available. Andersen was released earlier this summer by the Denver Nuggets under the league's amnesty provision that eases a team's luxury-tax liability.
> 
> On his verified Twitter account, Harrellson first posted "Miami here I come Wednesday! Let's have a good workout" followed by "Miami!!! Ready to impress!"
> 
> At 6 feet 10, 275 pounds, Harrellson would become the second-heaviest player on the Heat roster to Pittman. Currently, small forward LeBron James holds that distinction.
> 
> Harrellson, whose workout with the Heat was reported by ESPN, averaged 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds in an average of 14.6 minutes last season as a rookie with the Knicks, shooting 20 of 59 on 3-pointers.
> 
> Other remaining free-agent candidates who could meet the Heat's apparent need for size in the middle include Darko Milicic and Andray Blatche.
> 
> Blatche, an amnesty cut by the Washington Wizards, said in a recent story in the Syracuse Post-Standard, "My dream destination right now would be back on the court. For real. Just to get back on the court. It's something I love to do. It doesn't matter if it's the Heat or the Spurs or the D-League. Whatever. As long as I’m back on the court playing ball."
> 
> The Heat also could fill out their power rotation with players already working with the team. Veteran power forward Juwan Howard was the first Heat player to return to workouts at AmericanAirlines Arena in the wake of the team's championship. Center Mickell Gladness, who began last season with the Heat before closing the season with the Golden State Warriors, played for the Heat's summer-league team in July and recently joined Heat guard Norris Cole and Heat free-agent prospects Terrel Harris and Jarvis Varnado at the NBA's rookie transition program, a mandatory program for NBA newcomers that was not held last summer because of the lockout.
> 
> The Heat currently have 13 players under guaranteed contract for the coming season: James, Dwyane Wade, Bosh, Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Haslem, Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Mike Miller, Anthony, James Jones, Cole and Dexter Pittman. Teams can carry a maximum of 20 players during the offseason and training camp, 15 during the regular season.
> 
> Heat President Pat Riley recently said he is hopeful of having a full training-camp roster in place by the end of Labor Day weekend, with training camp opening the last week of September.


RETIRE ALREADY JUWAN. ****.

Also, Spo recently said in a radio interview that half the team has already been back on the practice court regularly. Gotta assume Mario is dropping in considering he's working out with Ed Downs down the street.

Funny that NoNo has to go through a rookie symposium AFTER winning an NBA championship. Oh, the lockout.

Amazing if it weren't for Pitt's fatass LeBron would be our heaviest player. The same guy who guarded Rose, in Derrick's words, "easily."


----------



## Jace

And, think LA getting Dwight hasn't caused Joel to turn up his offseason game? Expect better post D from the Warden with this new training regimen.


----------



## Wade County

:joel: SO MUCH SWAG.

I find those pictures ****ing hilarious :laugh:


----------



## Dee-Zy

Hahahaha ha, they are literally putting their back into "it".


----------



## Jace

Love that the girl on the right required him to lift up the shades.

Can't decide which shot is more hilarious though. Both infinitely money.


----------



## Adam

Found more pics from the source:



















Um...I guess I'm spoiled coming from Brasil and having Carnival but damn...Barbados you don't look so good. You see that woman cut off in the first pic? Bleh.


----------



## Jace

Yeah I definitely do not approve of the selection. No idea why you'd vacation there when you live in Miami. I guess he was tired of the MVP chants everywhere he went.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Holy shit those are hilarious :laugh: 

He has the same face in every picture :laugh:


----------



## Smithian

Jace said:


> And, think LA getting Dwight hasn't caused Joel to turn up his offseason game? Expect better post D from the Warden with this new training regimen.





Adam said:


> Found more pics from the source:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Um...I guess I'm spoiled coming from Brasil and having Carnival but damn...Barbados you don't look so good. You see that woman cut off in the first pic? Bleh.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Mike was cleared to get back on the court


> Mike Miller ‏@m33m
> Gr8week being back in the gym FINALLY Way 2long of a layoff slowlybutsurely feelN better Feels good getting ready 4 another year #LETITFLY


----------



## Jace

It seems he beat Dwyane and Ray Ray. Good to see he's locked in and ready for some activity.


----------



## Jace

*



Chris Bosh does not have to look far to be reminded of the magical sensation of winning the NBA championship with the Miami Heat in June. Thanks to Oprah.

One of the best things about the team's post-championship talk-show hoopla is that it introduced a nation familiar only with the media-created villains to the real LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And to see them — especially in their cozy sit-down with Oprah — was to love them.

This was especially true of Bosh, the Heatles' so-called third wheel. Instead of being seen merely as a taciturn George Harrison, Bosh was revealed to be what he is: warm and witty, thoughtful and articulate.

So when Bosh asked Oprah if he could have four giant photographs she had hung as a backdrop for the interview — they depict the tearful embrace of teammates as the confetti fell on the new NBA champions — she was quick to comply.

“They are hanging in my mancave right now,” says Bosh, his voice still betraying a bit of astonishment. “I get a good feeling every time I look at them. They are emotional pictures… They make me remember that it's all about the journey, not about one night.”

LOOKING FORWARD

Bosh describes himself as “a work in progress,” and says that while he's just 28, he's entering his 10th season in the NBA since leaving Georgia Tech after his freshman year. So the Dallas native has started looking for satisfaction beyond basketball.

This week he was “shocked and honored” to be one of 15 past and present NBA stars invited to take part in a fundraiser for President Obama in New York City. And on Sunday, he'll be at The Frieze, the iconic “mom-and-pop” ice cream shop on Miami Beach, hosting a fundraiser for his community outreach group, Team Tomorrow. Bosh will get behind the counter to scoop free servings of a secret namesake flavor from 4 to 5 p.m.

Team Tomorrow is a nonprofit created about 18 months ago by Bosh, wife Adrienne and others “to work for the benefit of youth and families in the community, mainly less privileged families.” Efforts range from literacy and education to Thanksgiving food drives, he says.

While citing the charity work of teammates LeBron James, Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller, Bosh says he also has taken cues from former Heat star Alonzo Mourning, a tireless advocate for education and charity work through programs such as the Overtown Youth Center and Zo's Summer Groove.

“Me and Zo talk every now and then,” Bosh says. “He's the king [of community involvement], and you can tell how important it is just looking at what he does. I think he's got a lot more up his sleeve than he gives away.”

Bosh says he doesn't have any role models — “You make your own path, but you take pieces from different people you admire” — but he does look up to Mourning, Heat president Pat Riley and President Obama, whom he first met at an event hosted by Mourning.

“He's intelligent. You hear him speak and you know why he's president,” Bosh says. Acknowledging that politics is a delicate subject, he says you can put him down as a millionaire willing to pay more taxes.

“Death and taxes, it's part of life. I'm not a stickler who needs to hold onto a couple more percentage points, as long as it's going for a good cause, one that benefits society,” he says.

READING DWYANE WADE

An avid reader, Bosh just finished Malcolm Gladwell's 2005 best-seller on cognition and intuitive thinking, “Blink,” and a few days ago he started his advance copy of teammate Dwyane Wade's book, “A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball” ($26.99, Wm. Morrow).

“I cracked it open right away. It's very good. It's really a lot about his life, about him as a kid, and then what he's gone through for his own kids,” Bosh says.

Wade is scheduled to sign copies of “A Father First” on Sept. 7 at Books & Books at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale and Sept. 9 at the shop in Coral Gables.

Wade's book has a special resonance for Bosh, father of 3-month-old Jackson and daughter Trinity, 3. Bosh's daughter lives in Orlando with her mother, with whom Bosh had a well-publicized disagreement over visitation and finances.

Bosh says he sees his daughter “all the time,” and that he and Trinity's mother are working through their differences.

“You know, it is what it is. Everyone struggles, and eventually you figure it out,” he says. “It's all about Trinity.”

THE HEAT WILL BE BETTER

Bosh says that other than a few text messages, he and LeBron James haven't communicated much since they hooked up once during the Olympic Games in London. Bosh says James showed him his schedule, and it was scary.

“I told him, ‘OK, I'll just see you at training camp,'” Bosh says.

Would Bosh, injured for the London Olympics, consider playing for the United States in the 2016 Brazil Games?

“It's so hard to think about things like that, because so much can happen,” Bosh says. “We want to have more kids. And a lot depends on my health.”

Bosh matter-of-factly predicts the next Heat squad, enriched with new shooting guard Ray Allen, will have a higher winning percentage than the 2012 champions. He says he's been working on his back-to-the-basket post moves this summer to help the cause.

“We look at [last season's title] as the beginning of something,” he says. “We've been on the mountaintop. We just need to stay humble and hungry.”

Click to expand...


*
Nice piece on Bosh. Good to hear he's working on his post game and not trying to re-invent himself into Muppet Okur after becoming a 3-point weapon for us after the ab strain.

Love that he took those huge pictures from the Oprah interview and hung them up at home.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

^Pretty funny to asked for them 

Lebron back from China


> LeBron James ‏@KingJames
> Man feels good to be back in the states! Only bad thing is I'm gone be up like its 4:30pm. #itsthrough for me!!


Hopefully he's done travelling and can rest up now.


----------



## Jace

*



REALLY?: Remember when the Dallas Mavericks crumbled after going up 2-0 against the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, losing the final four games under Avery Johnson? Apparently it was due to the Mavericks allowing their team psychologist to depart. Really. "I think if I hadn't done that we win a championship with Avery," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said this past week on ESPN Radio in Dallas. "Not having Doc there, hurt us."

Click to expand...

*

:laugh:



> *NUMBER*
> 
> *9.* Entrances to Akron that will now proclaim it as the hometown of LeBron James, blue-and-white designations announced this past week by Mayor Don Plusquellic, who called the Heat forward the "greatest Akronite."


I know Akron never hated him, but still funny considering many said he'd never be able to go back home after leaving Cleveland.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> I know Akron never hated him, but still funny considering many said he'd never be able to go back home after leaving Cleveland.


If someone as good as Lebron was from L.A. got drafted to Sacramento and did the same shit with Sacramento that lebron did with cleveland...Nobody else in cali would give a shit, especially people in L.A. Cleveland was just somewhere close to his home.


----------



## Jace

And he made a good point right after signing here that was probably poorly timed and taken the wrong way, which was that growing up Akron and Cleveland had a bit of a rivalry. He talked about how the Clevelanders would look down on the Akronites and there was resentment both ways, at least among the high school kids and what not.


----------



## Jace

This Winter Court stuff is starting to confuse me. No way all these get worn, is there?










I think the black/red and white/red ones have potential. But having a red/white and a red/black one seems superfluous. Some teams have five.

Maybe this was for teams to choose which ones they wanted?


----------



## Wade County

I think we need those Joel dry humping pics to be made into :joel: these things.

Maximum swag.


----------



## 29380




----------



## Wade County

Hahaha nice. Just need a full body bump n grind one now for when shit really goes down.


----------



## Jace

Joel makes for the swaggiest smileys.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Knicks4life said:


>


This definitely should be used the one or two times a game he ****s up a layup.


----------



## Jace

If he shot Andrew Bynum threes, it would also be applicable in those situations. Too bad.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Not the best PG in the league but thought it was funny


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Sean Williams waived by Rockets. Another big who the Heat might look at.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Dwyane Wade ‏@DwyaneWade
> Whew..first day on the court since my surgery..oh and that look on my face was b4 the workout started..haa


----------



## Jace

I did a dance when I read that tweet. Great stuff. I wonder if Allen is back yet. Miller just announced he is.

We need Ray to start tutoring Dwyane on how to shoot like a pro.

Williams would definitely be intriguing. He gave Dallas some good minutes last year, but his uber-journeyman status worries me.


----------



## Jace

*



Curry's goal is to get recognized soon as one of the top point guards in the NBA, and he's hopeful a healthy season will enable him to do that.

"It's the toughest position on a night-to-night basis," he said. "You have Russell Westbrook, Mario Chalmers, Steve Nash, Chris Paul, Tony Parker -- I can go on and on. You've got to be on your game every night or you'll get exposed. You can have fun with it that way, too. When you know you're playing well, you're really doing something. You're playing obviously with 30 of the best point guards in the world. You've got to be on your game."

Click to expand...


*
:lol:

Rio's "I'm one of the best PGs in the league" syndrome has spread all the way to California!

Rondo, Rose, Williams? Next tier down.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

^Rondo with a better J. Remember that? 

Mario must be a personal friend. Only reason I can think to mention him in that company :laugh:


----------



## UD40

Rio is good...but yikes...he isn't in *that* company!


----------



## UD40




----------



## UD40

> Williams' salary for the 12-13 season would have become fully guaranteed had he not been waived before Aug. 30th.
> 
> The Miami Heat have expressed interest in Williams in the past and remain interested in signing a big.


Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...Williams_Heat_May_Be_Interested#ixzz24waYAVWh

Ok, Riles...just sign one of these guys! First Dorsey, then Darko, then Harrleson now Williams...let's just take one!


----------



## doctordrizzay

Like how Curry mentioned Chalmer's second, before Nash CP3 and Parker. That's pretty funny.


----------



## -33-

Jace said:


> *
> *
> :lol:
> 
> Rio's "I'm one of the best PGs in the league" syndrome has spread all the way to California!
> 
> Rondo, Rose, Williams? Next tier down.


Mario Chalmers: “[Rondo's] not the best, but he’s in the top five. There are a lot of great point guards in the league, Deron Williams, Chris Paul and Steve Nash. There are a lot of great guards in the NBA so for him to say he’s the best is a pretty bold statement. I’d say that I am in the front end of the top 10. [By the end of my career] if I’m not the best, than at least one of the best.”

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2012/08/mario-chalmers-says-hes-a-top-10-nba-point-guard/


----------



## Wade County

I do not understand how there is any way possible Rio could really believe that. Seriously Mario...wtf bro?

Paul
Rose
Williams
Nash
Rondo
Westbrook
Parker
Irving
Curry
Jennings
Lowry
Dragic
Lawson
Rubio
Billups
Holiday
Conley
Kidd
Wall
Jack
Nelson
Teague
Lin
Chalmers
Knight
Sessions
Augustine
Thomas
Felton
Harris

I feel pretty confident in saying Mario will never, ever, ever be in the top 10-15 at his position. Ever.

Rio is in the Nelson/Teague/Augustine/Sessions category. Oh and that list is not ranked, just the names that came to me.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Maybe he means in terms of confidence? If so, he's near the top for sure


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick
> Thirty days to Heat training camp.


:yesyesyes:


----------



## -33-

I'd much rather have a guy like Rio, who truly believes he's a elite PG, than a guy like Mashburn, who was never assertive and had much more talent than Rio ever will.

The kid works hard, he's stepped his game up a ton since LeBron came to town, and he's grown up only in our system. Can't hate on him for having a ton of confidence in himself.


----------



## -33-

I'd much rather have a guy like Rio, who truly believes he's a elite PG, than a guy like Mashburn, who was never assertive and had much more talent than Rio ever will.

The kid works hard, he's stepped his game up a ton since LeBron came to town, and he's grown up only in our system. Can't hate on him for having a ton of confidence in himself.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Top 10 PG at some point in his career? That could happen. Would be his ceiling IMO though. 

A lot of people in that list after 7-8 people I'm not sure I agree with. 

Kidd and billups at this stage of their career, not so sure they are better than rip.


----------



## Jace

He's better than Kidd, not as good as Billups.

SD, I agree I love his confidence and wouldn't have it any other way. We all know its not the point of thinking he should run the show over any one of our stars. I just love poking fun at it because it often sounds ridiculous, particularly out of whatever context may've made it sound more sane.

If he absolutely maximized his ability and completely cut out Wario-ball, top-15 could be in reach at some point playing a very efficient, albeit somewhat limited role next to LeBron.










No question that this is the big 3 in the Chalmers household.



Wade2Bosh said:


> ^Rondo with a better J. Remember that?
> 
> Mario must be a personal friend. Only reason I can think to mention him in that company :laugh:


I think there might be a North Carolina connection. I know the Curry family is stationed out of there, and I believe Rio played some AAU there when visiting the mainland from Alaska.



doctordrizzay said:


> Like how Curry mentioned Chalmer's second, before Nash CP3 and Parker. That's pretty funny.


Yeah, but notice what the first two have in common? Its typical Finals-mathup-hype. Generally people start with the two teams who played in the Finals when thinking about the best players at any particular position, even if that results in the first two names you rattle off being Westbrook and Chalmers.



Wade County said:


> I do not understand how there is any way possible Rio could really believe that. Seriously Mario...wtf bro?
> 
> Paul
> Rose
> Williams
> Nash
> Rondo
> Westbrook
> Parker
> Irving
> Curry
> Jennings
> Lowry
> Dragic
> Lawson
> Rubio
> Billups
> Holiday
> Conley
> Kidd
> Wall
> Jack
> Nelson
> Teague
> Lin
> Chalmers
> Knight
> Sessions
> Augustine
> Thomas
> Felton
> Harris
> 
> I feel pretty confident in saying Mario will never, ever, ever be in the top 10-15 at his position. Ever.
> 
> Rio is in the Nelson/Teague/Augustine/Sessions category. Oh and that list is not ranked, just the names that came to me.


Let's not forget, Nelson made an ASG. That's never happening for Rio. I'll take Rio over Nelson for this team, though. Teague is probably better as well, while Augustin and Sessions are right there.

Didn't see the rest of the quote where he said if he's not the best at the end of his career he'll be one of the best.



*EVEN MAH MOMMA THINKS THAT MY MIND IS GONE*


----------



## Jace

For anyone wondering how far along Ray's recovery is, I haven't seen any recent updates, but it was brought to my attention that it was on the Aug. 11th he said he was "75-80%". Been almost 3 weeks. I'd imagine he's back on the court.

*



The Nets are looking to add a veteran center to their roster, and to that end the team worked out free agents Eddy Curry and Hilton Armstrong on Wednesday.

Curry signed with the Heat before last season, but played just 14 games, averaging 2.1 points.

Armstrong, a former lottery pick, played in France last season.

Click to expand...

*

:laugh:

Apparently the Nets didn't call our head scout Smithian about Curry.


----------



## UD40

Rio isn't in that class. If he continues how he played in the ECF & Finals he could make an argument of being in the top 10. After Rose, CP3, DWill, Rondo, Nash & Parker there's a dropoff.


----------



## Jace

Haha, remember this? I wonder if they settled the score in Boston.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

:laugh: Love the running through to tunnel to keep fighting

Damn, something else from that video is the old ESPN news scroll. So simple and easy to understand.


----------



## Dee-Zy

What happened? Why was the beef so intense?


----------



## Jace

> @chrisbosh
> 
> Another great day at the office...














> @DwyaneWade
> 
> Both on the road but found time to workout together. Good workout with my bro @chrisbosh


And this is a week old, but apparently Dwyane watches film on his game in his down time, which I assume is provided by the Heat coaching staff for things to work on. Who knows if this is a legit routine or him trying to look good for the Twitter crowd...












> @DwyaneWade
> 
> Getting a cut b4 my wades world dinner tonite and watching film..


EDIT: Maybe this isn't provided by the coaching staff. I would think there film wouldn't be via ESPN/FSN telecasts.


----------



## Dee-Zy

They might be clippin from live broadcasts.


----------



## Drizzy

@BigJorts55 (Josh Harrellson)



> Kentucky it's been fun! Glad I got to see everyone! Now heading to Miami for hopefully the next 9 months


----------



## Jace

> Ira Winderman
> 
> Re:Josh Harrellson, Heat apparently holding a "pre-camp" next two weeks for players to earn invites to camp...
> 
> Harrellson appears to be in that mix of players who will work their way through AmericanAirlines Arena in advance of Sept. 29 start of camp.


Not even a non-guaranteed contract yet.


----------



## Jace

> Mike Miller ‏@m33m
> 
> I can't believe it's going to be time to #LETITFLY in 3 weeks already... Excited to get back on the grind!!!


Love it. I think we should only play Mike once a week until the playoffs.

