Finally, a Win

And it is over, folks.

Ding dong the streak is dead. And so is the Heat's attempt at making history in its 20th season as an NBA franchise - which would have been bad history, of course. In it's inaugural season, the Heat had started their NBA lives with a 17 game losing streak. Just ask Ron Rothstein, he could tell you all about it.

Not sure he wanted to revisit that memory. And now, he won't have to relive it again as a coach for the Heat.

With a close win over the bruised and tattered Indiana Pacers, who were without Jamal Tinsley and Jermaine O'neal, the Heat ended their 15 game losing streak by erasing 11 point deficits and overcoming their own inability to consistently defend.

Can't say there wasn't any scares.

There were moments were the Heat looked like the old, championship Heat. Jason Williams had a couple of steals - a career high 6 in the game - and was able to toss a few exciting ally's to players for emphatic dunks. Dwyane Wade zipped down the middle of the paint for one of his signature exclamation mark dunks.

Everyone was getting into it and the Heat made plays to end the game rather than to end the game.

Dorell Wright acted like it was the final game of the 2005-2006 season:

"To tell you the truth, it felt like we really won the championship again,'' Wright said. "It's been a long time. It was a good feeling, and I'm happy it's over.''

He even launched the final rebound into the air a la Wade from the championship series against Dallas.

Relief? Yeah, you could say that. It might even pave the way for a new streak to begin. But don't bother the '72 Dolphins, they are a little preoccupied with something else right now. They have someone moving into their "neighborhood".

15 Straight Losses

Nothing could be more illustrative of the Heat's season than tonight's loss.

The thing lost in this losing streak is that for the most part, the Heat have been competitive and in every game. Sure, there were a few blowouts, but for a team battling with injuries and just an overall bad fit of personnel, this team has not backed down and has not quit.

Losing to the Spurs tonight 90-89, the Heat grabbed another loss. Sure, it is 15 straight now (not including that Atlanta loss?) but the numbers really don't matter in a season that is just looking to end. Yet, this loss tonight was a perfect illustration of the Heat's season.

There was a moment during the game where everything was going Miami's way. They were shooting the ball very well (in the 50% range) and were playing defense (no, really - they were!). Yet it all slipped away in the end: Udonis Haslem and Dorell Wright, battling for a rebound, accidentally tipped the ball into their own basket. Bruce Bowen, who had shot the ball, missed but got credit for the "made" shot. The sad thing is, there was virtually no Spur around to challenge for the rebound.

It just slipped out of the Heat's hands. And that was the difference in the game.

Of course, there is also the snapshot of Wade, at the end of the game, losing the ball as it was stripped from him by Bruce Bowen who gambled and poked the ball away.

Or there was the Heat missing almost half of their free throws (they shot .569 13-23).

Or the calls Ginobili was getting while seemingly hitching a bus from Old Cutler Road to Biscayne for a few possessions. That's ok, the officials weren't charging him for the rides and a few key baskets were awarded to the desperate Spurs who, boo hoo, had to travel til 5am just for tonight's game. At 8pm.

Sorry, professional millionaire athletes. The rest of the world will not shed a tear for you getting on a plane and flying somewhere only to have to work for about 2.5 hours about 15 hours AFTER you arrive.

There is something different about tonight's loss for the Heat though. In a way, they seem to be able to hold their heads high tonight. They fought hard against the champs of last season, even if they themselves are the champs of two seasons ago. The fact that Shaq is out again and the Heat found a way to compete is admirable.

Here's to the Heat getting lucky like the Spurs did when their Admiral was not able to lead them but instead the proud franchise hit rock bottom. They ended up with the #1 pick in the draft. The pick was used on a guy named Tim Duncan. The rest is history.

Maybe Miami can have a change of fortune like that. After all, without that draft pick, the Spurs are not hailed as a dynasty. Maybe Miami can get such an opportunity.

With a Rose, Heat Could Reload Fast

Don't be too sad, Heat fans. This year may be lost, but the future could be very bright.

Now, Miami is not tanking it like Boston did last season. They just can't defend very well and have no one supporting Wade. Not even Shaq. And Zo was lost for the season who is probably the real MVP on the defensive side of the ball if not for the entire team as it seems. Only 1 win since Zo went down.

