The Open J: Wade and the Art of War

Dwyane Wade must be feeling philosophical these days. Maybe it is the copy of Sun Tzu's Art of War that Riley gave him to read.

The Heat are on a 10 game losing streak - trying to replicate their 17 game losing streak obviously. That means they are 1 for their last 28. Nice. And how is Miami all of a sudden going to turn it around? Look:

"I thought Coach really came in and made a statement of no matter what our record is we're going to continue to do what we do, and do it better," guard Dwyane Wade said.

So, the Heat are going to play spotty, confused defense, shoot inefficient and ill-timed shots, while at the same time taking a long time to set up their offense despite having no low post scoring threat. Not only that, but they are going to do it better than they had before! Wow! What a brilliant revelation!

Now of course, I love D-Wade and everything he brings to the team. And yes, I am taking this statement out of context - probably. But this only exemplifies how lost this team is.

Riley pulls a schizo trade off by dealing Shaq for Marion - good. Then proceeds to sit on the rest of the plan which should have been:

• dealing expiring contracts for talented players of similar paygrade that could help the team form its new offensive philosophy
• and possibly deal Haslem and Smush Parker in the process to help the Heat upgrade their talent pool

Yet here we are - basically the same team that got us here to 9-43 and how is that going to change? By doing the same - but better!

That is like the U.S. foreign policy these days - we are going to fix things by doing the same but better! Katrina victims, fret not. FEMA has learned their lesson. Next time we will do the same - but better!

I mean it works for movies: Rambo, the same ol'tired storyline - but better! Ishtar - the same great movie - but better!

Really, if Miami wants to improve, it has to change the horse in this race. Riley couldn't afford to stand Pat on the trade deadline - this team needs an overhaul and by not pulling the trigger on something for Smush Parker or the expiring contracts of Jason Williams and Ricky Davis he set the Heat back. Or at least made his work that much harder.

Miami can't play defense against a JV girls team right now. And Wade is the biggest culprit. He couldn't guard some slob coming onto the court from one of those fancy seats next to the team's bench, let alone any NBAer coming off the actual team bench. But that is only symptomatic of the entire Heat team - save Marion and Banks because they are coming from a team, gasp, that actually plays better defense (that is pretty hard to imagine though: PHX plays better defense than Miami?).

Read closer Wade. Ask Riley to reiterate his point - because Sun Tzu would never have said to conquer one's enemy one just has to keep doing what he always did - but better! That mentality will never force a breakthrough of change, which this franchise desperately needs. They just sold out their biggest chances at contending for a title every season in the near future. They got back a very nice player in return, but don't have enough to fix things, let alone get back to the playoffs. Monumental changes are needed and frankly to read Wade's quote is laughable.

But hey, at least they aren't quitting. They are going to do the same thing - but better!

Meanwhile, young players like Daequan Cook are sitting on the bench while the rest of us wonder if they even have any future here. Riley needs to find out and stop playing guys who don't have a future here.