Just remembered Mike waving off Spo trying to replace him with NoNo in G6. I'm sure the players hate that about Erik. Always sitting hot hands. What I loved even more was Dan Le Batard saying the next day that when asked about that moment, Mike said, "Could you believe I did that?! I don't know what I was thinking! I just wanted to keep playing!" Especially with that bad back and everything else, you sit him and god knows if fluids will still be fluid and solids still solid when he's to be summoned again.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Jace said:


> Not even a non-guaranteed contract yet.


Is that the Kevin Love light dude who played for the Knicks?

Too lazy to look it up...


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> Love it. I think we should only play Mike once a week until the playoffs.
> 
> Just remembered Mike waving off Spo trying to replace him with NoNo in G6. I'm sure the players hate that about Erik. Always sitting hot hands. What I loved even more was Dan Le Batard saying the next day that when asked about that moment, Mike said, "Could you believe I did that?! I don't know what I was thinking! I just wanted to keep playing!" Especially with that bad back and everything else, you sit him and god knows if fluids will still be fluid and solids still solid when he's to be summoned again.


The finals never went to game six


----------



## Drizzy

Dee-Zy said:


> Is that the Kevin Love light dude who played for the Knicks?
> 
> Too lazy to look it up...


Yep.


----------



## Jace

doctordrizzay said:


> The finals never went to game six


You know what I meant. Unbelievable you quoted that entire post to make that benign correction.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> You know what I meant. Unbelievable you quoted that entire post to make that benign correction.


Well to quote the whole thing is just 1 click away. narrowing out your mistake would take extra work. Not as unbelievable as you think.


----------



## Smithian

I'm still obsessed with the Joel Anthony pictures


----------



## Jace

doctordrizzay said:


> Well to quote the whole thing is just 1 click away. narrowing out your mistake would take extra work. Not as unbelievable as you think.


Was more talking about the added scrolling caused by repeating a large post. And now we're just making it worse.


----------



## King Joseus

:sarcasm:


----------



## Jace

:bluesbros:


----------



## BlueBaron

Does Harrellson stand a chance with the Heat?


----------



## Jace

Depends. If no outside vet big is brought in (Blatche, Darko, Birdman, training camp cuts, etc.), and one of Jarvis Varnado or Mickell Gladness don't outplay him these next two weeks, he has a solid chance.

His skillset is enticing for this team. He'd be our 2nd heaviest player, between LeBron and Pittman, and our second best rebounder behind Udonis. On top of that he adds that ever-intriguing element of spreading the floor. His jump shot is a relatively small sample size, but its interesting and encouraging that he barely took any jump shots in college and suddenly was draining threes in the pros.

Apparently he impressed the coaches with his shooting in workouts, so he's got a leg up already. And rebounding is still a pressing issue for this team. We've been abused on the boards at times, and don't know which Chris Bosh will show up on there.


----------



## Wade County

He has 3 intruiging attributes this team needs: size, bulk and shooting touch. You could do worse in a 12th man.


----------



## BlueBaron

He played for 3 years at UK almost getting kicked off of the team once. In his 4th year he made the single biggest improvement I've ever seen of any UK player in the 30 years I've been a UK fan. I think he has great potential to be a solid contributor.


----------



## Jace

Good to hear. I know I heard Cousins leaving and Kanter not being able to play helped him get some time almost by default. I heard some good things about him before his rookie season, and even heard people suggest the Heat look at him in the draft. Now out of nowhere he can shoot, which makes it make all the more sense.










Wild that we have another media day coming down the pike in 3.5 weeks. This offseason feels crazy short compared to the lockout extended one.


----------



## Wade County

^ Yep, was thinking opening night is only like 6-7 weeks away. Crazy quick.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Some interviews. Wade is making the rounds promoting his new book.

Here's a clip of his "The View" appearance






D-Wade on a Houston radio show. Nothing new here.

Spo was on with Jorge Sedano today. 

Sedano is back on radio now on WQAM, and also on afternoons. So much better than Sileo.

Spo said he hopes to play faster this upcoming season. Also says its been fun creating plays for a catch and shoot player, which they havent had.


----------



## Wade County

^ Well, haven't had other than Mike Miller. But he has been pretty much a corpse the past 2 years - other than Zombie Miller in game 5!

<333 Will always love MM purely because of that game.


----------



## Jace

He actually said "HOF catch and shoot player." Miller's release isn't quick enough, and he doesn't hit the huge shots. But yeah, Mike has earned himself one of those UD, auto-PT spots with that game. If he can play, he will.

Dwyane Wade about to come on Letterman.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Also think he meant an on the move catch and shoot player.


----------



## Jace

Yup. They try running Miller and Jones off screens, but they rarely connect, if they even get open and a look.

Dwyane's looking pretty light from what I can tell. Definitely in much better physical condition to bounce back from this surgery than the last.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Dwyane "Reed" on Letterman


----------



## Jace

I'd never heard of it until last night. I guess its a northern thing.


----------



## Jace

> mario chalmers ‏@mchalmers15
> 
> Hittin the gym when I land to. 1st strength and conditioning wit @ProTerf then a light court work at the arena. Wake up tom and do it again.


Flying in from DC. I was worried he'd get complacent this summer after playing big in the post-season. Oh contraire. I think R-Star would agree its looking like Rio is finally going to be Rondo with a jump shot this upcoming season.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> Flying in from DC. I was worried he'd get complacent this summer after playing big in the post-season. Oh contraire. I think R-Star would agree its looking like Rio is finally going to be Rondo with a jump shot this upcoming season.


As Wade ages I think the heat are going to look for more production from Chalmers


----------



## Jace

I agree. Chalmers having his best games last year with Wade out (Atlanta) or Monstar'd (Indiana G3) seems to be foreshadowing the dynamics of the team a few years from now.



BlueBaron said:


> He played for 3 years at UK almost getting kicked off of the team once. In his 4th year he made the single biggest improvement I've ever seen of any UK player in the 30 years I've been a UK fan. I think he has great potential to be a solid contributor.


Forgot to ask...why'd he almost get kicked off?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

He seems to come from the Ochocinco/Logan Morrison school of tweeting. Not much off limits, including criticizing his college coach on there. Maybe he's changed though.

Josh Harrellson banned from Twitter for criticizing John Calipari


----------



## BlueBaron

Wade2Bosh said:


> He seems to come from the Ochocinco/Logan Morrison school of tweeting. Not much off limits, including criticizing his college coach on there. Maybe he's changed though.
> 
> Josh Harrellson banned from Twitter for criticizing John Calipari


Yeah, Cal was ready to send him packing after that.


----------



## Jace

Oh, OK. Twitter. Hah.

I wonder if this look has anything to do with LeBron. He's very close to the Kentucky staff, and it wouldn't be out of the question for him to have put in a request to take a look at some Jorts.

While we're on Knick-related issues, I'm backing off my approval of the new jerseys. The arm trim is deplorable, and I like the old wordmark better.


----------



## Smithian

Josh Harrellson will not make this team's roster for the regular season.


----------



## Adam

Smithian said:


> Josh Harrellson will not make this team's roster for the regular season.


I like this new Smithian that doesn't give a **** about longshots to make our roster.


----------



## Jace

P-Bev took the wind out of his sails.

Speaking of guys we shouldn't give a **** about, Andray Blatche sorta, apparently agreed to sign with BRK, in principle, but all of a sudden:
*




But according to two sources close to Blatche, the 6-foot-11 forward has yet to make a decision and is also considering an offer from the Miami Heat. One person close to Blatche said, “Nothing is finalized.”

Click to expand...

*

Call me a teamf**ker, but I'm down with whomever they decide on, as they clearly know more than us. Blatche is no doubt intriguing, so if they believe it can work out...










Random thought: can't remember the last time I typed the words 'Shattier' or 'Bane,' and I hope I never will again.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I wonder if it was a late offer? I'd take the chance on him. 


> Heat continue to run players through pre-draft tryouts, with ex-Hornets, UConn guard Jerome Dyson said to be latest
> to work in front of team. Dyson appeared in nine NBA games last season, 44 in the D-League.


EDIT: Looks like he will sign with Brooklyn 


> Coach John Lucas ‏@CoachJohnLucas1
> Congrats to @drayblatche for signing with the @brooklynnets!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wade leaving Jordan Brand for Chinese company Li-Ning, according to sneakerwatch.com


> Breaking news in the shoe world today as SneakerWatch has received confirmation that Dwyane Wade will no longer be repping Jordan Brand. Instead Wade has made his way to Chinese brand Li-Ning in a speculated multi-million dollar deal. No official words from either side yet but expect an announcement some time in the next few days.
> 
> The move comes after 3 years with Jordan where Wade served as the temporary face of the signature Air Jordan line and which led to the development of two signature Fly Wade shoes. As Li-Ning continues its strides to make its presence felt in the NBA expect more big name athletes to follow along. For now look forward to the first Dwyane Wade x Li-Ning release and expect Jordan Brand to possibly add another hooper to their roster.


Link


----------



## Jace

Beat me. Loved Dwyane on Jordan, and know he loved it too. I'm guessing Li-Ning just swooped in with an offer he couldn't turn down. I know Jordan Brand has been declining in the eyes of the shoeheads, so its also possible he was disappointed with the way things turned out.

Between Li-Ning and PEAK, China is taking over the shoe business in the NBA. I don't really like PEAK, but Li-Ning has some nice ones out there. I'm guessing he'll get some crazy shit since they'll be touting him as their premier athlete in the NBA. He's the first superstar I can think of who has gone from Nike/Adidas/Reebok to a new brand. Biggest I can think of right now is Garnett on Li-Ning. Could be forgetting someone.


----------



## Jace

Here we go:

*



This is a tricky situation. When DWade switched from Converse to Jordan Brand during the summer of 2009 – an inter-brand move under the Nike, Inc. umbrella that had all kinds of top-level exec input – the initial campaign for Wade that the since-'98 subsidiary ran with was centered around a “W3LCOM3 HOM3” theme. 

It seemed like a perfect match. A brand built on legacy-defining performance and design that was struggling with an aging roster of endorsers and no clear vision for its game shoe sort of lucked into snagging one of the League's top two guards just three years removed from a heroic NBA Finals title. Oh, and he was from Chicago, too. As far as Dwyane was concerned, he was certainly home.

Despite literally all of the stars aligning, the endorsement deal somehow didn't end up working out for either party. Wade signed on with the understanding that he would be the lone man to lead the annual Air Jordan shoe each February, a huge undertaking and passing of the torch for a guy who grew up on the south side of Chicago and as a teen idolized MJ during the Bulls' legendary '90s run. Once Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace and others rocked the Air Jordan 2010 during Wade's very first All-Star Weekend with the brand, the plan seemed to already be in disarray and the relationship more fractured than anyone wanted to admit at the time. 

By all accounts, Wade can certainly be sensitive to work with at times and indecisive when it comes to product feedback. The brand's efforts to make up and launch his very own signature Fly Wade series for each spring's playoff run churned out two models that struggled mightily at retail. With an endorsement price tag of nearly $10 million a year and all kinds of athlete service stress to deal with in the form of custom sneaker modifications and extra attention, perhaps Jordan Brand doesn't see the value in extending Wade's deal this summer. 

As it stands, there isn't a product plan in place for DWade with his third Fly Wade shoe already scrapped for this season. After starting on such a promising note with so many complementary qualities seemingly working in both Wade and Jordan Brand's favor, it's looking like that partnership will come to an end just three years in. Ideally, the two sides could come to some kind of agreement and continue on together, with Wade competing for titles every year, conveniently wearing black, white and red and sharing so many of the on-court traits that make him such a great fit, from a performance standpoint, to carry on the Air Jordan series. Seeing Wade switch back and forth between the newest Air Jordan and upgraded Retro PE models of whatever is set to launch throughout the year, all while ditching his own signature line, could be quite a workable compromise. 

Unfortunately, I just don't think it happens. Maybe he stays with the Inc. and moves to Nike Basketball at a discounted rate, where the brand can capitalize on Miami's Big 3 with campaigns including LeBron, Wade and Bosh together as a trio. Or maybe a Chinese-based brand sitting on ample cash – like 361 Degrees, Peak or Li-Ning – throws a boatload of money his way and offers him the chance to be the face of their company and the promise that he can build his brand in China with its ridiculously expansive marketplace of basketball consumers. With Wade already topping the age of 30, he might be looking to life after basketball and the allure of growing his name throughout China, where he's also likely to hear his highest annual offer, might be tough to pass on.

There's early indications that he's been in contact with Li-Ning already and if he were to leave, that would be the likely move. It also might be enticing enough if he's looking to do “what's best for me and my family” from a dollar standpoint. It's just too bad things didn't work out with Jordan Brand, where it appeared to be a perfect match for both Wade and furthering MJ's brand into another decade.

Click to expand...

*
This was before he signed. I did find it odd we were initially told he'd be the first since Jordan to wear the annual Jordan as his exclusive shoe, yet non-signature Jordan Brand guys like Ray Allen and Joe Johnson were wearing them that first year too. Didn't see what else it would make sense for them to wear though.


----------



## Adam

That Jordan shit was doomed from day #1. Remember Jordan: "He's wearing my shoes, I'm not wearing his." He lost so much of his identity when he joined Jordan. I don't know why he even did it, I doubt it was a boost in pay (probably even made less). I also thought Jordan brand players were practically in the family for life or at least until they retired. There were guys like Rip Hamilton and Payton who were on the brand even when they were shit. I bet this parting isn't amicable.

Thank god no Blatche. I've been against that guy here forever.


----------



## Jace

I agree his identity was more distinct, at least in the early Converse days, but he grew out of them. Not sure what they paid him, but he was making 10mil/per year at Jordan. His contract ran up this summer, and they cancelled his 3rd signature for next year because the first two didn't sell well. Instead of opting to stick with them for less and abandon having a signature line, he opted to go somewhere else. I get it. Hopefully Li-Ning makes some nice looking shoes. I don't care if they decide to exclusively market him in China. Can't picture him having anymore commercials in the US.


----------



## Jace

Good stuff on what we can most optimistically hope for from Mike from Yahoo's Kelly Dwyer's Players We Want Back series.
*




For whatever reason, several of the league's more entertaining players have fallen off in recent years. Be it due to injury, confidence issues, rotation frustrations, a poor fit, or general ennui in a profession that can get tiresome, these players have disappointed of late. For the next few weeks, we're going to take a look at a list of familiar names that haven't produced familiar games over the last few years. Or, at least players that have produced games that we don't want to be in the habit of familiarizing ourselves with.

Today, we're looking at Miami Heat swingman Mike Miller.

Mike Miller, at age 32 heading into a season that will see him turn 33 midway through his team's year, is past his prime. We can hope for the finest of days and wonder if the worst is behind him, but all historical indications point out that the best isn't ahead of Mike Miller. At his age, even if he were to be coming off of a string of 82-game seasons (instead of 80 combined games in two years), that's just how this league works.

That doesn't mean Miller, who returned to the gym last week after two months of rehab in the wake of his turn on the champion Miami Heat, can't make this all work. And he can make this work, even hitting age 33 midseason, utilizing the same sort of mindset that he championed and we dismissed so easily during his prime years with Memphis, Minnesota, and Washington.

Forget the idea of Mike Miller, designated shooter. The guy can still stroke, but on a team that just added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, that sort of spacing isn't as paramount any more. Nah, forget the bombs. Please welcome, if his body is up to it, the idea of Mike Miller the point forward.

The designated passer. The skip guy. The extra dish after that up fake and drive that drove us so batty when Mike was passing up good looks from long range in Minnesota. The things that Allen and Lewis can't do. Returning from debilitating injuries to try and line up at pressurized 25-footer after sitting on the bench stiffening up for 30 minutes of real time is a tough gig for one of the greats — and Miller, that 40 percent career shooter from long range, is one of the greats. Doesn't matter. The new guys have one trick, you have two. Use the second trick to set up the other guy's one trick.

To fit in this ever-evolving Heat crew, Miller needs to pull off those warm-ups and play the old man game. Shane Battier attempts this as starter every so often, but he's not nearly as gifted or as quick a passer as Miller is. With Dwyane Wade and LeBron James helping to guard quicker opponents and Erik Spoelstra working with a deeper (if much older) rotation as the Heat attempt to defend their championship, the gravy that Mike (new nickname: "If Healthy") Miller could provide doesn't have to come in the packet form of "another potential shooter off the bench."

He could be the next guy to create shots, on a team that sometimes bogs down to obvious (if often brilliant) one on one play. All he has to do is get out of that James Jones mindset.

(After years of us asking him to take up the James Jones mindset. We've changed our, uh, mindset.)

Miller's assist rate (the amount of possessions he used up that ended in an assist) dumped down to single-digit marks in 2010-11 and last season; a shocking dip considering his work in the past. Consider that twice in his career Miller finished a season with a 22 percent assist rate, a mark that quite a few shoot-first starting point guards flirted with last year, and you can understand the drop-off. In terms of per-possession advanced stats, it's not as massive as Reggie Evans turning into a Brook Lopez-styled rebounder next season, but it is a precipitous fall.

All because he was brought in to be "the shooter." Now Ray Allen, and to a lesser extent Rashard Lewis, have been brought in to be "the shooter." As a result, Mike "If Healthy" Miller needs to come back to be "whatever the hell he wants."

And, considering his jerky tone when questioned about his over-passing in Minnesota a few years back (remember this prick move? "I take what's there. It's called basketball; James Naismith invented it a long time ago."), one would hope that Miller would take to acting as a mini-Rick Barry from the wing. Or a mini-Johnny Neumann. Not that one.

This isn't to say Miller has to think pass above all, it's just that his reputation is already intact. Half-asleep bench-mongers on the opposition won't think twice about lunging at his up-fakes from behind the three-point arc because the idea of Mike Miller as a lights out shooter can survive even a 3-32 streak from long range. Better for Miller, to his credit, is the fact that he shot a nasty 45 percent from three-point land last season (up from an NBA-average 36 percent the year before), and is coming off a 7-8 turn from behind the arc in Game 5 of the Finals last June, a performance that cinched Miami's title.

The Heat, for all their unselfish play and frustrating overpassing (at times), are still a squad filled with hungry hands that would love nothing more than to collect a lob and lay-in 12 times a night. We don't doubt that LeBron would love to lead the NBA in assists some day and that Dwyane Wade (after two titles and endless rehabs of his own) just wants to win even if he only contributes three baskets all night, but another creative touch that aides in their scoring wouldn't hurt. Scoping out a curling Allen or Lewis wouldn't hurt, either.

Miller can provide that creative touch. All he has to do is get back to the sort of play that had us bashing our heads against the wall while watching him in Minnesota and Washington a few years ago. And, while he's at it, completely recover from retirement-worthy back and wrist injuries.

If Mike doesn't feel like it? Then he'll always have that 45 percent three-point mark to fall back on. The percentage that out-paced every member of the Miami Heat save for Allen in 2011-12. Allen, to the decimal point, tied Miller at 45.3 percent.

So much gravy. Now get healthy.

Click to expand...

*

So true that Miller has wanted to play that old man, facilitator, rebounder, hustler, pump-fake-dribble-pass, occasional 3-pointer game he was up and down with at his last two stops. It frustrated the hell out of us for must of his time here. For some reason he just doesn't have the mindset to be a pure spot up shooter. Now with less pressure on him to be our go-to shooter, we can tolerate him playing that game, and it can come in handy, assuming he's ambulatory enough. Late Rick Barry is a little much, but it would be a smaller version of that kind of role. Our offense took off in the post-season upon focusing on ball movement.

Not sure I agree with Dwyer that Ray is a one-trick pony. He was a very good playmaker up until his first couple years with Boston, even playing backup PG very well when they won the chip. He can't create off the dribble like that anymore, but he can still facilitate just as well as Miller at this point.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Agreed about Ray Ray, first thing that came to mind.

As for Miller, I think that is the reason why he got more playtime than JJ. JJ is a pure shooter and nothing more. MM rebounded, created plays, as frustrating at times, I think that gave him the edge to Spo and that is why MM got more minutes. Not just the shooting, the other dimension he brought.