Still, Miami is faced with getting a very high draft pick - most likely a top 5 pick at this rate - and with some extra cap space.

As for the draft pick, Miami needs Derrick Rose. This kid is electric and could man the point for the next decade in Miami - possibly convincing Wade to stick around, too. Both are from Chicago, too. Check it out.

Cavs @ Heat Observations

1. Why does Pat Riley refuse to play Dorell Wright and Daequan Cook consistently?
   
2. Has DWade really put on too much weight? I mean he looks thicker but that is muscle mass...still, seems like anytime a player does put on muscle mass he regrets it.
3. Shaq out clutching his hip. That means Wade has to bring his A+ game tonight. Maybe Shaq will clutch it enough to want to retire? I still think he can help us win another championship though...
4. Dang Lebron is bowlegged. Looks like he rode a horse here from Cleveland.
5. Wade used to be able to get away with jumping and passing - no more. Bad fundamentals are catching up.
6. Mark Blount!!!
7. Mark BLOUNT!!!
8. 28-27, Heat after 1. Lebron rattles out a three to end it. Stay tuned.
9. Shaq is baq - in the game.
   
10. Daequan really shines at times - he has such a sweet shot. He almost nailed a three point attempt put back dunk from Jwill. Sad thing is, even that wouldn't allow Riley to play him more.
11. Sorry...was eating fried chicken.
12. 42-41 Heat here in the 2nd...
13. I might be the only one watching this game...
14. Davis' shot is broke. And all the kings horses and all the kings men still can't fix that damn thing.
15. Charge on Lebron...this might be our night.
16. Where is Alexander Johnson!?
17. Wade spends too much energy trying to help this team win - that is obvious. The question is, does he have to? Why doesn't anyone else move without the ball?
18. Another thing about Wade - if he is spending all this energy in the third to keep the team in it, this is why the Heat fade in the 4th. Nothing left in the tank and they (Riley, really) has built too much dependence on him.
19. Miami is 0-7 from three point range. Can't help out Shaq or Wade.
20. Damon Jones has a mohawk. And for me to notice that means he is doing too much on the court against the Heat.
21. If Shaq isn't in the paint, there is no sense in trying to shoot it.
22. Heat showing signs of good defense against Lebron. Strangely.
23. Big Z has made a career out of cheap tip ins.
24. Wade still has the ability to draw FTAs. Say what you want about how his offseason slowed him down this season, he still has the ability to win games.
25. Like that jumper right there.
26. And that three.
27. And the streak stays alive for Miami - of making three point shots (129 straight).
28. 16 straight for Wade.
    
29. On that botched fastbreak, how did Lebron not get called for a travel?
30. Typical - Daequan makes it AFTER the buzzer.
31. 97-90, Cavs. 14 straight.
    

Pookie Not Enough

There is no reason why Wade should be in Barkley's fave five these days (thanks, TMobile, I expect that credit on my cell phone bill!) and certainly not with the way the Heat are playing. The Jordan comparisons, for now, can stop. Wade is not the one man wrecking crew he turned out to be in '05-'06. He isn't healthy and the only man to not realize this is Riley himself.

"I'm sick and tired of being asked if we have any other offensive options other than Dwyane (Wade)," the author of the book "The Winner Within" said Saturday night. "I say, "No, we don't.'"

Sure you do, Pat. You just choose not to see it.

And no, I don't mean Whaq, the 20M blackhole. Might as well be a statue of Shaq that we purchased because the real Diesel hasn't been around since after we won that championship. And even then there were weak parts to his diminishing game.

No, I am talking about Daequan Cook, Dorell Wright, and even Alexander Johnson. I am also talking about Mark Blount - yes, Mark Blount - and Earl Barron.

I am certainly not talking about Ricky Davis who all of a sudden has lost his shot. Maybe he should start yelling "fore" when shooting. Not "nachoooooo" like Gilbert "Crazy Eyes" Arenas does. Heck, at least people would be warned and there would be less injury to the spectators.

Cook, however, has shown flashes of being a star in this league. Curiously, everyone except Riley sees it. I mean, I know you drafted Jason Smith, but you did trade for Cook for a reason. You had a thought in there that was correct - get me more offense. Cook's brash young attitude may not mesh with Riley, but Smush he certainly is not. Whom we could use, by the way, but Riley doesn't believe in cornrows. The exception being Udonis and Ricky Davis - whom he had traded a few years back for precisely the same stupid rationale.