To be fair, for what we neede, I really believed that we needed a pure shooter out there.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Heat signs Mickell Gladness, Jarvis Varnado; Terrel Harris to re-sign*


> The Miami Heat signed centers Mickell Gladness and Jarvis Varnado on Friday, and Terrel Harris also has decided to re-sign.
> 
> Those three players will bring the Heat’s roster to 16, and appear to reduce the chances of Miami re-signing Juwan Howard or adding an older, veteran center at the league minimum.
> 
> Gladness played eight games for the Heat last season before being released, then appeared in 18 games for Golden State, finishing with averages of 2.2 points and 2.2 rebounds in 9.7 minutes. Varnado, selected 41st by the Heat in the 2010 draft, spent the past two seasons in Europe. Both signed non-guaranteed contracts.
> 
> Harris averaged 3.6 points in 22 games for the Heat last season. All three players played on the Heat’s summer league team.
> 
> The Heat has 13 guaranteed contracts and is expected to use the final two roster spots on a center (Gladness, Varnado or a player not yet under contract) and the other on a wing player (Harris or a player not under contract).
> 
> The Heat on Friday completed week-long auditions with center Josh Harrellson, who averaged 4.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 37 games for the Knicks last season, and shooting guard Jerome Dyson, who averaged 7.4 points in nine games for the New Orleans Hornets last season.


Pretty much expected. I'm sure Dozier signing isnt far behind.


----------



## Jace

Better sign Dozier. He looked woooorlds better than Jarvis in Summer League. I don't care what position he plays. Positionless-ball affords you the opportunity to just bring in the BPA.

As reluctant as I am to embrace Gladness, he has actually looked better than Pitt at times. No surprise he'll be along for the ride to battle for spot 15. 

I disagree that this may reduce the chances of re-signing a vet big. Still only 13 guaranteed deals. We all knew this was coming the whole time.


----------



## Jace

At the HoF induction after party for Phil Knight. Obviously he went because of the Nike ties, but I'm sure being around all the greatness is inspiring.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

*Wade Still Looking for Shot, Rhythm*


> The mistake, Dwyane Wade said, was going public with his intent of hiring a shooting coach this offseason.
> 
> "So many people starting calling me after that. Everybody was trying to work with me. I had to call my agent to make it stop," the Miami Heat guard said with a laugh amid his book tour, which Saturday included a stop at the Dolphin Mall to autograph copies of "A father First: How my life became bigger than basketball."
> 
> The reality, Wade said, is what he really needed was a catching coach.
> 
> In the wake of a season where he felt his jumper got away from him, Wade said upon further review it was not as much about how he was shooting the ball as how he was going through that motion.
> 
> Now, with training camp three weeks away, he believes he has a grasp on the situation.
> 
> "I have one of the best mid-range shots in the league," he said. "But, obviously, when you have different injuries, it makes you change a little bit. So it's just about getting back to that comfort of it and finding out where you are now.
> 
> "My midrange game is very important to me. The biggest thing is coming out of my pull-up without losing the ball and just making sure it comes through my hand the right way. When it comes to my shot exactly, I don't have a bad shot. There's other reasons why I come up short a lot. So it's just trying to work the kinks out."
> 
> Wade said he now has a shooting coach lined up. But what he doesn't have, at least at the moment, are his legs, having only recently returned to court work following his July 9 arthroscopic knee surgery.
> 
> "It's great to get back on the court," he said. "But, obviously, I've got a lot of work to do to get to what I want to. Now it's just taking things slow. We're not rushing through it."
> 
> A week ago there was a session with Heat assistant coach David Fizdale, with additional sessions this weekend before heading back out for the next segment of his book tour.
> 
> "It's basketball stuff, basketball drills," he said of the sessions, "and doing something different every day, and with my trainer, doing other things when it comes to the rehab part of it, making sure that my knee and my body can get used to this kind of work for games."
> 
> By the time he gets to the Los Angeles portion of his book tour at the end of the week, he is hopeful of stepping into games, with several NBA players working out there.
> 
> "Right now, I'm trying to settle down, to do something different, to get the feeling back," he said.


----------



## Jace

Great to hear how much thinking and breaking down of his shot he's doing, and that he's following through with the shooting coach instead of backing off it and blaming the injury. Also awesome to hear he's already apparently cleared for full contact since he wants to play with all the guys out in LA later this week (it seems 80% of the league now goes there to train during the offseason).



> THIRD BEST?: You may want to circle Dec. 12 and Jan. 16 on your Heat calendars. That's when Wade and the Heat will face Mark Jackson's Golden State Warriors. That's the same Jackson who told the Indianapolis Star in advance of Reggie Miller's Hall of Fame induction, "When you take Michael Jordan and you take Kobe Bryant out of the discussion, he's as good as any two-guard that has ever played the game." Even if you choose to get past Wade, how about Jerry West, you know, Jackson's boss with the Warriors? Miller, a Jackson teammate with the Indiana Pacers, certainly had his moments, but by the time Wade is done, figure on the Wade/West debate to ring more tangible for at least No. 3 at shooting guard than any involving the now-TNT analyst.


Heh, apparently someone got to Mark already, because when I saw him on NBATV yesterday he was saying Miller was fourth behind Jordan, Bryant, and Wade. I'm surprised people outside of Miami even put him there. Not because he isn't worthy, but because he's generally underappreciated.

How far down is AI?


----------



## Jace

> Q: Did Miami make a big mistake by not picking up Andray Blatche when it had the chance? -- Michael, Orlando.
> 
> A: As has been stated many times previously in this forum, you do not make a "mistake" when talking about the ninth or 10th man in your rotation. It's when you draft a player at No. 2 overall and it doesn't work out, that's when you can use the word "mistake."


:laugh:

Ira can't let go of the Supercool hate. Even with Steve Wilkos yanking him back, he's still swinging wildly at BEZ's head.


----------



## Dee-Zy

hahahaha, ouch!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

20 days til the start of Heat training camp.

The Dolphins and Canes are making me hate football :sigh:


----------



## Jace

> @MickyArison
> 
> Ray looks gr8 working out @AAarena in @miamiHEAT gear! Looking fwd to training camp #19days


:yesyesyes:

Elevation looks good. :yes:


----------



## UD40

Which is a good thing given the ankle issues.

Any word on how Shard is looking?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

That is gonna take time getting used to. Love it though.

Heat officially resigned Terrell Harris today. Varnado and Dozier should be next.


----------



## Jace

NBATV is fire today. 5 best Heat games of the season: Houston, SA, OKC @ home, Philly @ home near the end of the season, and PHX.


----------



## Wade County

Varnado and Gladness have already been signed by the team, so im guessing Dozier may be next?


----------



## Jace

> Ira Winderman
> + Follow
> 
> For those who have asked, it appears the Heat are on the verge of signing both Terrel Harris and Robert Dozier...
> 
> which would fill 17 of a possible 20 maximum training-camp spots.


Yup


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Lebron and Durant are working out together again. Worked out pretty well for both last season.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Keep your friends close, and your Enemies closer. :manbearpig:


----------



## Dee-Zy

Jace said:


> NBATV is fire today. 5 best Heat games of the season: Houston, SA, OKC @ home, Philly @ home near the end of the season, and PHX.


This is one of the things that amaze me from you guys on this board.

I think it is clear as day that I am a die hard Heat fan but there is no way for me to know what those games were.

I 'think' that I might know what the OKC game is. I think we played very badly against them away but killed them at home?

As for the others, no clue, esp the philly game.

I don't know how you guys can keep tabs so well.


----------



## UD40

I caught some of the Rockets one. It was when LeBron went off for 32 I believe.

They also just showed Game 1 of the opening round when we put the boots to the Knicks.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Its Heat week on NBAtv. 

Today is the Knicks/Heat series, tomorrow is the Pacers/Heat series, Thursday is Celtics/Heat, Friday is the Finals, then on Saturday is all of them, back to back.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace is gonna freak out when he reads this :laugh:


> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> 
> Hassan Whiteside worked out for the Heat today. He'll remain in Miami through Thursday, working out for Pat Riley and the coaching staff.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Another training camp body signed


> Marc J. Spears ‏@SpearsNBAYahoo
> [email protected] has agreed in principle to sign free agent guard Garrett Temple to a contract, a source tells Y! He played in Italy last season.


----------



## Wade County

Wade2Bosh said:


> Jace is gonna freak out when he reads this :laugh:


Should just lock Hassan and Dex in the gym and see who wins. Drop the one that doesn't.

I laughed when I read that though - Jace's boy!

All we need now is more P-Bev for Smithi. Atleast he has Varnado.


----------



## Jace

Oh shit. I kinda like what I've seen from Temple. He played well against us on the Rockets a season or two ago. Tall wing who can play the point. No shot to make it (though we did say that about Terrel).



Dee-Zy said:


> This is one of the things that amaze me from you guys on this board.
> 
> I think it is clear as day that I am a die hard Heat fan but there is no way for me to know what those games were.
> 
> I 'think' that I might know what the OKC game is. I think we played very badly against them away but killed them at home?
> 
> As for the others, no clue, esp the philly game.
> 
> I don't know how you guys can keep tabs so well.


Remember, most west teams we only played once last year, so the Suns, Rockets, and Spurs games were the only time we played them. I remember the Suns game because it was supposed to be easy, but we were down 10 in the fourth and went on a crazy run to seal the victory. The Spurs game was without Dwyane (and Manu), we trailed the entire first half, and made a crazy comeback in the second, behind LeBron brilliance and MM's 6-6 (all from 3) in his first game of the season after the preseason hernia surgery.

Didn't remember much about the Houston game, turned out it was because it was the last home game of the season, and my attention was already on the playoffs (the starting lineup for that game was LeBron with Cole, Jones, Haslem, and Pitt). HOU was fighting for a playoff spot, so it was amazing that we won.

The Philly game kind of blended in with the other 3 times we played the, but after watching it, I remembered it. I believe something fairly significant happened in that game that I can't remember at the moment. I probably would've picked that game in Philly where we came back late amid UD/LeBron jumpers.

The OKC game was the only national one they picked, if I'm not mistaken. Was a good, hugely hyped game against our future Finals opponent after they had previously whooped our ass. I remembered it as one of Battier's few great regular season games.



Wade2Bosh said:


> Jace is gonna freak out when he reads this :laugh:






















Seriously though, I'm not surprised they finally looked his way. We're kicking every tire attached to a 7(ish)-foot body while we wait on someone more enticing. Even though I've always, and especially now, liked his potential better than Pitt's, I see him as a long shot to actually leapfrog Pitt (and even Varnado and Gladness) into the final 15. I'm not sure where his skills/game are at right now after spending the first part of his career in the hell hole known as Sac-town (franchise, not the city), and he'll have limited opportunities to impress. Hopefully he at least gets a training camp contract, because I think his athleticism, height, and length will make him stand out amongst our center crop. Measurement-wise, he's exactly an inch taller than Pitt at 6-10.5 barefoot, with an inch longer wingspan (7-7, which would be as wide as anyone's in the league as far as I know). To further compare, Bosh is a quarter-inch shorter with a 3.5-inch shorter wingspan.

What would set him apart would be his quickness/athleticism compared to Pitt and the others. Ira recently made the suggestion that the Heat are looking for a Joel replacement to move his contract. Hassan would be a major upgrade physically, considering he's almost a bigger Joel with a decent offensive game and rebounding ability. Would be all about developing him.

The more I type about him the more I feel like we can't pass him up. Assuming he's healthy, he's a physical specimen. But as much as I believe our organization thinks pragmatically, they do have a tendency to err on the side of familiarity. Its nice to have an 18th man going into camp to really root for, at least. I remember going into that draft having pipedreams about drafting Hassan and later signing Bosh, envisioning our own Twin Towers. Obviously now, Hassan would project to be a back up, but both have the footspeed to play PF, so they could obviously play together. Must admit I have a warm fuzzy feeling thinking about him in his Heat practice gear...

Quick draftexpress blurb to remind folks what I like

*



Hassan Whiteside is one of the more intriguing players in this draft, and you can see why from his situations statistics.

With a usage of 12.8 possessions per-game that ranks him just above average, Whiteside scored on a very solid 56.8% of his overall touches and turned the ball over at a low 13% rate.

Whiteside received just 27% of his touches in the post, one of the lowest marks on our center rankings. Despite that fact, he scored 61.1% of those touches, good for third on our list. He was fouled on 16.1% of those shots, ranking him second. Whiteside was able to make a nice impact on the block despite his lack of lower body strength, showing a nice hook shot and unique touch for a player his age.

Outside of the post, Whiteside used his length to generate 2.9 possessions per-game from offensive rebounds (3rd). Showing impressive versatility, 26% of Whiteside’s shot were jumpers, the top mark in our sample. Making 40% of those shots and finishing at a highly respective 64.1% clip, Whiteside is one of the most unique talents in this draft. His ability to score from the outside at his height is incredible, he was one of the most impressive shot blockers in the NCAA last season, and shows the potential to score in multiple situations.

Click to expand...

*

This is why I love his potential here. He wouldn't just be a hustle big who has to stand near the basket. He'd give us our only "live" option who can also block shots and play big. He has a nice face up game, like Bosh is too quick for most centers, and a nice touch both with his jump shot and around the basket. 

If he's filled out enough, he could be an intriguing option to throw at Howard, a big who has the height, length, and athleticism to at least somewhat keep him with Dwight, while also having the touch to keep him from camping in the paint on the other. 

****. JUST SIGN HIS ASS.


----------



## -33-

Jace, I almost feel lik you need an annotated bibliography to follow a post that detailed!

On a sad note, we missed out on the potential savior at center (again)...



> Earl Barron and the Washington Wizards have agreed upon a non-guaranteed training camp deal, according to sources.
> 
> Barron most recently played in the NBA with the Warriors in 11-12, but has since played in both the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
> 
> Barron is a seven-foot center out of Memphis.
> 
> Via Adrian Wojnarowski/Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter)
> 
> 
> Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...on_Guaranteed_Deal_With_Wizards#ixzz26DBngvxs


The one that got away...HOW IS SPO NOT SCOUTING THE PHILIPPINES?!?!?!?!??!?!!?!


----------



## Jace

Can't help myself sometimes. 

And yeah, when I read that Barron tweet I was praying to see "Miami HEAT" before I got to "Washington..."

Oh btw, Terrel apparently turned down offers from Spain and a team called the Cleveland Cavaliers or something for a non-guaranteed deal here. Not sure if the "Cavs" offer had a guarantee.


----------



## Jace

Should be noted, the training camp 20 is almost locked down

1. LeBron
2. Wade
3. Bosh
4. Allen
5. Chalmers
6. Battier
7. Lewis
8. Miller
9. Haslem
10. Cole
11. Joel
12. Jones
13. Pittman

14. Harris
15. Varnado
16. Gladness
17. Dozier
18. Temple

19. Whiteside?
20. Harrellson?


Might actually be the first time I'm familiar with all 20 players. Surely if they do have 20 before camp and someone pops up they're interested in, they could easily waive a Temple or Gladness, but it looks to be almost all set.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Ah, I remember the Spurs game now.

I think they are games that if I watch again, I would remember but just like that, I wouldn't.


----------



## Jace

Battie-boy, honing the sky hook.



> Q: With the addition of both Mickell Gladness and Jarvis Varnado, which I think nobody could've assumed, does that spell the end for Big Pitt? I still think the Heat have something in Terrel Harris and would be foolish not to squeeze him in. -- Zak, Coconut Creek.
> 
> A: All I know is I spoke to an agent who said Pat Riley expressed disappointment to him about Dexter Pittman's inability to reach prime conditioning. Look, this team ate Eddie House's contract last season, so it's not as if a minimal guarantee is a complete guarantee. When rating the Heat's big men, it seems as if Gladness already is held in higher esteem among the coaching staff, so it could come down to Pittman working his way back onto the roster. An argument could be made that Josh Harrellson and Hassan Whiteside also would add more than Pittman.


Tim Reynolds also said during one of his twitter Q&As that he believes Gladness has a better chance to make the roster than Pittman. I've been saying for awhile Pitt's weight has seemed to continue fluctuating throughout his pro career, and needless to say he was disappointing during summer league. Perhaps all that is catching up to him. My hope is bringing in all these Cs to compete with him doesn't just light a temporary fire under his ass that gets extinguished in Mountain Dew and milkshakes once he makes the final cut.

Here's my dream 15

Chalmers / Cole
Wade / Allen / Harris
James / Battier / Miller
Haslem / Lewis / Dozier
Bosh / Anthony / Harrellson / Whiteside

Cutting JJ and Pitt since the former is too old, one-dimensional, and redundant/obsolete here, and the latter doesn't so much fit the team's ideal style, on top of being thoroughly disappointing. Cole, Harris, Dozier, Whiteside, and Harrellson would form a surprisingly, decently promising young core to replace some of our aging role players in a few years, a few of which fit our running game nicely.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I'd rather keep JJ than Dozier. Dozier could always be back at any moment. The rest i'd be more than happy with.



> Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA
> In a recent interview, free agent Matt Barnes said that he's talking with the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers.


Gotta love the Heat. They do their due diligence and speak to nearly everybody who is available.


----------



## Adam

No way we cut JJ. He's a solid contributor (on the biggest stages no less) and he has a contract we don't need to needlessly take a loss on. I'm skeptical any of those other guys can even make the roster let alone contribute to the team in NBA playoff games like JJ has.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Liz Mullen ‏@SBJLizMullen
> LeBron James is leaving CAA to be represented by his childhood friend Rich Paul, who is also leaving CAA, sources said. #NBA


..


----------



## Jace

> Ira Winderman
> 3 minutes ago
> 
> Remember, LeBron has opt out in 2014 offseason. A new agent (agency) would only start collecting on new contract.
> 
> Current deal runs through end of 2015-16, if James bypasses 2014 and 2015 ETO/player option opportunities.
> 
> 
> Ira Winderman
> 8 minutes ago
> 
> @SBJLizMullen word of LeBron leaving CAA significant. It would means he, Bosh, Wade no longer under same umbrella.
> 
> Wade and Bosh remain with Henry Thomas of CAA. It would be second agent switch of James' career.


Was pretty sure he was going to opt out, along with the other 2, in 2014 anyway. This just would seem to further seal it, so his agent starts getting paid.


----------



## Wade County

I always assumed all 3 would opt out if things didnt work out in 2014...but that all of a sudden doesnt feel all that far away.

Sure hope LBJ doesnt 'Cav' us, but who knows, maybe he will. Atleast we got a ring out of it if so!


----------



## Jace

I think all 3 will opt out to re-sign (hopefully) for longer deals. In a pipedream scenario, they'd take less money to alleviate the luxury tax burden, while perhaps also allowing for better support to be brought in. Hard to guess what'll happen, you can see things going either way in all scenarios (no more titles, one more, or two more). Much like Jordan went to baseball after his first 3-peat, and retired for good (in my eyes) after the second, I could see LeBron having a similarly manic moment and deciding to trek back to Cleveland for a "heroic" attempt at bringing them a championship.

I would obviously never root against us, but perhaps winning a title this upcoming season and losing in the Finals the next would be the best scenario for keeping LeBron in town. They'd be less inclined to end it on a sour note.

That said, 3 consecutive titles and 4 consecutive Finals appearances with a team whose best players would be 29, 30, and 32 would make it very difficult to walk away from the possibility of a fourth title in a row. I'm beginning to think there's no way they'd pass up on that.


----------



## UD40

I think we can get Wade cheaper next time around.


----------



## Dee-Zy

For some reason, if we win another chip or two, I don't get the feeling that the team will want to break up. James left CLEV because he was in a bad situation. It might be premature, and I might be completely naive, but I get the feeling that James and Bosh is ready to make MIA their home and they are making MIA their home. So barring any **** ups, I think that they will end their career here. Especially if they want to create a legacy. What greater legacy would it be than to create a dynasty that can rival The Russell's Celtics or the Jordan's Bulls? I think it is possible for the big 3 to jump ahead of the Kobe/Shaq Dynasty.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ We have enough power for a Magic Johnson Laker's type dynasty, definitely won't rival the Russell's Celtics though. 

And there is literally 0% chance Lebron walks from the Heat, He came here for a reason. To play with his buds and win rings. Maybe after the second contract is up when he's like 34, maybe he'll end his career in Cleveland but that's unlikely.

I honestly think Wade Bosh and James are going to troll the NBA again and take even less money (significantly less) to make room for another superstar. Chris Paul will be looking for his first ring and he's closer to Lebron than anyone else in the League. I'd say there's about 85% chance of this happening. And if CP3 doesnt make it here, A solid big man will find there way here for a ring. Don't know who but it will solid big man at the time.


----------



## Dee-Zy

OFFICIAL: The HEAT have signed Garrett Temple. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...set=a.405943314123.184340.284300559123&type=1


----------



## Dee-Zy

doctordrizzay said:


> ^ We have enough power for a Magic Johnson Laker's type dynasty, definitely won't rival the Russell's Celtics though.
> 
> And there is literally 0% chance Lebron walks from the Heat, He came here for a reason. To play with his buds and win rings. Maybe after the second contract is up when he's like 34, maybe he'll end his career in Cleveland but that's unlikely.
> 
> I honestly think Wade Bosh and James are going to troll the NBA again and take even less money (significantly less) to make room for another superstar. Chris Paul will be looking for his first ring and he's closer to Lebron than anyone else in the League. I'd say there's about 85% chance of this happening. And if CP3 doesnt make it here, A solid big man will find there way here for a ring. Don't know who but it will solid big man at the time.


Rival was a big word. I meant "Up there with".


----------



## Jace

Basically we're hoping this team gets the franchise somewhere in that Bulls/Spurs range. As far as dynasties, the Shaq Lakers or Bird Celtics are the most realistic to shoot for. Magic Lakers would be awesome.



doctordrizzay said:


> ^ We have enough power for a Magic Johnson Laker's type dynasty, definitely won't rival the Russell's Celtics though.
> 
> And there is literally 0% chance Lebron walks from the Heat, He came here for a reason. To play with his buds and win rings. Maybe after the second contract is up when he's like 34, maybe he'll end his career in Cleveland but that's unlikely.
> 
> I honestly think Wade Bosh and James are going to troll the NBA again and take even less money (significantly less) to make room for another superstar. Chris Paul will be looking for his first ring and he's closer to Lebron than anyone else in the League. I'd say there's about 85% chance of this happening. And if CP3 doesnt make it here, A solid big man will find there way here for a ring. Don't know who but it will solid big man at the time.


Doubt that happens. Maybe James at the dreamiest of pipedreams, but Dwyane and Chris don't get LeBron's endorsement dollars. They want to get as close to max as possible.


----------



## Jace

One thing NBATV's Heat week reminded me of: We need to learn how to shoot free throws. The season would've been a relative breeze if it weren't an issue.


























































Nice turn out so far. Lookin' like a season already.

Wonder if we'll see a 6-8+ LeBron/Miller/Battier/Lewis/Bosh lineup. Killer spacing for 'Bron. Obviously, putting Allen in for any of the middle 3 would make it even more potent.

I still expect to look at Ray's shirt and see "Boston Basketball." Love the weirdness.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The benefits of being in Miami. No way they show up this early if we were in Minnesota.

I hope we see a bunch of funky lineups in the preseason and early on in the season. More than enough time to since we're back to a normal 82 game season.


----------



## Jace

*



LOS ANGELES -- When Chris Bosh joined the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010, he told himself his days of playing center were finished. But after manning the 5 often in the Heat's run to the title last season, Bosh is willing to reconsider.

When Miami opens the 2012-13 season against the Boston Celtics on Oct. 30, Bosh said he expects to be listed as the starting center.

"It's becoming natural to me," Bosh told ESPN.com on Thursday. "I have a very unique opportunity to do something very special for myself and my team. I think all the time that you have to evolve and get better. This is me evolving as a player."
The 6-foot-11, 235-pound power forward said he was reluctant to m

ake the change after dabbling at center in his time with the Toronto Raptors. Teammate LeBron James also initially shied away from playing down low, as well as being labeled as a point guard, with the Heat, preferring the comfort zone of small forward.

But James seemed more open to other roles and labels last season, earning the nickname "1-through-5" from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra for his ability to guard each position.

After seeing the results and the persistence of his coaches, Bosh ultimately relented as well. In Miami's amorphous lineup, the 28-year-old Bosh essentially manned the center role in the playoffs, playing next to forwards Udonis Haslem or Shane Battier as opposed to centers Joel Anthony or Ronny Turiaf in each of his nine postseason starts.

"It kept happening," Bosh said. "It's been happening since my rookie year. When I signed in Miami, I said, 'That's it. No more 5!' Next thing I know, I'm there again.

MIAMI HEAT

Even more coverage of the Big 3 and their adventures in Miami. Heat Index »

"And the coaches, I was just listening to what they were saying. They said, 'We're a much better team with you at the 5.' I said, 'Well ... OK.' Next thing I know we win a championship. It's like, 'Well. I've done myself a great service. And I'm gonna be at the center.' There's really no debating that. I just accept it and see how I can get better at it."

Bosh worked on his 3-point range before last season to make himself more flexible for Spoelstra's nontraditional style, and the Miami Herald reported Sunday that Bosh added 6 pounds of lean muscle to ready himself for a season at center for the Heat, who signed shooters Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis this summer but again failed to add much help down low.

"We're such a unique team," Bosh said. "We have such great guys that are very talented. It's just all over the place -- I may be at the top of the key, I might be in the corner, I might be on the block, I might be on the wing. I prepare for everything."

Calling himself a center, however, may take some getting used to.

"The center, I've kind of taken the label off it," he said. "I just want to be out there playing. I just consider myself a player. I'm gonna play my game, I'm not gonna change up anything, I'm gonna try and improve, and if we're better with me at the center, then I'm willing to do it."

The Heat seemed that way last season, fighting off outside pressure to win 46 regular-season games (second-best in the Eastern Conference) and then a Bosh abdominal strain that cost the Heat big man nine playoff games en route to their first championship in the Big Three era.

Bosh said the palpable pressure the Heat faced last season is gone and he's beginning to tuck the memories away as the team readies for training camp. He's already got his eyes on a repeat bid, and has toned up on past champions this offseason to do so.

"I watch those NBA championship DVDs all the time," he said. "I've been watching the back-to-back champs, (trying to find) what happened in a back-to-back year. It's the same thing, and you have to go through the same thing all over again. And they say it's more difficult, so I'm just preparing myself for that."

Miami certainly has its work cut out for itself this season.

The Los Angeles Lakers retooled their lineup by adding two perennial All-Stars in Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the latter of whom surprised Bosh by landing in L.A. And the Oklahoma City Thunder bring back a speedy team that Bosh called a "testament to where the game is going."

He also cautioned overlooking the New York Knicks.

"I just wanna say -- the freakin' Knicks, man. I think they're going to be a good team," Bosh said. "Nobody's really talking about them, and I don't like it. They're flying under the radar right now. I think the Knicks are gonna be a very good team."

In the meantime, Bosh is soaking in his first title reign in the remaining days of the offseason before beginning the process of his first title defense.

"I get that question all the time: 'Has it really sunk in?' Two weeks into it, I'm like, 'Yeah, it's sunk in!'" he said. "I've been dreaming about this my whole life. It hits me every day.

"But we're in the mode where it's almost time for training camp, so I'm putting those memories right where they belong, in the past. We'll reminisce every now and then, but we have an important job this season coming up. We have to defend our title."

Click to expand...

*

Great article on Bosh at center from ESPN. Say what you will about his game at times, but his mental approach is always rock solid, at least the way he words it. I think finally going into a season knowing he's going to be the center (or whatever he wants to call it) will help his game fit in dramatically. Rashard could also be an underrated acquisition if he can start. Those two and LeBron would be an insanely versatile front court, with all being able to play inside and out. Shane is already a good post player (though he didn't show it much last year), yet Lewis is better. His numbers in the post are comparable to Andre Miller's, who is very good there as we've seen the wrong end of.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Is that Joel I see working on a freethrow line jumper?

Would be amazing if he could develop a reliable one.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I guess Heat is going to play more a line up of 3Gs 2Fs or 2Gs 3Fs. The C label sounds like a norm in the NBA but truth is, there are plenty of teams from playground to college that play line ups like that.

I think I even remember the ducks (I think) play a 4Gs 1F line up. Unconventional, sure but not unheard of.


----------



## UD40

Poor quality, but UD was on Dan Lebatard is Highly Questionable last night.


----------



## doctordrizzay

^ couldnt hear a word they said.


----------



## -33-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGzFLnuhXvM&feature=player_embedded#!

Great video


----------



## UD40

Just finished watch Game 5 vs OKC on NBA TV.

It will never get old.


----------



## Jace

Mike Miller's statue should be wrapped in mummy tape.


----------



## Jace

...

WE SIGNED COUSINS!












First actual offseason and he's getting fitted for a ring.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Jace said:


> First actual offseason and he's getting fitted for a ring.


19th offseason and Juwan is getting fitted for his 1st ring. Crazy.










Also can tell that Juwan hasnt given up hope yet on a return.


----------



## UD40

Mean while, in Ohio...


----------



## Wade2Bosh

That's one guy I dont worry about.

Wade on the other hand..

Thankfully his book tour is finally over and can focus solely on getting ready for this season.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Update on Mike Miller


> "I basically looked at my options and back surgery, with Dr. Green pretty confident that we could get it to where I need to be without it. So we're slowly but surely getting there," he said at a Saturday promotional appearance at Maye Pediatric Dentistry and Shelling Orthodontics along with teammates James Jones and Udonis Haslem, who was there to collect contributions for the Udonis Haslem Children's Foundation. "My body feels good. Like I said, we've just got to be smart about it."
> 
> This would be the first season Miller has a chance to start on time for the Heat, a thumb injury sustained late in training camp wiping out the first half of his 2010-11 debut season and then surgery for a sports hernia keeping him out of last season's training camp and the early stages of the regular season.
> 
> "It's a long haul," he said. "Like we found out the last two seasons, you've just got to make sure you're smart about it early."
> 
> That could have him in slow-go mode at the start of camp.
> 
> "If it was up to me, personally, yes, I'd be ready," he said. "I feel good enough. It's going to be interesting once I get contact and stuff like that."
> 
> Because for all the strides Miller has made with his back, he's been limiting his strides these past three months. He returned to the court two weeks ago.
> 
> "It feels good. It's getting there," he said. "Obviously, I've got to get my legs back. Stationary shooting feels fantastic, really. The break probably helped that. But moving and shooting, movement with your legs, and conditioning has been a little bit tough."
> 
> To a degree, the Heat added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis as Miller insurance. Now the three are working in unison on the practice court, Miller noting a renewed energy in Lewis' approach.
> 
> "I'm definitely trying to pick up things from both of those," he said. "It feels good to be in there working with those guys, exciting."
> 
> But, no, there haven't been any shooting contests yet.
> 
> "We'll start, we'll start," Miller said with a laugh. "I told them they've got to give me some time. It's the longest I've ever been off without shooting the ball."


Link


----------



## Jace

Man, if MM can just be a little healthier than he's been the past two years, I can only imagine how much it'll help his shooting rhythm. I'm saying this about a guy who shot 45.3% from Kaboomville last year.

Love the last part about Lewis' renewed energy and Miller picking things up from those two. I usually try not to harp on ancillary benefits that'll come with a player (e.g. Juwan Howard and the "locker room guy" theory), but one of the things that has always excited me most about Jesus coming was his work ethic and methods of preparation rubbing off on his new teammates. I also have felt Lewis being back with Ray can help get him back to being a serviceable shooter (Shard went from not having much of a jumper out of HS to being one of history's best shooters after Ray was traded to Seattle).



Wade2Bosh said:


> That's one guy I dont worry about.
> 
> Wade on the other hand..
> 
> Thankfully his book tour is finally over and can focus solely on getting ready for this season.


:yes:

Bron is insane, workout wise. I know there are videos of he and Dwyane working out on a beach together from last summer, but I can't picture Dwyane putting in the behind the scenes commitment that James seems to every year. Just stumbled upon more pictures from that lady's account, one of which is Dwyane sitting on a fashion panel in NYC, which made me think of this. Not to say LeBron has no off the court interests or Dwyane can't do both, but it sure does seem like LeBron is visibly more devoted to the sport than Wade.

More from Ira on Dwyane and the shooters:

*



Dwyane Wade remembers, you bet he remembers.

James Posey in the corner, as he seemingly always was, this time with 3:43 left in the fourth quarter. Heat up three. Wade with the pass. Posey with the 3-pointer. Game. Moments later, jubilation. Game 6 of the 2006 NBA Finals over, the Miami Heat, for the first time, NBA champions.

There have been plenty of Wade assists for 3-pointers since, with teammates such as Mario Chalmers, James Jones, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, Mike Bibby, Eddie House, Daequan Cook, Ricky Davis and Jason Kapono.

But the chemistry with Posey was special, the quarterback who knew where the receiver would be, the receiver who intuitively would read the passing lane.

There were other choices during the 2005-06 championship season, including Antoine Walker and Jason Williams, but there hasn't been anything like Wade-to-Posey since, well, Wade-to-Posey.

Which bring us, and more significantly, Wade, to this coming season.

Never have the drive-and-kick options been so bountiful, not only are Chalmers, Jones, Miller and Battier back, but arriving for the defense of the Heat's second championship are Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

At a time when LeBron James is assuming a greater share of the Heat's offense, Wade now finds himself in position to channel back to what he had in 2006, that instinctive connection with a spot-up sniper.

"I mean, that'd be great," he said during a break in his book tour, as he looked ahead to the Sept. 29 start of training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena. "Posey was huge for us."

During the run to the 2012 championship, Wade said he began to develop a similar bond with Battier, one that developed late, with Battier's unlikely postseason insertion into the starting lineup at power forward.

"I think I did a little bit in the Finals," Wade said. "With the matchup problems, sometimes I drove just to get guys shots. So I knew that once I drove, that bigger guys who were guarding Shane were going to come to the rim and protect the rim. Shane had a lot of open shots."

Wade said he expects to do more of the same this time around.

"My mind frame a lot would be when I get to the paint, when I attack, sometimes I'm going just to draw the defense, knowing I've got the shooters and I need to get my shooters shots," he said. "I can always get my own shot. But when I'm in the game, my mindset is, 'OK, I need to get these guys going,' because they're going to get things open for everyone."

Wade said it is too early to consider specific chemistry, having yet to make it to the court for workouts with Allen and Lewis, a process that could be delayed by Wade's rehabilitation from his July 9 arthroscopic knee surgery. But he said there is nothing wrong with trying to find his next Posey.

"No, it's not dangerous to have a favorite," he said. "As long as the ball goes in, I think we all would be satisfied with it."

When the Heat clinched last season's championship, Miller was everyone's go-to choice from distance, with his seven 3-pointers in the series-clinching Game 5 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals.

Now? Now the options have practically been squared.

"We've got a great bunch of guys to choose from," Wade said. "We've got some of the best 3-point shooters the NBA has ever seen. So it's kind of pick your poison."

IN THE LANE

POSITION-LESS IMPOSITION: With "position-less" basketball practically rising to Heat offseason anthem, it would be curious if the Heat were to take it to the logical next level this coming season, introducing players, at least Heat players, without specific positional designations. Power forward Chris Bosh, for example, is now a center. Erik Spoelstrais telling us LeBron James is a "one through five." And exactly what position does Shane Battier play, anyway? Considering Spoelstra is reluctant to reveal his starting lineups as it is, isn't the next step for Mike Baiamonte to simply handle the introductions with number, school and name? Unorthodox? Sure. But so were the lineups that drove the Heat to the championship.

RUSS ON RAY: A Boston Celtic through and through, Bill Russell this past week offered his thoughts to NBA.com on Ray Allen's free-agency shift from the Celtics to the Heat. "During the playoffs," the Hall of Fame center said, "I kept hearing people say that his legs were going so his jump shot wasn't as effective. Sometimes, management doesn't make their own decisions and takes the word of someone who doesn't really know. So, Ray can be a boost to Miami. But Jason Terry going to the Celtics can also be a boost. Basically, you're trading a shooter for a scrapper. So, you have to see how it blends in with the guys who you kept."

TEAM BUILDING: Russell also touched on the Heat continually adding veterans around the core of James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh. "What Miami is doing is similar to a theory that Red [Auerbach, the legendary Celtics coach] used to have," Russell said. "You have a core group and you bring in some veterans so you don't have rookies coming off the bench. Most of the time it worked but sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, we would bring a veteran in hoping to get one more year out of them but they were psychologically destructive, so we can only use them one year. They were not about winning. They were about their career."

STILL WAITING: Selected in the second round in 2010 NBA Draft by the Heat, swingman Da'Sean Butler never was able to make it to the court from his horrific Final Four knee injury against Duke. A similar comeback bid also failed with the San Antonio Spurs. So, for now, Butler has decided to return to his roots, serving as a graduate assistant at West Virginia. Butler is coming off a third surgery on his left knee, the one that had the shattered ACL. He spent part of last season in the NBA Development League. The Mountaineers open practice Oct. 12.

STILL GOING: Even as the Heat deal with their own limitations at center, their legacy in the middle continues in free agency, with Jamaal Magloire re-upping with the Toronto Raptors for a partially-guaranteed deal and Earl Barron (who actually has a Heat 2006 championship ring) and Shavlik Randolph signing make-good camp contracts with the Washington Wizards.

NUMBER

0. Black varsity players at LSU before Collis Temple, father of Heat camp hopeful Garrett Temple, played for the school's basketball team in 1971-72.

Click to expand...

*

I remember when Posey hit 5 threes in a quarter against the Suns. I'm sure Wade threw him a few of those (assuming he was healthy at the time, since I believe it was '07). If I had to choose which shooter Dwyane had his best chemistry with, I'm not sure Posey would be the first name that'd come to mind. Dwyane/Kapono, though short-lived, had quite possibly the best passer-shooter synergy in all of the league at that time. Both were in the midst of extremely hot shooting/passing streaks that season. The Jones boys also had a nice thing going with Wade, though it looks like Ira means post-Posey, which should include Kapono, however.

Doesn't hit you what an embarrassment of riches we now have of shooters (on paper) until you look at the pic that came with the article:








:bosh2: *WHAT ABOUT ME????*

Totally forgot about those fastbreak, trailer 3's Spo had Bosh taking early in the season. I wonder if we'll start seeing that again.


----------



## Jace

More from Windbags (sorry, you know...doldrums)



> Q: By using Chris Bosh at center and signing veterans who are known for outside shooting rather than defense, are the Heat sacrificing too much on defense to have this "position-less" team where everybody contributes on offense? -- Jeffrey.
> 
> A: I don't think a team coached by Erik Spoelstra and guided by Pat Riley ever will sacrifice on defense. To the Heat, the system is the defense, and everyone who enters that system has to defend. Yes, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis have their defensive limitations, but with the quickness of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the floor, this team can compensate for plenty. The real issue is whether the continued lack of deterrence at the rim will have the opposition attacking more often.
> 
> *Q: Why is Garrett Temple invited to camp? -- Art, Tamarac.
> 
> A: Because he has one skill that the current Heat point guards lack, the ability to play one-on-one lockdown defense against an opposing point guard. But his lack of extended shooting range and limited playmaking abilities still make him a longshot. He nonetheless at least provides a basis of comparison against Terrell Harris.*
> 
> Q: Hey Ira, do you think that Jarvis Varnado has a legitimate chance to make the Heat roster? -- B.D., Las Vegas.
> 
> A: It's hard to see another defensive-minded big man being added as long as Joel Anthony is collecting his contract and as long as Dexter Pittman still is around occupying a roster spot. If anything, Mickell Gladness would appear the early front-runner for the last spot in the power rotation.