Look, I love Riley. The man is a great coach and a great tactician but frankly, when you are only focusing on one player and neglecting to explore other options simply because they are young is just plain dumb. Sun Tzu wouldn't do that. Nor would anyone else - especially the man who built the team. Might as well not sign anyone this past offseason and rolled with 8 players.

When the Heat actually played well during this 13 game losing streak, it was without its two best players - Whaq and DWade. And it was on the road against the Mavericks.

Why? The Heat played as a team and Riley coached a TEAM and not a player surrounded by supporting cast. This isn't a stiff action film where the cast is cardboard and formulaic just to support the notion of a script. This is a film that requires a bit more from its supporting cast and a bit less from its star lead. If Riley only let the team play and shifted his focus off of Wade so much it would achieve two things:

1) A team concept
2) Allow Wade to put out less effort, gain his health back and work within a team concept

In other words, Riley would have to coach and just possibly, this team might start winning again. Pookie ain't enough. Whaq's return certainly isn't going to help our defense and will in all likelihood clog up the lane as a statue with one arm frozen in the air calling for the ball.

Pookie ain't enough. And if Riley is sick enough of saying that, maybe he could go for the obvious and start playing his younger players and let them develop. Heck, this is all about next year.

No Chance

Without defense, the Heat are going nowhere. Even if they made the playoffs.

Last night, the Bulls, a team that has been struggling all season, found itself against the Heat shooting 50% and 9-17 from three point range. They scored 126 points and only gave up, in the melee, 96 points to the Warm.

There is no Heat in Miami anymore, so I am calling them out.

The Warm can't play defense and if there was a snapshot needed it was Shaq's much ballyhooed return that did next to nothing to help the Heat. He doesn't box out his man, and continues to play more like a statue than an actual human being. Ben Wallace got free on a put back dunk (which could have been called for goal-tending) proving that Shaq, despite his mass, can be outplayed by someone with more heart.

Shaq did have an effect on the game to be sure - he had 20 touches for 18 points in the first half. Then he slowed down quite a bit and fouled out. Thanks for coming out everyone, Shaq is taking half the game off.

As if 10 days in LA wasn't enough.

Shaq, or Whaq as I like to call him these days, isn't alone in the blame. His disappearing act on defense is precisely why Zo was needed to make any kind of run. Zo's defensive presence ignited the Heat on most nights with a key block or two, and saved the Heat's porous perimeter defense. Which, incidentally, is "anchored" by Dwyane Wade.

Playing 35+ minutes, Wade is going to leave an impression on the defensive side of the ball. Yet, his inability to put very much effort into defense is not only bewildering, but leaves the Heat vulnerable pretty much to any team in the NBA with a mediocre perimeter presence. We now see that it was James Posey's tough perimeter D, combined with Zo's, that was really the backbone to the Heat's ability to win games. Wade has regressed defensively.

Jason Kapono not being around to spread the defense with his outside shot has hurt both Wade and Shaq. Yet Riley has an answer on the bench - Daequan Cook - but for whatever reason does not play him. It is like he has Ricky Davis on his fantasy team and not Cook. And don't get me started on why Dorrel Wright isn't playing. I have no clue.

Still, another big time loss and Riley had his "horses" back. They were all in the game last night but they couldn't cut it. This, incidentally is good news. Any other coach would have been fired by now, but since Riley knows his boss personally, and is rumored to be on good terms with him, Riley the Prez won't fire Riley the coach. In actuality, Riley the Prez has done the coach a disservice.

Shaq and Wade are offensive players and need to be surrounded with defense and shooting. Until the Prez figures that out, this team is going nowhere. And that plan can't be implemented until after this season.

So, give up on those playoff tickets. Even if the Heat got them, they wouldn't matter much. It would be a first round exit and with the Heat's financial constraints, they would be better off dipping into the lottery and getting a young talent for dirt cheap that they could help build a future with.

And as all the losses mount, Riley will be forced to do the obvious - fire himself as coach and let another voice (hopefully Spoelstra) take over. He will also have to rebuild like he did in 03-04 - with young talent.

Patience Heat Fans

The horizon might reveal something a bit brighter than we have previously thought.