I thought we were all very pleased with Cole's man D. I thought it was great all season, and the one thing that kept Spo going to him even after his jumpshot up and took off. I was under the impression Temple could shoot. If that's not the case, I don't see how he'd have an edge over Terrel for that last guard spot.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I'm ok with Bosh still being a trailer as long as his ass doesnt run to Ray's favorite spots 

Nothing on Harrellson or Whiteside yet? Hope we bring at least one of them to camp.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Speaking of Wade getting in Shape..


> DAD ‏@DwyaneWade
> 20 mile bike ride earlier today with @aefrikan and black.


----------



## Jace

Still reppin' Jordan I see. Thought they'd make the Li-Ning switch offical by now, considering its been leaked everywhere.

Pretty awesome. Good to see he finally got his ass back to the Magic City. Guess we should be careful about how much we question his desire to be in peak shape. Have been noticing his face looks as trim as it has during these past two seasons in recent interviews. His cheeks have always been a great indicator of his physical status. 

Nothing new on the Whiteside front, from what I've garnered. His last tweet was on Wednesday:



> @youngwhiteside
> 
> Walkin south beach


That was the night before what was supposed to be his last audition day for the Heat. Can't find anything on twitter or anywhere about whether he's left Miami, how the audition went, or if any other teams are barking. Of course his agent had said Minny is still interested and there's another team he'll be working out for next; likely him trying to create the illusion of competing bidders.

Harrellson is a little more perplexing. In that picture Cousins recently tweeted, obviously Jorts is wearing a Heat practice shirt, but based on their twitter feeds I'm under the impression that was in Kentucky. Josh's feed further mystifies me:



> @BigJorts55
> 
> Done with it ready to move on! Can't wait to find my new home


then...



> @BigJorts55
> 
> I will let everyone know Sunday where I am heading!


And that was also Wednesday, the day before the photo with DMC. I also now see on his twitter he's definitely presently in Ketucky for some sort of charity game, I guess. I suppose we will find out what's going on tomorrow if he's true to his word. The saga continues...

Non-guaranteed guys currently signed:

14. Harris
15. Varnado
16. Gladness
17. Dozier
18. Temple

Jerome Dyson left town over a week ago, according to his twitter. It's likely he'd still be here if they planned on bringing him to camp. The only two other names I've heard connected to us have been Whiteside and Harrellson. Doesn't mean a thing since they're no doubt working guys out every day. Unlike the two I mentioned, we didn't hear anything about Temple before the report he would be signed. I might be crazy looking at Hassan and Jorts as potentially serviceable players, but I'd imagine whoever would beat them out for spots 19/20 would be better, so they might actually be guys who could make the final 15.

Quick aside: Watching G2 of the Finals right now, totally forgot Battier started off on Perkins. I know he's only Kendrick Perkins, but its still crazy we essentially started Shane at C even with Bosh back. Love this team. Although, Ibaka's athleticism to go with his length makes Bosh the wiser cover for him.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Chamberlain Oguchi, a 6-6 swingman from the Nigerian national team has been invited back to work with the Heat.
> Oguchi had a 35-point game for Nigeria against France in the Olympics. He played collegiately at Oregon and Illinois State, which he left in 2009. American-born, he has played in several international leagues and the NBA Development League since.


Article from Woj about Oguchi from a month ago



> LONDON – After leaving college basketball in 2009, Nigerian national team player Chamberlain Oguchi has been the ultimate basketball journeyman, bouncing from professional leagues in Lebanon, Venezuela, Mexico, and the Philippines. It seemed he would come and go out of these Olympic Games without much notice.
> 
> That was before Oguchi scored 35 points in Nigeria's final preliminary round game, a 79-73 loss to France. Suddenly, several NBA teams are inviting him to training camp on nonguaranteed deals, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. Several teams had front-office executives in London for the performance, where Oguchi made eight of his fourteen 3-point attempts. Most see value in the versatile 6-foot-6 swingman, who could be had on a rookie-scale contract.
> 
> Oguchi, 26, played high school basketball in Houston before enrolling at Oregon and Illinois State. He played 31 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Developmental League in 2010-11, averaging 10 points per game.


Link


----------



## Jace

Meh, not sure why we're going so wing crazy. I'd be content to let Harris and Temple battle it out for a spot.

Sunday, and still nothing from Jorts except a retweet of a fan who spotted him in the ATL airport. Pretty sure we passed.


----------



## Wade County

Love seeing NoCo's flat top. Epic. Imagine if he rediscovers that mojo from his 1st two months in the league. He had his moments in the playoffs though - hopefully a full training camp helps him out.

Wade looks in good shape too - so i wouldnt worry too much. If he's doing 20km bike rides, it won't be long til he's pounding the court. Can't wait to defend this title.


----------



## Jace

*



The Heat concluded a several-day audition of former Kings center Hassan Whiteside and will decide whether to sign him, Josh Harrellson or neither. So far, Miami passed on auditioning former Nuggets center Chris “Birdman” Andersen, who would love to play here, or older veterans such as Mehmet Okur… A Heat official said the team was disappointed in Dexter Pittman’s summer league work and “this is a crucial training camp for him. But the slate is clear.” Pittman has a guaranteed contract ($854,389) and seems likely to stick but has been assured nothing.

Click to expand...

*

"Slate is clear" meaning they won't take his awful SL into consideration, or everyone competing is on even ground?
*




Doc Rivers isn’t concerned about the Lakers and their recent acquisitions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

“Honestly, I don't care about the Lakers,” Rivers said. “My honest thought as a coach right now…I have my eye squarely on Miami. I come up to my players during the year -- they're in the facility now -- I bring up Miami every single day to them. I want them to hate them. I want them to beat them. That's got to be our focus.

“I think the Lakers are better,” Rivers continued. “I’m actually not one that thinks they’re way better. The guy they traded, (Andrew) Bynum, we struggled to guard him. Dwight is a great player, but we’ve guarded him pretty well.

“Offensively, the Nash part is different. I look at them and wonder how that’s going to work. I hear they’re going to run the Princeton offense, which I want to see the ball move, I want to see Kobe (Bryant) keep moving the ball.

“But it’ll be interesting. They’re really good.”

Rivers discussed specific points of emphasis for the coming season, and once again his thoughts drifted back to the Heat.

“We have to get to the foul line because when you get to the foul line -- that's one of the big things now in our league -- if you can get to the foul line, you can become a dominant defensive team because you get to set your defense every single time,” Rivers said. “If you keep missing shots against Miami, you're going to let them run back and forth. I told our guys, ‘I'm smart enough to know that if we get in a track meet with Miami, they're probably going to win, but if we get into a thinking meet, we will win that game.’

“When we play them, that’s how we have to turn the game. We want them to think. We want them to play under thought, not with their instincts.”

Click to expand...

*
_
I've sent men dressed in Miami Heat apparel to egg and TP my players houses._ - Doc Rivers

Not really, but man, he sure has his goals set.



> @DwyaneWade
> 
> good. Then get yo *** back to miayo. We got work to do. “@mchalmers15: Chillin before we turn up for the last time”


Hopefully he gets all the Wario out of his system.


----------



## Wade County

U mad Doc? 

Bring it. Not scared of the Celtics. Although I hate Pierce, Garnett, Rondo and Terry with a passion.


----------



## Adam

Sounds like Pittman has lost his immunity. Good. In an honest, fair competition he would not make this team.


----------



## Jace

That's what I was hoping it meant. Money shouldn't get in the way of ability with this team. We need the best 15 while we have this championship window. Pittman was drafted with an eye toward a philosophy we stray further and further away from every season. On top of that, he hasn't even shown the ability to perform in the role we envisioned.

And yeah, it just hit me how much more hateable swapping Allen for Terry makes Boston. Allen was the only one I could tolerate, and Terry has always been a troll.


----------



## UD40

"We got work to do." Love it.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The intensity is still there, even if he's just getting fitted for his ring :laugh:










Speaking of Pitt, he is looking as skinny as I can remember










Rashard working on his 3pt shot. He's got one high release


----------



## UD40

Wow, Pitt really did slim down!


----------



## 29380

> MiamiHEAT OFFICIAL: The @MiamiHEAT have signed Josh Harrellson (@BigJorts55).


...


----------



## Dee-Zy

Damn, you beat me to it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...set=a.405943314123.184340.284300559123&type=1


----------



## Dee-Zy

I like that signing. Blue colar, scrappy, hustles and can shoot.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

There you go. Guess they decided Harrelson's offensive game could come more handy than Whiteside's D.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Josh Harrellson ‏@BigJorts55
> I'm taking my talents to South Beach! Let's go Heat


That line will never die, will it? :laugh:


----------



## Wade County

Solid end of bench signing. Kentucky guy too - so you know Riles loves that.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Assuming Pittman isnt a lock, there's 3 spots left on the roster to fight for.

Pittman, Harrellson, Varnado, Gladness, Harris and Temple left fighting for them.

Dozier should sign soon and Ira thinks Juwan might get that 20th and last camp invite. I hope not. Like Juwan, but dont want to give them the chance to find a reason to want to keep the veteran presence over one of these young guy.


----------



## Wade County

Wade2Bosh said:


> Assuming Pittman isnt a lock, there's 3 spots left on the roster to fight for.
> 
> Pittman, Harrellson, Varnado, Gladness, Harris and Temple left fighting for them.
> 
> Dozier should sign soon and *Ira thinks Juwan might get that 20th and last camp invite*. I hope not. Like Juwan, but dont want to give them the chance to find a reason to want to keep the veteran presence over one of these young guy.


Is this guy ****ing with me right now?

Juwan has been stealing pay cheques for the past 3 years - just **** off and retire man, seriously. Go out with a chip!

Shouldn't have even been on the team last year, let alone this year. NO. JUST NO!


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Yeah, Juwan has been working out in the Heat facility the past few weeks. Probably hoping and praying they ask him back.

He should talk to Zo about wanting to get that 1 extra year after a championship. Hell, the same goes for half that '05-'06 championship team.


----------



## doctordrizzay

I can see Josh being the Heat crowd favorite next year.


----------



## Jace

Let's see if he makes the team first. I like the signing. His skill set is incredibly intriguing here and seems as though it might be a good fit. Also great to add youth to this team, and someone to rebound on UD's level.



> Mike Miller, who witnessed a recent Harrellson sesson, said ex-Knick was exceptional with his 3-point shooting.


Mmmmm



Wade2Bosh said:


> The intensity is still there, even if he's just getting fitted for his ring :laugh:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Speaking of Pitt, he is looking as skinny as I can remember
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Rashard working on his 3pt shot. He's got one high release


1) Holy Shittman! Word from a player working out at the AAA is Pitt looks as skinny as ever. Glad he finally took his shit seriously.



> Ira Winderman
> 
> For all the talk of Dexter Pittman being in jeopardy, one Heat player told me Pittman looks as fit as he has been. The teammate said if Pittman doesn't stick, it won't be because of lack of effort with his conditioning.


2) Shard has always had one of those Michael Redd, slingshot shots. I love it. That shit is unblockable, too.



Wade2Bosh said:


> There you go. Guess they decided Harrelson's offensive game could come more handy than Whiteside's D.


Ira did give his opinion 20 could go to Juwan, but he also said Whiteside is still in the running. I was hoping for Jorts/Hassan as the last two, so I'm halfway there. If it goes to Juwan, I'll go bonkers. All the reasons have been stated time and time again. I hated him as a 15th man, and wouldn't even know how to tolerate him as the 20th over a Whiteside or even a Birdman.

More Ira



> Robert Dozier is expected to be the 19th player invited to Heat camp. Juwan Howard still might be the 20th. Dozier essentially has been told he can have a spot in Heat camp, after spending the summer working with the team.


----------



## Jace

Hmmm...is Hassan working out for Brooklyn?



> @mreverything211
> 
> “@drayblatche: Great 2 workouts today now relaxing playin madden” and almost made @youngwhiteside fall on your cross


Don't know who Mr. Everything is, but apparently he witnessed Andray Blatche cross Hassan over nasty today.


----------



## Jace

To note, ESPN Heat Index stat aficionado Tom Haberstroh appears to be a big Jorts fan.



> @tomhaberstroh
> 
> Jorts can play. RT @MiamiHEAT: OFFICIAL: The @MiamiHEAT have signed Josh Harrellson.


This is from his top 5 players who could be the next Jeremy Lin this season, posted a month ago. (I can't read anything after this because its Insider)

*



Josh Harrellson (free agent)
NBArank: 403

Interestingly enough, Harrellson finds himself in a position similar to what Lin experienced last season for the Houston Rockets. Although Harrellson has proved he can play at an NBA level, the Rockets simply feature too many bodies ahead of him on the depth chart, and like Lin, Harrellson was the odd man out. There's a legitimate chance that the Rockets may be kicking themselves for this cut, as well.

Click to expand...

*

Well, that would be awesome.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

This will definitely take some time getting used to..










All our shooters were in the building today..

Battier and JJ










Mike, Shard and Ray










And the newest Heatian, Josh Harrellson, was also in the building working out with Pitt


----------



## Dee-Zy

Nice!

Who's Instagram account is that?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

The Miami Heat official account. Its "miamiheat" on instagram.

Wade getting fitted for his ring

http://instagram.com/p/Puc3PLkMrA/

Mario getting fitted for his ring

http://instagram.com/p/Pui8_ZEMvT/


----------



## Jace

Ray's calves are insane. 

Those pictures make me feel sexy.










New ink for JJ?


----------



## Jace

*ESPN HEAT Index's T-'Stroh on Jorts and why




If Pat Riley asked the basketball gods to construct a flier for the Heat to sign for training camp, that flier would probably play a lot like former Knicks center Josh Harrellson.

On Monday night, the Heat announced that they signed Harrellson to what's believed to be a nonguaranteed deal and will be bringing him to training camp along with 17 others. There's a chance that Harrellson doesn't make the regular season roster when the Heat are forced to trim down to 15 players next month. The 23-year-old will be presumably battling with invitees Mickell Gladness, Terrel Harris, Dexter Pittman and Garrett Temple for two spots on the team.

But judging from what Harrellson's done in the league so far, the Heat inking Harrellson to a non-binding deal makes all the sense in the world, especially for what Erik Spoelstra is setting out to do this upcoming season.

The road to Miami
Harrellson, who goes by the name of "Jorts" for his taste in jean shorts, achieved near cult status in New York last season. If you want an idea of what he meant to Knicks fans, browse their reaction to Monday's news on Twitter. Hard to argue when he sports a mustache like that.

But Harrellson is much more than a novelty. The guy can play.

What Harrellson brings to the table is something that the Heat have highly-coveted for a couple years now: 3-point shooting, 3-point shooting and more 3-point shooting. The 6-foot-10, 275-pound Kentucky product shot 33.9 percent from beyond the arc in his rookie campaign, a shade under the league average last season but stellar for a guy who can play center. (It's worth noting that Harrellson shot better from downtown last season than Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and stretch-4 Antawn Jamison.)

The pursuit of Harrellson has been weeks in the making. When the Heat brought Harrellson to Miami for his first workout this offseason, the coaching staff came away impressed by his shooting display, enough to bring him in for a second workout for Riley to see (Riley had been away from the AmericanAirlines Arena for the first time around).

But after a second look at the burly big man, soon enough Harrellson was inked to a deal.

How he fits in with the Heat
It's easy to see why the Heat are intrigued by Harrellson's talents. Even if his 3-point tries don't go in, he'll be useful for the Heat offense that puts a premium on spacing. Under then-coach Mike D'Antoni's lead last season, Harrellson wasn't shy about setting up around the perimeter and shooting to his heart's content. As our own John Hollinger points out in his Heat player profiles, no center took a higher proportion of his shots from downtown than Harrellson.

Pulling up Harrellson's game film reveals why he's going to be a fascinating player to watch as he tries to cement his spot on the roster. Simply by camping out in the corners, Harrellson presented his big man defender with the following dilemma: should he sag into the paint and prevent Carmelo Anthony or Jeremy Lin's penetration and risk a kickout, or should he stick to Harrellson and leave the driving player unattended?

That's a tricky proposition made nearly impossible if Harrellson's even an average 3-point shooter and LeBron James is barreling down the lane. Remember, if you're willing to leave a 33.9 percent 3-point shooter open, you'd better be willing to leave a 50.9 percent two-point shooter open. Statistically speaking, the payoff is exactly the same. It's why 3-point shooters are deadly when handcuffed to elite dribble-penetrators.

This confirms what our eyes told us when we watched the Thunder frantically try to defend the Heat in the Finals when Miami spaced the floor with Chris Bosh, Shane Battier and Mike Miller. Dealing with those shooters, James posting up and Dwyane Wade slashing through the paint? Good luck.

Pursuing Harrellson was a logical step for the Heat as they try to see how much extra space they can create for James, Wade and Bosh to do their thing. With Bosh penciled in at starting center, the Heat could use an unconventional backup who reinforces their "pace-and-space" attack and to pull opposing centers out of the paint. Resident backup Joel Anthony is the anti-Harrellson in this sense. Harrellson's range extends 25 feet; Anthony's range extends 2.5 feet. Harrellson rebounds like a center; Anthony rebounds like a small forward. Then again, Harrellson moves laterally like a full shopping cart; Anthony moves laterally like a 6-foot-8 crab.

The hard numbers
Floor-spacing has been a buzzword for coaches for decades now, but it's hard to see its benefits simply by looking at the box score. But a recent statistical study by Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus shed some light on its hidden value. He correlated his box-score-fueled player metric with how the scoreboard changed when a player was on the floor. What he found was that sharpshooters tend to have a more positive impact on the score than we'd expect given their box score stats alone. In other words, floor-spacers are more essential than we might have thought. (If you're cool with a dizzying avalanche of numbers, you can read more about Pelton's findings here and here.)

Now Harrellson can shoot, but he's not a one-dimensional player by any means. He's a wide body and, unlike Dexter Pittman, he leveraged his size into rebounds last season, especially on the offensive end. For the 2011-12 campaign, Harrellson pulled down 9.6 rebounds per 36 minutes, which is on par with other centers such as Chris Kaman, Kevin Garnett and Nene. This is a guy that once prompted D'Antoni to quip last season: "He is strong, he is dirt strong ... he's got a little pop to his game that people didn't know about."

That dual skill-set of rebounding and shooting is the pop that D'Antoni might be referencing. It's been mentioned in this space before, but it bears repeating that Harrellson joined Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love and Milwaukee Bucks forward Ersan Ilyasova as the only qualified players last season to average over nine rebounds and make at least one 3-pointer per 36 minutes on the floor. Not bad company.

The cost-benefit of Jorts
Of course, Harrellson struggled to find a guaranteed deal for a reason (or a few). He has only one season of solid 3-point shooting under his belt (he didn't shoot 3s at Kentucky). It sometimes appears like the soles of his shoes are laced with Elmer's glue and he has almost no post-up game to speak of.

But you can expect Spoelstra to test Harrellson in the preseason, not only to see his game but also his conditioning. The Heat are notorious for their rigorous training camps and the word is that Harrellson wasn't nearly in game shape when they worked him out a few weeks ago. Pittman and Harrellson certainly have that in common.

At best, the Heat found their backup center on the cheap, one that fits perfectly within their already scary offense. At worst, they burned a few dollars to discover that Harrellson's shooting display last season was a fluke. Harrellson's 13.7 player efficiency rating last season put him above Aaron Gray, Greg Stiemsma and Kwame Brown on the PER leaderboard. Those three centers netted multi-year deals this summer; Miami managed to bring in Harrellson on a training camp invite.

That kind of upside is worth a flier for the defending champs. And then some.

Click to expand...

*

I like the quote from D'Antoni, "dirt strong." I have a feeling we'll love Jorts. We've had a recent tradition of underwhelming centers whom we've learned to appreciate: Magloire, Z, Dampier, Joel, Turiaf, etc. Harrellson's rebounding, D, hustle, and shooting should give him an edge over what we're used to. It'll be that much better since we won't rely on him to be our starting pivot.

Dub-dos, still got Insider? I'd love to read *this*.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I think Myst or WC are the ones with Insider

Fitting that we signed Harrellson. One of the more well known plays in his college career was when he was falling out of bounds and threw a laser off of now Celtic Jared Sullinger's chest






That thump at the 3 second mark is crazy :laugh:


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Video of Wade getting fitted for his ring


----------



## Jace

Oh yeah, couldn't remember if it was you or WC. No worries, I found it on another board and will post it later.

Kentucky vs. Ohio State reminded me of the fact that Harrellson already has the advantage of being in with LeBron, since Kentucky is one of the schools he spends a lot of time at.


----------



## 29380

> John Hollinger's Miami Heat: 2012-13 roster Analysis
> 
> (FROM ESPN INSIDER)
> 
> Player Profiles: Miami Heat
> 
> 
> Here are my player scouting reports and 2012-13 projections for the Miami Heat. (Note: Projections are for players who played 500 or more minutes in the NBA in '11-12.)
> 
> 
> PROJECTED STARTERS
> 
> 
> MARIO CHALMERS, PG
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> 
> PTS REB AST PER
> 13.1 3.7 5.1 12.8
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Spot-up shooting point guard who rarely penetrates. Good 3-point shooter.
> + Subpar ballhandler prone to wild turnovers. Professionalism a concern.
> + Good size for guard and great hands, but lacks great quickness. Foul prone.
> 
> Analysis
> Chalmers finally became the player Miami needed him to be last season, taking more than half his shots from beyond the arc and nailing 38.8 percent to post the sixth-best true shooting percentage among point guards. That's what the Heat required -- a low-usage, high-efficiency sniper -- and he built on it by also having one of the best 2-point shooting marks (51.6 percent) at his position.
> 
> Chalmers is still nobody's idea of a point guard, inexplicably having one of the worst turnover rates at his position despite being asked to do very little ball-handling and creating, but on this team his skill set fits as long as he's making jumpers. He's a solid candidate to regress, unfortunately, as he'd never shot this well before.
> 
> Defensively, Chalmers has always had decent size and excellent hands (11th at his position in steals per minute), but last season was the first where you could say he was a plus overall. The Heat gave up 3.8 points per 100 possessions less with him on the court, opposing point guards had a 14.6 PER against him according to 82games.com, and Synergy placed him in the top half of point guards. Fast point guards still give him fits, but overall he did solid work.
> 
> 
> DWYANE WADE, SG
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> 
> PTS REB AST PER
> 25.8 6.0 5.4 24.8
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Electrifying wing with blinding quickness, long arms and quick leaping ability.
> + Great at splitting pick-and-rolls. Poor shooter but draws heaps of fouls with fakes.
> + Ball-hawking defender but gambles too much. Amazing shot-blocker for his size.
> 
> Analysis
> Wade is 6-foot-4, but he doesn't play anything like his size. Look just at his stats and you'd think he was a power forward -- Wade's rates of blocked shots, free throws and shots in the basket area seems much more in line with that position than his own, while he also punches far above his weight as a rebounder.
> 
> In particular, Wade's rate of 1.51 blocks per 40 minutes was simply amazing -- every other player with that high a rate was at least three inches taller. Meanwhile, he combined those skills with the quickness of a point guard, ranking fifth at his position in steals per minute and 15th in pure point rating. Alas, the other area where he acted like a big man was in transition defense, where Wade often lumbered back slowly.
> 
> Offensively, Wade pretty much ditched the 3-pointer and focused on his midrange game last season, and the change helped: He hit 42.3 percent of his long 2s. Unfortunately his true shooting percentage still fell because he drew dramatically fewer fouls than a year earlier. Wade's free-throw rate was still among the best in the game, but at 30 years old this may be the first sign that he's starting to lose some of his burst.
> 
> Not that he's lost much: He still led all shooting guards in PER and ranked third overall. But he needed his knee drained to get through the season and had surgery on it afterward, and the Heat kept him to 49 games and 33 minutes per contest. His physical frailty may be one of the bigger obstacles to the Heat repeating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> LeBRON JAMES, SF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> 
> PTS REB AST PER
> 28.4 8.3 7.3 29.7
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Bruising wing with a point guard's handle and a center's body. Deadly at rim.
> + Solid outside shooter who has added left-block post game. Can pass and create.
> + Outstanding rebounder. Excellent defensive player who can guard 1 through 5.
> 
> Analysis
> LeBron James was only 18th among small forwards in offensive rebound rate, barely placing him in the top third at his position. He really needs to work on that.
> 
> Otherwise:
> 
> • He led the league in PER, with one of the highest marks of all time.
> • He was first among SFs in shooting percentage, 2-point shooting percentage, and usage rate.
> • He was second at his position in points per minute, TS%, and defensive rebound rate.
> • He was third in pure point rating, free-throw rate, and overall rebound rate.
> • He had the fourth-lowest foul rate among SFs, and yet was fifth in steals per minute.
> 
> James nearly led the NBA in shooting percentage at the rim (see chart), at a phenomenal 75.4 percent, and took more shots there than all but four players. He added a post game, improved his floater, and made his midrange jumpers. As a result he was fourth in the league in shooting from 3-to-15 feet.
> 
> Top shooting percentage at the rim, 2011-12
> Player Team FG%
> Tyson Chandler NY 75.8
> LeBron James Mia 75.4
> Andre Iguodala Phi 75.2
> Dwight Howard Orl 74.4
> Blake Griffin LAC 73.7
> Min. 150 attempts. Source: Hoopdata.com
> Want more? He shot 3-pointers better than the league average for the first time in his career and set career highs in true shooting percentage, rebound rate, and shooting percentage. He won MVP of the Finals and hit the biggest shot of the season while fighting off leg cramps; before that, in a seven-game conference finals against the league's best defensive team, he averaged 33.6 points on 52.7 percent shooting.
> 
> James defended all five positions, many times in the same game, and defended all of them well. Opposing small forwards had just a 10.6 PER against him, according to 82games.com
> 
> About the only thing I could genuinely criticize is his 77.1 free-throw percentage, which was slightly below the average for small forwards. Otherwise he had a decent year.
> 
> 
> 
> SHANE BATTIER, SF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> 
> PTS REB AST PER
> 8.4 4.4 2.3 9.4
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Heady defender who takes advantage of length and rarely makes mistakes.
> + Good corner 3-point shooter but has a slow, low release. Good at post entry.
> + Can't create at all but can make hooks from post. Has the size to play 4 in stretches.
> 
> Analysis
> Battier was great in the Finals, but what made that so surprising was his fairly abysmal regular season. He shot just 38.7 percent, rebounded like a guard, and scored an anemic 8.3 points per 40 minutes.
> 
> Most of his shots were 3s, but he made just 33.9 percent from deep and hardly ever got to the cup, earning only 37 free-throw attempts the entire season. As a result, his true shooting percentage was below the league average -- not a great result for a low-usage floor-spacer. Battier's only positive offensive contributions were his passing and avoidance of turnovers; he finished eighth among small forwards in pure point rating.
> 
> Defensively, Battier had more zip, but again his regular season paled next to his postseason. He ranked among the top dozen small forwards in both blocks and steals, but the Heat defended slightly better with him off the court -- the first time in eons we've been able to say that about Battier -- and Synergy rated him in the middle of the pack among small forwards.
> 
> And while Battier hurt the Thunder in the Finals, up 'til that point his playoffs had been pretty humdrum too. Through the first three rounds, his shooting and scoring rates were even worse than in the regular season.
> 
> Even at that production level, Battier has his uses as a multi-position defender and quasi-floor spacer. But the Heat should be wary of further slippage from the 33-year-old and can't overreact to a particularly well-timed five-game stretch of quality.
> 
> 
> CHRIS BOSH, PF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> 
> PTS REB AST PER
> 19.9 9.4 2.1 18.6
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Lanky, left-handed, high-scoring forward who can shoot, drive and finish.
> + Excels at taking opposing bigs off dribble to draw fouls. Has 3-point range.
> + Mobile defender who has vastly improved. Lacks strength. Rarely fouls.
> 
> Analysis
> Bosh's scoring and rebounding numbers took a hit when he came to Miami, with the rebounding drop in particular proving confounding. But one area where he hasn't received enough credit is his defense. Bosh basically switched to being a full-time 5 in the playoffs despite his lack of muscle and handled the job admirably. Meanwhile, he was a defensive force all season because of his improved focus combined with tremendous mobility for his size.
> 
> For the year Bosh rated among the top 10 defensive bigs in the league, according to Synergy. Opposing centers had only a 12.4 PER against him, according to 82games.com, and the Heat gave up 1.3 points per 100 possessions less with him on the court. This is the Bosh we didn't see in Toronto, although to be fair he had a lot less help up there.
> 
> Offensively, Bosh was vitally important for Miami as well, providing the spacing and scoring threat that Miami's other bigs couldn't. Bosh shot 66.5 percent in the basket area with a high free-throw rate, but just as potent was his 42.3 percent mark on jumpers beyond 10 feet. Bosh even hit 10 3-pointers, and then added a few more to beat Boston in Game 7 of the conference finals.
> 
> The other notable facet of Bosh's game is how rarely he fouls. Only four power forwards were whistled less than his 2.55 personals per 40 minutes, despite the fact he played center nearly as often as the 4. As a result, he's able to stay on the court -- and impact the game -- for much longer stretches than most bigs.





> RESERVES :
> 
> 
> 
> RAY ALLEN, SG
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 14.7 3.7 2.9 13.2
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + All-time great outside shooter who excels at moving off screens for jumpers.
> + Average athlete but has good handle for his size. Subpar defender but competes.
> + Money foul shooter. Rarely creates for self. Outstanding conditioning.
> 
> Analysis
> The shift to Miami may come at a perfect time for Allen. Last season he did the same things he's always done, he just did them less often -- his usage rate was a career low and he averaged just 16.7 points per 40 minutes as a result. But unlike Boston, the Heat don't need Allen to create shots, just to knock down the wide-open ones that James and Wade create for him.
> 
> The evidence he can do that is overwhelming. Last season was his fourth straight with a true shooting percentage in the 60s, placing him fourth among shooting guards in 2011-12. Nearly half his shots were 3s and he nailed 45.3 percent. For good measure he hit 91.5 percent from the line, although his free throw rate was down from in previous seasons.
> 
> Allen only made 37.7 percent of his long 2s -- a shot he may rarely take this season -- and had just 53 buckets at the rim the entire season, but his ball-handling numbers remained solid and his rebound rate was passable too.
> 
> Defensively, Allen competes but he's tailed off. Boston allowed 5.2 points per 100 possessions more with him on the court, and while that isn't entirely connected just to him, the uptick when Avery Bradley replaced him was immediately noticeable. Having LeBron and Wade around will spare him the tougher defensive matchups, however, and he's a solid team defender.
> 
> 
> UDONIS HASLEM, PF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 10.0 11.7 1.0 11.1
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Tough, smart, pick-and-pop power forward whose jump shot abandoned him.
> + Not a great athlete but a solid, low-mistake defender. Rarely creates own shot.
> + Limited post game. Undersized 4 but strong, physical. Good rebounder for size.
> 
> Analysis
> Haslem's pick-and-pop game lost its pop last season. He has normally feasted on midrange jump shots, but last season he converted only 35.5 percent of his shots beyond 10 feet, a development that left him without much of a role offensively. Haslem had the eighth-worst true shooting percentage at his position and an unusually high turnover rate for a catch-and-shoot player, leaving him both a low-usage and a low-efficiency proposition.
> 
> On the other hand, one thing Haslem did well was rebound. He finished seventh among power forwards in rebound rate, including third on the defensive glass, and that's mostly an effort thing for the undersized Haslem.
> 
> Haslem also did a lot of dirty work in the frontcourt, even moving to center at times and holding his own at 6-8. I've felt his D has been overrated in the past, but last season was pure quality -- Synergy gave him the best rating on the Heat and the sixth-best in the entire league, while the Heat gave up 2.2 points per 100 possessions less with him on the court.
> 
> Moreover, there's a good chance his shooting malaise will recover. Short-term blips in long-range shooting percentages are common, and Haslem still shot 81.4 percent from the line, so clearly the stroke is still there. He's probably not a starter anymore, but if he goes back to making 15-footers he'll be a plus off the bench.
> 
> 
> MIKE MILLER, SF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 10.7 7.2 2.5 10.3
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Big wing with textbook shooting form. Excellent, underrated rebounder.
> + Reluctant shooter who rarely attacks and forces passes. Never draws fouls.
> + Solid defender against most 3s thanks to size, but too slow to defend 2s.
> 
> Analysis
> During the regular season and playoffs, Miller had scored more than 20 points in game just once in his first 120 games with the Miami Heat. In the 121st game, however, he scored 23 points in 23 minutes, making 7 of 8 3-pointers, helping the Heat clinch the NBA title in one of the great performances in NBA playoff annals.
> 
> Miller's outlier was both extreme and extremely well-timed, but shouldn't distract from the big-picture of his disappointing campaign. He played only 39 games, as his body was clearly breaking down, and had the rather amazing statistic of only taking five free throw attempts the entire season.
> 
> Yes, five. Yes, all season. And he didn't even earn one of them  he got to shoot a technical foul shot against New Orleans.
> 
> As the chart shows, Miller was in a league of his own as far as free throw infrequency goes. What the chart doesn't show is that Miller didn't have just the lowest mark of any player in 2011-12; he had the lowest mark in the history of the NBA. The previous record-holder, Brad Lohaus in 1995-96, had five free throw attempts in 175 field goal attempts, for a rate of 0.03.
> 
> Fewest free throw attempts per field goal attempt, 2011-12
> Player Team FTA/FGA
> Mike Miller Mia 0.02
> Troy Murphy LAL 0.05
> Matt Bonner SA 0.06
> Sasha Pavlovic Bos 0.06
> Mike Bibby NY 0.06
> Min. 500 minutes
> Otherwise, Miller was deadly on 3s (45.3 percent) but again a reluctant participant -- only three small forwards had a lower usage rate. He filled out the box score, ranking third in rebound rate, but he so rarely put his deadly shot into action that he was still a net negative offensively. That's party of what made his outburst in the Finals so shocking -- convincing him to shoot the rock was half the battle.
> 
> 
> RASHARD LEWIS, SF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 12.4 6.0 1.5 10.3
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Tall combo forward with deadly corner 3 and effective left-block post game.
> + Subpar ball handler who has lost athleticism. Poor rebounder and finisher.
> + Solid team defender but struggles one-on-one against post-up 4s.
> 
> Analysis
> Lewis looked utterly uninterested in Washington, and that fact was illustrated in his play. An alleged floor-spacer who shoots 16-of-68 on 3s is a bit of a problem, and that was one reason Lewis's PER dipped into single digits. More encouragingly, the Wizards tried to indulge his left-block post game and that proved effective at times.
> 
> Still, this was a brutal campaign any way you slice it. He was below the league median for small forwards in every single metric except rebound rate (by a whisker) and free throw percentage. Washington played substantially better defense with him off the floor; in fact, we should all make a pact that he never tries to guard the wing again. Perhaps worst was that he only shot 44.8 percent on 2s, with low rates of free throws and assists -- in other words, even setting aside the 3-point disaster, he still wasn't any good.
> 
> At 32 it's not clear what he has left, but he'll have more motivation in Miami than he did in Washington (trust me, he can't have less), and he may be able to make a living shooting standstill corner 3s.
> 
> JOEL ANTHONY, C
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 5.2 7.0 0.3 8.4
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Undersized, energetic center with excellent mobility and shot-blocking skill.
> + Brutal offensive player. Can't shoot, has terrible hands and no instincts.
> + Poor rebounder despite athleticism, especially on defense. Solid foul shooter.
> 
> Analysis
> The Canadian southpaw made enough dunks and layups to be something less than a total liability offensively last season. His league-worst usage rate from 2011-12 jumped up to merely the third-worst, and his true shooting percentage ranked eighth-best among centers -- although it still produced only 6.5 points per 40 minutes. Hey, baby steps.
> 
> Anthony's secret weakness is that he's also a terrible rebounder, posting the fourth-worst rebound rate among centers. He has trouble catching the ball and will take himself out of position going for blocks; in fact he's even worse on the defensive glass than offensively.
> 
> However, defense is where his value lies. Anthony isn't terribly physical, but he's a mobile pick-and-roll defender who can block shots, so overall he's a plus at this end. Unfortunately, it doesn't offset his problems on offense, and basically renders him a situational player who has seen far too much daylight over the past two seasons.
> 
> 
> NORRIS COLE, PG
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 14.3 2.8 4.3 8.6
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Quick point guard who struggles to make shots. Must improve 3-point game.
> + Disappointed as a passer and ballhandler. Iffy court vision, too many turnovers.
> + Solid defender, especially against quick guards, but fouled far too often.
> 
> Analysis
> We're sure this guy was a point guard in college? Cole looked at times like a really short power forward, committing turnovers in bunches while virtually never locating open teammates. His Assist Rate was the fourth worst among point guards and his pure point rating the second worst, a distressing -1.30.
> 
> This may have resulted partly from trying to do too much; Cole had the Heat's fourth-highest usage rate and nearly caught Chris Bosh for third. Clearly that shouldn't have been the case, as too often Cole's attempts to create produced wild dribbling that ended with him trapped in an unwieldy spot.
> 
> Cole only hit 34.0 percent on 3s in his last two college seasons and this looms as his other big weakness as a pro -- his rookie campaign finished at 27.6 percent. He simply has to shoot better to hold down a gig, because he's not going to score at the rim enough to make a living.
> 
> Defensively, Cole redeemed himself enough to earn playoff minutes against quick guards. The Heat defended much better with him off the court, but Synergy gave him solid grades and opposing point guards had only a 12.5 PER against him, according to 82games.com.
> 
> His biggest problem on defense was all the fouling; only eight point guards were whistled more per minute even though he had just an average rate of steals. Additionally, Cole was fairly worthless on the glass, sporting the fifth-worst defensive rebound rate in the league.
> 
> 
> JAMES JONES, SF
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 11.4 3.1 1.3 9.4
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Shooting SF who has replaced cobwebs as item most commonly seen in corners.
> + Never, ever, ever attacks the basket. Rarely even dribbles. Low-turnover player.
> + Poor athlete, but has good size for 3 and plays passable defense. Bad rebounder.
> 
> Analysis
> Jones has played 2,217 minutes over the past two seasons and taken one shot in the basket area.
> 
> One.
> 
> Last season he didn't take any, and didn't make a shot inside 10 feet the entire season. Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of his tries came from beyond the 3-point line. Jones made 40.4 percent of them, too, producing one of the best true shooting percentages at his position, and once again did it with one of the lowest turnover rates in all of basketball. He also drew a surprising number of fouls for a pure catch-and-shoot guy who never penetrated.
> 
> But Jones still wasn't a very valuable player because of all his other limitations. For starters he can't create his own shot at all, not even a little bit. Defensively, his lack of mobility makes him something of a liability. While he has good size and competes, he can't play the trapping, attacking style Miami prefers. He's also useless on the glass, sporting the league's worst rebound rate among small forwards at an embarrassing 4.4 -- this was a worse mark than that of all but nine of the league's point guards.
> 
> In sum, he's a fringe rotation player if he's making 3s and worthless if he's not. Once Miami found alternate solutions to its floor-spacing conundrums in the playoffs, it was a pretty easy call to leave him on the pine.
> 
> 
> DEXTER PITTMAN, C
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> N/A N/A N/A N/A
> (Did not play 500 NBA minutes last season )
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Powerful physical force around basket with wide body. Conditioning a concern.
> + Short for a center but has long arms. Good hands. Poor foul shooter.
> + Can defend post but lacks mobility. Staggeringly foul-prone.
> 
> Analysis
> Pittman's most notable achievement was his indefensible cheap shot on Indiana's Lance Stephenson in the playoffs, but he also got into 35 regular-season games and wasn't half bad. An old-school center in a new-school league, Pittman can establish deep post position and make short shots in the paint, leading to a solid 14.1 points per 40 minutes average. He also rebounded at a solid clip for a center.
> 
> Unfortunately, he still doesn't do a whole lot else. Defensively he's only useful against another big center, where he can bang in the paint and won't have to move. Otherwise, he picks up fouls at such an alarming rate that it's difficult to keep him on the court -- nearly one foul every four minutes last season. He doesn't block shots either, and he's a liability in transition and pick-and-roll defense. Thus, his utility is likely to remain quite limited, until or unless he improves his conditioning to the point where he doesn't foul on nearly every play.
> 
> 
> JOSH HARRELLSON, C
> 
> Hollinger's 2012-13 Projections
> PTS REB AST PER
> 12.2 10.0 0.8 13.6
> (Stats are per 40 minutes)
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Scouting report
> + Wide-body who crashes boards at both ends. Has 3-point range.
> + Undersized for a 5 and on the heavy side. Lacks lateral quickness and leaping ability.
> + Lacks post game and can't create offense. Pure pick-and-pop guy.
> 
> Analysis
> Harrellson is a "4.5" who isn't quite tall or athletic enough to play center but doesn't move well enough to play the 4. That wasn't a death knell for him careerwise, however, because of his surprising emergence as a 3-point threat during his rookie season -- a skill he rarely displayed at Kentucky. Harrellson shot 33.9 percent on 3s, which isn't great, but it gave him an offensive function and came at virtually zero cost in turnovers. No center took a higher proportion of his shots from behind the arc than Mr. Jorts.
> 
> Harrellson's other skill is his rebounding; although he can't jump, his rebound rate was solid for a center. That's true even at the offensive end, a surprise given how often he was 25 feet from the rim.
> 
> Harrellson had strong defensive plus/minus numbers last season in limited action, but let's not take this too far. He can't protect the rim at all; his value is that he's willing to bang and he's usually in the right place. However, his skill set seems a strong fit for a team like Miami, where he can hang out on the perimeter and wait for others to set him up.


...


----------



## -33-

Knicks4life said:


> ...


Thanks for sharing. Great article.


----------



## Dee-Zy

> Then again, Harrellson moves laterally like a full shopping cart; Anthony moves laterally like a 6-foot-8 crab.



hahahaha, loved that quote.

Too bad Joel and Jorts can't:









That was a good read, make me like him even more. Really hope he makes the cut.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Thanks, Knicks4life :cheers:


----------



## 29380

No problem, 9/10 when you want to read an insider article all you have to is google the first couple of line they give and you will find the whole thing somewhere.


----------



## Wade County

Interesting article. Thanks for posting K4L.

Apparently we are close to a non-guaranteed deal with Chamberlain Oguchi too. Think he played in the Olympics and did ok or something. 

Extreme long shot to make our roster though.


----------



## Jace

> @TeamNigeria10
> 
> Chamberlain Oguchi is coming very close in getting a non-guaranteed contract with the Miami Heat


I guess we have our 20, assuming Dozier accepts the invite.










I wonder if he can touch his toes with those T-Rex arms.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Posted about him a page or two ago. Scored 35 against France in the Olympics.


----------



## Jace

Wade2Bosh said:


> Posted about him a page or two ago. Scored 35 against France in the Olympics.


Yup. I don't know how optimistic I am about his chances though. Its a plus he's actually US-born, but he's bounced around leagues/countries like a nomad. I'm sure scouts didn't gain interest in him purely from one game, but I doubt he'd be garnering any interest from NBA teams if it were just a...say, 25 pt game. Also, I know we're always wanting to add shooters, but the 35 points seem a little deceptive to me. I believe it was 8-14 from 3, so all but 9 of his points were from deep, where he was clearly chucking with fourteen attempts. Camp fodder.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Yup, longest of long shots to make the roster.


----------



## Jace

At least this means no Juwan, hopefully. TAKE THE DEAL, DOZIER.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Chucking, ok but 8/14 is still over 50% from deep. That is awesome 3pt shooting.


----------



## Jace

Dee-Zy said:


> Chucking, ok but 8/14 is still over 50% from deep. That is awesome 3pt shooting.


Yes, but over the course of one game that's not particularly impressive.


----------



## Dee-Zy

You want to see 8/14 in a quarter?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Man, Ray and Rashard seem to be at the Heat gym every day.

I wonder when Lebron gets back into town?

10 days to training camp. Crazy.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Apperently Rashard's ready to give it his all this season. He seems extremely focused.


----------



## Wade County

10 days til Training Camp!?

That's awesome. Bring it on!


----------



## Jace

That means 9 days until Media Day! Single digits!

:yesyesyes:


















LeBron seems to be the last one left, as I haven't seen him getting his ring sized.

I wonder how much coaching goes on in these sessions. Like, are the new guys already learning the playbook and defensive schemes? Seems like those white shoes might belong to a coach in the picture with Ray, Pitt, Shard, UD and Joel, and its clearly a grey vs. red scrimmage.



doctordrizzay said:


> Apperently Rashard's ready to give it his all this season. He seems extremely focused.


Yup, he seemed to go straight from Impact in Vegas to here. He also is clearly trimmer than he was when we signed him. Hopefully that helps his knees, if they're chronic. As Hollinger pointed out, he was totally uninterested in Washington. Hopefully playing for the Larry will bring back at least some of the old Rashard.



Dee-Zy said:


> You want to see 8/14 in a quarter?


LOL, no. Just meant its probably not even close to sustainable over a season.


----------



## -33-

Jace said:


> I wonder how much coaching goes on in these sessions. Like, are the new guys already learning the playbook and defensive schemes? Seems like those white shoes might belong to a coach in the picture with Ray, Pitt, Shard, UD and Joel, and its clearly a grey vs. red scrimmage.


I would guess it's mainly individual skill work and weights/conditioning right now. In 10-days, they'll do more team stuff.


----------



## Jace

That's what I thought. Rashard looks to be playing SF in that picture, and I doubt we'll see much of that.

I'm sure day 1 of camp will be the normal brand of brutality. We'll definitely hear about how Spo ran a "Finals practice" again to see exactly how much was retained from June and how much work there is to be done. Ray has played in a few systems and is really smart, and Rashard played for SVG's similar system, so their learning curve shouldn't be too steep.


----------



## Jace

Kenyon Martin is apparently vehemently opposed to taking a minimum deal. I wonder if we were even interested, or passed because he's not the most ideal fit and brings an unpredictable temperament.

Lifted this from another forum, thought might some like to read it:



> Reading through the forums from this offseason, I noticed that there has been a lot of discussion surrounding Coach Spoelstra and his ability to “draw up” plays, especially in late-game situations out of time outs.
> 
> During a game, coaches call time outs for any number of reasons. They can be making a substitution, getting their players a rest or they can be trying to halt a run by the opponent. Regardless of the reason for the time out, these situations allow coaches to communicate with players and set up the next possession.
> 
> Coaches don’t draw up specific plays or actions during every time out, but they do draw them up frequently. It stands to reason that a team’s performance immediately exiting a time out can be a reflection of the coach’s ability to best prepare his team. Over the course of a season, a team that performs well offensively out of time outs can attribute much of its success to play designs and actions. Additionally, teams that perform well on the defensive end out of time outs are likely understand the plays being run by the opponents and are prepared to defend them.
> 
> How do the HEAT function out of time outs? According to data from Synergy Sports, the HEAT perform very well. This past season, the HEAT had the third most efficient offense out of timeouts at .93 points per play. The HEAT’s defense was just as successful, allowing just .784 points per play (remember lower is better defensively), also third best in the NBA. The HEAT’s net result (offense minus defense) was .146, good for second in the NBA. Here’s a graphical representation of the data:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here, the teams that perform best out of timeouts gravitate towards the upper-right portion of the graph. The size and color of the dots indicate the teams’ net result. The bigger and greener the dot is, the better the team is performing.
> 
> This past season marked the third time in four seasons that the HEAT ranked in the top five in offense after time outs, a feat only matched by the San Antonio Spurs. It was also the third time in four seasons that the HEAT finished top five in defense after time outs. The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls are the only other teams to accomplish this feat.


I think we've known Spo is pretty good out of time outs for a couple years now, but its nice to see the numbers maintaining themselves. I really think a lot of our offensive issues have been the result of star hijacking.

Pretty funny:



> @HPbasketball
> 
> Note on Heat Media Day release, em mine: "If you require a basketball OR OTHER PROPS for a photo shoot, you need to bring your own." hmmmm
> 
> @HPbasketball
> 
> "Why yes, I did bring this 6' tall cardboard cutout of a velociraptor for the photos shoot. I was told you would not provide one. Problem?"
> 
> @HPbasketball
> 
> "I'm sorry, don't see the problem with having Mario Chalmers pose next to to this oil painting of Fredo. I brought my own, what you want?"
> 
> RT @AdamReisinger
> 
> @HPbasketball "OK, Juwan, what I want you to do here is hold this giant novelty fork so it looks like its sticking out of your back"
> 
> @HPbasketball
> 
> LeBron: "Why am I holding this sign? What does HBTB mean?" "Haven't been there, bro." "Oh.... hey!" /flash click
> 
> @HPbasketball
> 
> "Look, I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I did provide my own tweed jacket, tobacco pipe, and abacus for the photo shoot with Shane."


Love the Shane and Juwan ones, but I don't get LeBron's...


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> miamiheat 9days until #HEATtrainingcamp! Rashard Lewis will wear jersey #9 for your @MiamiHEAT this season!












So close.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Keyon Dooling announced his retirement today. 

Ira already brought up how Keyon lives in Davie. Something tells me this is a name that might get brought at some point this season.

Celtics quickly filled his spot with Darko.


----------



## Wade County

9 days to media day - good to know i'm not the only one who loves media day :laugh:

I'm fully expecting Smithi to rep the Jarvis Varnado in Heat gear avatar for at minimum the next 12 months.


----------



## Dee-Zy

****, Darko went to Boston.. oh well...


----------



## Smithian

Wade County said:


> 9 days to media day - good to know i'm not the only one who loves media day :laugh:
> 
> I'm fully expecting Smithi to rep the Jarvis Varnado in Heat gear avatar for at minimum the next 12 months.


Quite possibly.

Josh Harrellson will not make this team's roster for the regular season. If he somehow does, I will clown so hard on so many of you f00ls when he sucks.


----------



## Jace

I guess he's auditioning for the role of Smithian's Curry replacement. Its an ex-Knick thing, perhaps.

Darko would've been that guy for me, so I'm not at all bothered to see him in Boston. Another ex-Knick, I should mention.



Wade2Bosh said:


> Keyon Dooling announced his retirement today.
> 
> Ira already brought up how Keyon lives in Davie. Something tells me this is a name that might get brought at some point this season.


You heard it here first. I liked him as a 3rd PG here at the beginning of the offseason, but didn't foresee us having a spot for him, as things apparently have wound up. He'd be great insurance in case of injury, or excess Wario-ball or NoNo growing pains. He can play both guard spots and defends very well, and he was absolutely money with the corner three last season. Ton of energy, and you know he'd love to play with the home team again after missing a championship here by one year. I'll always love him for the way he played in the '05 playoffs. He went from a crud shooter early in the season to NBA Jam "He's on fire!!" in the postseason.

Was really surprised to hear he retired. Definitely seemed like he had a couple seasons left.



Wade County said:


> 9 days to media day - good to know i'm not the only one who loves media day :laugh:


Actually, was 8, and 9 days until training camp. Now its 7 days until media day! Hoot hoot! One week from today!

Always loved media day for that fresh feeling and seeing new guys in the jersey, but the excitement for this and the past two have been turned up exponentially. If anything, its just nice to get the new interviews and stories after 3 months of limited news.


----------



## Dee-Zy

I was surprised to hear Dooling retire. That seemed out of the blue. I don't get it. Injuries I haven't heard about?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Keyon is a big family man. He's been bouncing around the country for the last few years and im sure that took a toll on things. I'm guessing he just wanted to spend more time with his family that lives down here in South Florida



> Miami HEAT ‏@MiamiHEAT
> #HEATtrainingcamp in 8days! HEAT have longest current streak for most playoff series w/ a road win-8!


----------



## Jace

They couldn't find a picture that represents 8, I guess. :whoknows:










UD looks like he may've added some chest meat. Hopefully he put on at least a little weight.










Looks like they bulked up Cole. Might help his finishing down the line like it did Rio.










Mmmmmmmmmm










Not going to pretend I notice Bosh's added 6 lbs. Looks the same to me.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Definitely looks like UD went back to hitting the weights this offseason.


----------



## UD40

Bosh looks like he bulked up his biceps a little, but that's about it.


----------



## Jace

Actually, upon 2nd glance, to me Bosh's triceps look bigger, which are much more important for basketball. If I'm not looking too far into things, his legs might look a little more defined too. Six lbs might just display itself in definition rather than bulk, particularly in the ways the Heat staff would have him put it on. Its all about the lean, fast muscle.


----------



## UD40

Exactly. The Riley/Spo system benefits guys with lean muscle mass as opposed to bulk.

Wouldn't be surprised if they had him focus on a lot of core workouts this off season to help anchor his body more and help with fighting for position.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> MIAMI — So much for Keyon Dooling wanting to join the Miami Heat.
> 
> The Orlando Sentinel had reported Saturday word was the point guard, who had been waived by Boston on Friday with the belief he would retire, had interest in the Heat. But the native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., denied that.
> 
> "No truth!'' Dooling wrote in an email to FOX Sports Florida. "I will never play NBA ball again.''


Link


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> miamiheat #HEATtrainingcamp in 6days! @KingJames set a career high & HEAT playoff record w/ 6 steals on 5/15.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> One of the most enjoyable projects for the Heat coaching staff tis offseason has been devising plays for Ray Allen. You know those corner threes that Allen will get a steady diet of here? Consider: Over the past two years, he made a remarkable 50.2 percent of those shots, compared with 42.2 for Kyle Korver and 38.5 for Jason Terry. (New Heat teammate Rashard Lewis was at 39.6.) Where Allen’s accuracy diminished last season was from 10 to 15 feet: 40.9, down from 57.7 and 48.9 the previous two.
> 
> Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy


Pretty big drop off from mid range. Hopefully he gets back to his normal self after the ankle surgery.


----------



## doctordrizzay

Wade2Bosh said:


> Pretty big drop off from mid range. Hopefully he gets back to his normal self after the ankle surgery.


There should be no reason for Allen to even step a foot passed the three point time this year. Pretty amazing he's been hitting those corner three's over 50 percent. 

I think this will be my favorite line up this year.

Josh
Bosh
Lebron
Allen 
Wade

A great line up for both spacing and rebounding. I want to see Josh get a lot of minutes this year.


----------



## Jace

Let's hope that wasn't an aberration we saw his rookie season. D'Antoni has the tendency to pull unusual shit out of players. Hopefully he can stay at or above the league average in 3-pt % in order to keep the D out on him. It'll be great if he can develop a Wade/Doleac-type pick-and-pop game to diversify the sets we can run with him.

I think Allen and Chalmers + the Big 3 will be our most offensively potent, with Allen/Battier possibly being the best all around, unless Miller or Lewis are having big games, or even UD. The Jorts lineup definitely has potential if he can be what he hope. Would be awesome if he had a Ryan Anderson-esque explosion with increased experience and minutes.


----------



## Dee-Zy

Ryan Anderson-esque explosion would be awesome.

The advantage that Jorts can give us as opposed to Mario, is the hustle and rebound. Having another big down there will help us a lot. If he can shoot 3s at a high clip, high enough to replace Rio, I'd be ecstatic.

The other advantage is forcing another big to come out to the perimeter on D.


----------



## Smithian

Some of you are super high on dope when you post on BBF.

It's Josh Harrellson. He's a cheap roster filler who everyone likes because he has a nickname, is tall, white, and shoots the ball.

The d00d got cut by the Rockets. If he ever touches the court for Miami our opponents will affectionately name our interior defense the "Vanilla Highway"


----------



## Jace

"Would be awesome" doesn't mean "this will happen." I'll admit that was a wild scenario to throw out there. Didn't think anyone would take it seriously.

I know its your style to be hyper-critical of non-Smithian guys, but I think you're ignoring the fact that he had a surprisingly solid rookie season. People that have seen him play more than you believe he can play for us. He's not that tall (many are calling him undersized for C), I don't give a shit what race he is (people would hype him more if he were black and they could convince themselves he's more "athletic" than he is), and you're leaving out the fact that he's not only a strong rebounder (would be our second best if you go by last year's numbers), but he also was considered a sleeper in the draft before he was even known to be a capable shooter, based almost entirely on his hustle play and all that "intangible" stuff.

The Rockets cut him because they were loaded in their front court, mostly with other young guys who were higher draft picks and need experience to show their value. Beyond that, his contract was going to become guaranteed the week they cut him. He was always an afterthought for them and doesn't fit their personnel like he could fit ours. He's not going to block shots like Joel Anthony, but he'll be able to make up for it by being able to rebound and be considered by defenses. His pick and roll D will be an adventure, but at least he can hold his own in the post. We've played worse centers extended minutes.


----------



## -33-

Jace said:


> "Would be awesome" doesn't mean "this will happen." I'll admit that was a wild scenario to throw out there. Didn't think anyone would take it seriously.
> 
> I know its your style to be hyper-critical of non-Smithian guys, but I think you're ignoring the fact that he had a surprisingly solid rookie season. People that have seen him play more than you believe he can play for us. He's not that tall (many are calling him undersized for C), I don't give a shit what race he is (people would hype him more if he were black and they could convince themselves he's more "athletic" than he is), and you're leaving out the fact that he's not only a strong rebounder (would be our second best if you go by last year's numbers), but he also was considered a sleeper in the draft before he was even known to be a capable shooter, based almost entirely on his hustle play and all that "intangible" stuff.
> 
> The Rockets cut him because they were loaded in their front court, mostly with other young guys who were higher draft picks and need experience to show their value. Beyond that, his contract was going to become guaranteed the week they cut him. He was always an afterthought for them and doesn't fit their personnel like he could fit ours. He's not going to block shots like Joel Anthony, but he'll be able to make up for it by being able to rebound and be considered by defenses. His pick and roll D will be an adventure, but at least he can hold his own in the post. We've played worse centers extended minutes.


When your posts are headlined by Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, Dexter Pittman, among others, then anything is possible.


----------



## Jace

> @MiamiHEAT
> 
> #HEATtrainingcamp: 5days! HEAT had 5 playoff road wins last yr, lead @NBA w/ 10 over last 2 seasons!












5x Wade's number 5x LeBron's. Genius.
*





Not gonna happen. Udonis Haslem is convinced of that. So convinced that the champagne had not yet dried (or even finished being poured) before he made it a priority.

On June 21, while AmericanAirlines Arena was awash in championship jubilation, teammates seeking out loved ones to share the moment, Haslem instead was seeking out Miami Heat President Pat Riley.

"I swear, after the game, I was talking to Pat about next year already," the veteran power forward and Heat co-captain said during a quiet moment this past week. "We were just brainstorming and thinking of ways of coming back better and doing what we need to do."

Such a discussion not only goes to the essence of Haslem, but also to where he found himself after he previously won a championship with the Heat. Following the team's 2006 title, Haslem and the Heat did not win another playoff game for two seasons and did not win another playoff series for four.

The difference is that 2006 championship team hardly was built for the long run, instantly growing somewhat drunk on what many viewed as unexpected success.

This Heat roster, the one that regroups at AmericanAirlines Arena next Saturday for the start of training camp, practically has a mandate to follow up with something at least as impressive, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh brought together for more than a championship cameo.

"I think it's not necessarily about being a different group. It's about the right mindset," Haslem said. "I don't think with the '06 team we really understood what mindset we had to come in with as returning champions."

He paused and offered an almost sinister smile, as if sending advance warning.

"I think now we understand what our mindset has to be," he said, "because the level of expectation has been raised a notch, and we understand that."

Last season ended with Haslem playing just 10 1/2 minutes in the deciding victory of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, scoring just one point, grabbing just one rebound and taking just one shot that night.

Now, with the Heat bolstered by offseason additions such as Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and even Josh Harrellson, there are no guarantees there will be minutes for Haslem to regain.

He nonetheless said he appreciates the delicate balance for coach Erik Spoelstra and also appreciates the deft touch Spoelstra had in managing such decisions during those fateful eight weeks of the 2012 postseason.

"I understand, as a competitor, you always want to be out there," Haslem said. "But I think as the season went on and we started to see the big picture, it got easier to kind of sacrifice those minutes."

Last season wasn't the first time Haslem had been asked to sacrifice. Just two seasons earlier, Michael Beasley was gifted a starting role at Haslem's expense.

But last season there were championship results, making it easier to first be playing behind Bosh and then behind Shane Battier.

"It's one thing to say that, it's another thing where you're put in a situation where you really have to do it," he said of ceding playing time. "And it's not easy at first."

The rotation wasn't the only reason the minutes waned. Haslem's .423 shooting percentage last season was the lowest of his nine-year career, well off his .494 career percentage. Part of the reason was the extended recovery from his 2010-11 foot injury.

But this summer? "Just say I spent a lot of time in the gym in this summer, a lot of time," he said.

The 14-foot baseline and elbow jumpers, he said, are about to bring back fond memories.

"That's what I'm hoping on," he said, adding with a smile, "maybe with a little bit more range to it."

Click to expand...

*

THANK GOD.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

He's got nowhere to go but up from how he shot last season

Malcolm Thomas and Jack McClinton are getting tryouts this week for the Heat.


----------



## Wade County

Jack McClinton is a name we havent heard in a while.

If UD gets that 15 footer back, money. Will be interesting to see how Spo juggles the minutes this season though. That 4 spot is awfully crowded now that LBJ is playing there a lot.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

> Miami HEAT @MiamiHEAT
> 4days til #HEATtrainingcamp! HEAT all-time playoff win% of .758 @AAarena is 4th best in NBA history! instagr.am/p/QAjE6VkMtc/












Wonder who the top 3 are? Bulls, Lakers and Celtics? Spurs could be one as well.


Media day is Friday :woot:


----------



## Wade County

Super pumped.

Man, Bane was so bad for 90% of last season - then just killed it in that final 10%.

Sure hope Ray Ray doesnt go through the Bane/Mike Miller/UD season long slump.


----------



## Jace

Honestly. He has the benefit of a super-refined jump shot from head to toe. Being OCD, he knows what he's doing wrong, probably right away. Shatts and UD aren't pure shooters, and Mike's issues always seemed to be injury-related, and not to mention still doesn't have as locked-in a stroke as Ray. Not going to say he won't slump, as even he goes through them and will be adjusting to a new team, but a Shanian or Udonian slump seems unlikely for him.


----------



## Wade County

How do you see the rotation going down Jace? I'm particularly interested in that 3/4/5 spot, as there's a serious log jam of talent there. Hopefully no disgruntled players - surely they must realise what's at stake here.


----------



## Wade2Bosh

I think a lot of the rotation depends on Rashard Lewis and if he can regain that form he had in Orlando. If he can, he'll eat up a lot of minutes at the 4, which they'd probably then try to compensate by playing UD more at the 5. If Lewis cant get that shot back and just looks done, then we probably wont see that big of a change in the rotation, other than likely seeing more of the finals rotation against smaller teams.


----------



## Jace

I agree on Lewis, but its the same with Haslem. If both have trouble finding their shots, no doubt UD gets the benefit minutes, since he also brings rebounding and defense. But if Lewis is serviceable and UD is still struggling to hit jumpers and finish, he could possibly wind up with spot minutes on par with what Joel might get this year. There are so many options throughout the rotation, and several with little visible separation between in terms of current ability and fit, that its hard to predict where things stand right now.

Rotation locks:

Chalmers
Wade / Allen
LeBron / Battier
-
Bosh

That's it as far as I'm concerned. The only locks at PF are the SF locks. Funny that the two role players we were so excited about in 2010 (the Gator boys) aren't necessarily rotation locks right now.

Likely in:

Haslem
Miller
Lewis
Cole

Miller will get whatever wing scraps he can get beyond LeWade, Allen, and Battier. Shane and LeBron likely playing more at PF can open up some time for him even with Allen in town. He should get even more time in the playoffs, likely cutting into Cole's minutes. All depends on his health of course.

Cole needs to show he's improved on the majority of last season, and that his playoff play wasn't an aberration. If he can hit the 3-ball consistently he might force Spo to play him. I could easily see him playing even less than last year, though, after Mike's Game 5 revelation and the chances of seeing a Ray-Dwyane back court for long stretches. Still, most of Cole's issues last year could've partially been blamed on lack of coaching, of which he got plenty this summer. His driving game gives us an element we don't have outside of James and Wade, and Chalmers on a good day.

As much as I love him and know Spo does too, I'm having trouble currently seeing Joel as a full-health, rotation regular. Haslem is likely to get as many of the backup C minutes as he can play, assuming Lewis is playing well enough to warrant a decent chunk of the PF minutes. There will be certain defensive matchups that UD will just give up to much size against, where the immediate thought would point toward Joel. However, even though he definitely plays more like a center than Haslem, he's still only an inch taller by listing, and costs the team on the defensive boards. In these situations I could see the team looking to a hopefully massively improved Pittman or another taller center brought in instead of Joel at times, one that might come with the benefit of rebounding and sporadic offense. He does remain the only shotblocker on the roster, so he has that role monopolized.

Chalmers
Wade / Allen
LeBron / Battier / Miller
Haslem / Lewis
Bosh

Is my best guess for the core, 9-man rotation. LeBron or Wade take over PG duties on both sides of the court when going without a true PG. Battier and LeBron both back up PF while UD backs up C. Cole and a center will be the last two guys getting spot minutes, with another center being the last regularly on the active roster. I could see UD almost just starting, with a true C playing the backup center minutes and UD getting spot minutes the rest of the game. He might just be placeholder to have a true PF out there before we go hyper-space.

So many wild lineup possibilities. Against slower SFs, we could go...

Wade
LeBron
Lewis
Bosh


Uber-big. Or something like...

Chalmers
Allen (or Cole)
Wade
Battier (or Miller)
LeBron

Uber-small. And everything in between.


Question for everyone, do you recognize the man on the left?


----------



## Wade2Bosh

Wow, looks like a different person.


----------



## Wade County

Wow...when was that photo taken Jace? He looks in incredible shape.


----------



## Jace

On the 19th, same day as










which clearly doesn't indicate the drastic difference like the other pic. Apparently the Heat strategically guided his weight loss to maintain a healthy buttocks. 

We Q-Rich'd his ass. Now I'm kind of excited to see if it changes much. He looks to be in the 270's now. I'm tempted to say maybe less, but then you're getting into LeBron territory.


----------



## Wade County

If Pittman could provide something, that'd be a nice little bonus. He looks in great shape though - which is a start. He has soft hands on offense, just too foul prone. Maybe he can start moving his feet a bit quicker now.


----------



## Jace

Yeah he plays too much with his hands and not his feet. What bothers me is his reaction time in general seems off. Maybe the weight loss will help that.


----------



## Jace

*



Heat's Bosh: Ready for camp, injury 'behind him'
FL State Wire
TIM REYNOLDS
Published: Today

MIAMI (AP) - Heat forward Chris Bosh insists food tasted better this summer. People were friendlier to him and his family. Everything, he said, seemed more fun.

It could have all gone a decidedly different way.

The abdominal injury that nearly ended his season - and probably would have doomed Miami's title chances - is behind him now, Bosh said. But when things looked most bleak, when the Heat lost two straight games to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals after he got hurt, Bosh was preparing himself for a long offseason without a championship to savor.

"I thought it was over," Bosh said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I didn't want to fully emotionally invest myself anymore because I didn't want to get hurt like last year when we lost the finals. I kind of had a letdown. I'm not going to lie. I was defeated. And then my wife came to me and said, 'You know, you said things were going to look bad, but you have to keep going.'"

So he did. After missing about three weeks - the typical recovery time for an injury like his is often twice that long - Bosh returned for the East finals against Boston. He made a huge 3-pointer in Game 7 as part of a 19-point effort to help beat the Celtics, then averaged 14.6 points against Oklahoma City as the Heat beat the Thunder in five games for the NBA championship.

On Saturday the Heat open training camp in Miami. And Bosh is eager to get the group back together.

"I feel good. I feel real good," Bosh said. "I've been pretty eager to get back with training camp looming and everything. I'm real excited to get back, start working. I've been in the gym a few times in the past couple weeks and that itch for basketball is there. I'm glad it's there and I'm looking forward to this season."

He's beginning his 10th NBA season, as are fellow Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Their ballyhooed decision to team up in Miami in the summer of 2010 led to countless adjustments to everyone, especially Bosh, who went from being the top option in Toronto to the perceived third-wheel with the Heat.

In Miami, they insist that isn't even close to the truth. Wade and James routinely referred to Bosh last season as Miami's "most important player," and the reasons why they say that were on display when the Heat struggled in the playoffs while Bosh dealt with the abdominal injury.

"I know his talent," Wade said. "I know what he brings to the game."

By now, probably just about everyone does.

Game 7 against Boston was a classic for the Heat, a game where for 13 minutes - a 46-possession span - of the second half, neither team led by more than two points. Bosh changed that for good when he made his career-best third 3-pointer of the night and sparked the burst that pushed Miami to what became a 101-88 win.

Hard to believe that a couple weeks earlier, he could barely walk.

"I remember thinking just before that shot, if it hits my hands, I'm shooting it," Bosh said. "I don't really think that one particular shot was a significant moment. There were a lot of significant moments. ... The whole time that game was going on, I just knew we were going to win. I didn't have any doubt in my mind. And every time I touched the ball and I shot the ball in that game, I knew it was going in. That's just how I felt."

The biggest key for him now is not feeling the same sort of pain he felt when he got hurt while dunking in Game 1 of the second-round series with Indiana.

It's been his biggest priority this summer, and will stay that way.

"It's behind me. But I still have to pay attention to stretching and strengthening all the muscles in the core around it and everything," Bosh said. "It's something that I just can't forget about. I'm not sure if I can re-aggravate it but I'm sure, just like anything, it has the potential to be chronic. If we stay on top of it and continue to do the proper treatment, proper stretching and proper strengthening, I don't see it being an issue."

Bosh spent nearly a decade chasing his first NBA title, as did James. Several other players on last season's Heat roster waited even longer to be fitted for their first championship ring.

The motivation going forward, Bosh said, is easy. He wants the Heat to, as he put it, "get greedy."

"Winning a championship is only the beginning for this group, and we have to look at it that way," Bosh said. "We have to look at it as we're trying to have a dynasty. I think that's the next thing. The only way you can do that is to have more than one championship. I look at it as a five- to six-year increment, where we're trying to win as many as possible."

Click to expand...

*

GOOD SHIT


----------



## UD40

^










:yes:


----------



## UD40

> Mario Chalmers ‏@mchalmers15
> Really impressed wit his gameRT @jjvillescas: @mchalmers15, what do you think of the signing of josh harrelson?


...


----------



## Jace

Hopefully he's just lying so Smithian doesn't have to suffer an entire season with JORTS in a Heat uniform.
*




Thinking outside of the box helped drive the Miami Heat to last season's NBA championship and coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday that's not going to change.

Deflecting questions about potential lineups or even positional designations, Spoelstra said he again simply would look for the combinations that work best, an approach that had the Heat winning the 2012 title with Chris Bosh at center and Shane Battier at power forward.

"We'll get five players out there," Spoelstra said. "I'm not going to restrict them to a box.

"We don't want to be restricted by conventional wisdom."

Speaking in a relaxed setting a day in advance of media day and two days before the start of training camp at AmericanAirlines Arena, Spoelstra cautioned about misconceptions regarding the team's direction, particular in the wake of the offseason additions of 3-point specialists Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis.

"It will not flip to the point where we're playing outside-in," he stressed.

He also tempered his summer comments about playing at an even faster pace.

"Are we going to play a frenetic style of basketball? No," he said. "We will continue to emphasize the cornerstones of Heat basketball: to defend, to attack the paint in particular."

He did, however, spend part of the offseason talking to former NBA coach Paul Westhead, an innovator of frantic fastbreak offense.

"I wanted to see something from a totally different perspective," he said.

Spoelstra also spoke to University of Florida coach Billy Donovan about the pressures of repeating as a champion, something Donovan did with the Gators.

"One of the first guys I flew up and met with," he said of their seven-hour session.

Spoelstra said he is poised for continued scrutiny, even with the breakthrough the Heat and LeBron James made last season.

"I probably would be uncomfortable if my world changed," he quipped, noting he began to experience back pain last week as the pressure of the start of a new season approached.

Spoelstra, though, grew animated by talk of the regular season having limited significance for his team.

"That's a ridiculous notion," he said. "We're not going into the season trying to preserve guys. The season is there for a reason, to get better, to compete."

Over the course of the relaxed 38-minute session, Spoelstra touched on a variety of topics:

He said Juwan Howard would not be part of the Heat's training-camp roster, but did not close the door on the veteran power forward possibly rejoining the team. Howard has been working out regularly at AmericanAirlines Arena.
He said guard Dwyane Wade, coming off July arthroscopic knee surgery, would be brought along slowly at the start of camp, with the expectation that Wade would be ready for the Oct. 30 regular-season opener against the visiting Boston Celtics. "He's not 100 percent," Spoelstra said, "so we're going to be very vigilant on how we progress with him."
He also said Allen is progressing well from July ankle surgery. "He's not 100 percent, but I wouldn't notice it," Spoelstra said.
As for veteran forward Mike Miller, Spoelstra said the oft-injured veteran swingman is healthy enough to participate in all camp drills, but would be held back at times as a precaution.
Spoelstra said the only sidelined player heading into camp is rookie power forward Jarvis Varnado, who strained his hamstring three weeks ago. Spoelstra said guard Norris Cole is beyond the groin issue that had limited him in recent days.
Of James coming in only weeks after winning Olympic gold in London, Spoelstra said, "This isn't a path that hasn't been walked before . . . He's done it, in 2008. And other guys have done it as well. That walk has been walked by the greatest."
Of having so much veteran talent and a limited amount of minutes, Spoelstra said, "Everyone knows when they signed up here that one of our major core values is to sacrifice.
He said Cole has had a strong summer, following through on the team's goal of improved playmaking and shooting.
He said center Dexter Pittman is coming off a strong month. "This will be definitely the best condition he's brought into training camp," Spoelstra said of the third-year veteran.

Click to expand...

*

MEDIA DAY TOMORROW!


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## Dee-Zy




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## Wade2Bosh

> Miami HEAT ‏@MiamiHEAT
> OFFICIAL: The @MiamiHEAT have signed Rodney Carney and Robert Dozier.


Dozier was expected. Carney is a surprise. Longshot though.

That rounds out the 20 man camp roster.


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## Wade County

I swear to god if we sign Juwan again....

Sucks that Varnado is injured - he's pretty much screwed.


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## Wade2Bosh

On WQAM.com, there's an interview with Ira from earlier this afternoon. He said that during Spo's press conference with local beat writers this morning, that Spo said that Juwan will not be brought into camp.


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## Wade County

Yeah I read that, but he also said they haven't ruled out bringing Juwan in post-training camp....


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## Wade County

Heat top 10 plays from season 2012:

http://watch.nba.com/nba/video/channels/playoffs/2012/04/27/2012_heat_top.nba

Not sure how to embed, but there's some awesome highlights in there.


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## Wade2Bosh

Wade County said:


> Yeah I read that, but he also said they haven't ruled out bringing Juwan in post-training camp....


I think they just dont wanna come out and tell him that he isnt wanted anymore. The guy has worked out at the Heat practice facility for the past few weeks. He's the house guests who wouldnt leave :laugh:


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## Wade2Bosh

Wade County said:


> Heat top 10 plays from season 2012:
> 
> http://watch.nba.com/nba/video/channels/playoffs/2012/04/27/2012_heat_top.nba
> 
> Not sure how to embed, but there's some awesome highlights in there.


Link isnt working, but is this the same vid?


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## Jace

Thoughts on Rodney Carney?






Enjoy the flashback nightmares and free Heat gear. Good luck on your journey henceforth.

Dozier is my camp sleeper. If he gets a chance to play alongside a star or two and show his glue guy ability, to go along with his versatility (particularly defensively), he might have a chance to grab that Harris/Temple spot, or maybe even, dare I say, supplant Jones?



Wade2Bosh said:


> I think they just dont wanna come out and tell him that he isnt wanted anymore. The guy has worked out at the Heat practice facility for the past few weeks. He's the house guests who wouldnt leave :laugh:


Yeah, I think they're going to try to present it as "he doesn't need camp, and we want to look at all these young guys," but there's no possible way they still view him as someone who can ever produce anything that could come anywhere close to contributing to a victory. He does nothing on the basketball court that could help a team do anything good. Wish they would just give it to him straight: "It's over, Juwan. If you really have offers elsewhere like your agent claims, have fun in Milwaukee or wherever the ****. Congrats on the ring. And you're welcome."


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## doctordrizzay

ESPNChrisPalmer chris palmer
LeBron has more seasons with at least 27 ppg, 7 rpg & 6 apg than Bird, Jordan, Magic and Kobe combined.

That's pretty ****ing amazing, and they question if he's the best all around player.


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## UD40

Watching the Celtics preseason game in Turkey against a club out their.

At the half:

FBU: 55
Celtics: 45

:2worf:


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## Jace

Did you watch the halftime studio crew? Tommy Heinsohn was making all sorts of excuses for Boston, "the other team is more in shape and has been playing together longer." That may be so, but they're playing their 3rd game in 3 nights, with the prior two being much more important than this one. Don't see why you need to make excuses for the first preseason game, though. Who cares? Boston is a late season team.

And Darko's looking a little chunky.


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## UD40

Ah yes, that is the one and only Tommy Heinshon. Hall of Famer, Bob Cousy's right hand man, Red Auerbach player...and the worst ****ing analyst EVER.

Keep in mind, growing up in New England, I've been exposed to his BS views for 22 years. He is literally the worst analyst out there. Give me Skip Bayless any day of the week.


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## Jace

Edited my post right before your response. I had a feeling it was Tommy, but still went with "old fat guy."


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## UD40

No lie, the Celtics could lose 100-0 and all he would talk about it how great they looked on one play and not mention the other team. He is the reason I no longer watch Celtics home games (he no longer does their road games.) Painful.

One time were playing them, the game was in the bag (50 seconds left maybe) and UD was walking up the court with his mouthpiece popping out a bit and he went on a rant about he shouldn't use the mouthpiece if he won't keep it in, blah blah blah blah blah. Once Rondo drove on Dwight, who hit him and Rondo fell. They called the foul right away. Tommy bitched that they called it too late.


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## UD40




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## UD40

For what it's worth, Scal is actually doing a good job calling the game.


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## doctordrizzay

Wow Celtics actually lost to that team? That might be the most embarrassing thing in the NBA that has ever happened.


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## Jace

Hyperbole aside, it was a fairly close game late when Boston had their bench out there and Fennerbahce their starters. Nothing embarrassing about any sort of preseason loss to any team.


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## doctordrizzay

Jace said:


> Hyperbole aside, it was a fairly close game late when Boston had their bench out there and Fennerbahce their starters. Nothing embarrassing about any sort of preseason loss to any team.


I mean a team with no NBA players beat's a team with 100% NBA players. That says alot, especially since it was the 3rd game in a row for Fennerbahce.


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## Wade2Bosh

It says nothing. It was a meaningless game.

Jorts shaved the Lincoln beard

http://instagr.am/p/QaegCXqJET


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## Jace

More Amish to me, but all the same. I'm sure he was getting ribbed like crazy for it. He doesn't have the look to pull it off, I guess.


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