As of right now the Heat are approximately $4M over the luxury cap (68M - the Heat are at 72M) and already have 28 losses. Nothing to show for it.

But this offseason, Miami is going to have a lot of money coming off the books - they will watch their payroll drop down to 52M - with only 8 players - but pushing them about 6.5M below the salary cap.

If the Heat can move a contract - Mark Blount, maybe a Udonis Haslem - they could free up enough money to sign a marquee free agent. Not to mention if they continue at their current winning pace, the Heat will end up with a top 5 draft pick.

The Heat might be reloading a lot quicker than previously thought.

To do that, however, they will have to remain patient and not try and trade their expiring contracts for quick fixes. Heck, the turnaround might prove so drastic as to have Riley stay on as coach for one more season - dare we even think about a Zo return near the middle of next season for one last playoff run.

Should Riley Fire Himself?

Let the fire blaze - off the court that is. Because there is certainly no fire - or smoke for that matter - on the court.

Zo is out for the season and might be done for his career. Shaq is undergoing "non-traditional" treatments for his hip in LA. Wade's injury is, all of a sudden, being characterized as worse than previously thought. Jason Williams shaved his head.

It doesn't mean the Heat were going to be this bad, but it certainly means that they are definitely as bad as their record indicates. It is almost like a curse...perhaps the curse of the Toine-bino? That is for another discussion.

The question is starting to be asked: Skolnick ponders why not just give the reins to Spoelstra now; MiamiHeatwave was asking a poll about Jeff Van Gundy's possibility as a fit here in Miami. Yet Riley himself said the replacement would come from within.

Too bad Stan Van Gundy didn't stick to that 4 year promise he made his daughter and stayed on as a consultant for the Heat another season. He could have been inheriting this team, again, for good. Then again, would that really have happened - could the players really have been able to welcome SVG back after his burnout exit? Certainly Shaq, who chased him out of town to begin with, wouldn't.

Ron Rothstein is a fixed part of this team's past - not its future.

Erik Spoelstra, long regarded as a strong coaching talent, is just about right to be plucked. Why not give it to him now and let Riley console that hip of his and work on acquiring players that he doesn't have to worry about getting along with? Skolnick is right on with calling for Spoelstra to replace Riley. And even if Spoelstra fails miserably, very few will notice and Miami can always change coaches coming into next season.

I'd do it quicker than Keith Askins can say "right on". Why is it, everytime I see Keith, I expect his bowtie to spin in a circle? Maybe that might get these players to focus a bit more.

At any rate, a prime time coach under any normal circumstances would have been fired by now or on his way out the door. But Riley is having a hard time firing himself. He is afraid of what the public might think. Here's a clue - thank God! It would show the people that Riley has some perspective and that a healthy dose of self-criticism is there.

It isn't that Riley is a bad coach - by far. But when armed with what he has on hand, there isn't much he can do - he is used to a certain style of coaching. The rules were changed while he was out - quite literally. We can't expect him to take this team in a new direction. Yet on the other hand, he can't be expected to find the best talent for this team and coach it. He is more concerned with the personalities he has to deal with as a coach and that alone keeps him from making the deals he needs to make. See Smush Parker - the only reason this guy is not playing is because Riley, for whatever reason, can't coexist with him. That is a conflict of interest at best, and at worst the picture would be of a GM and a coach that can't work well together.

A change is not necessary, it is inevitable. Riley has to figure which job he wants to keep - team president or team coach. Because he cannot do both. It just doesn't work. And frankly, a legendary coach like himself shouldn't be subjected to the mediocre roster that his "GM" currently gave him. One of them has to be fired. Riley's eye for talent has a more enduring vision at this point than does his coaching, which seems to bleed lesser players dry of their energy with his legendary practices.

The idea is sound - make the change, or be changed. Embrace it, while you still have a chance.

Shaq Being Shopped?

Nothing to see here...move along...

This is what it feels like these days. Some on the boards have started questioning this about a month ago. But where there's smoke...there is some heat? Because this team lacks fire.

Still, everyone is talking about what is NOT going on. Interesting. So Riley isn't shopping Shaq we are assured. That's funny because moving a contract like Shaq's now would be very hard to do. Then again, they said the same thing about Antoine Walker's deal and the Heat not only moved his contract off the books, but also upgraded with the acquisitions of Ricky Davis and Mark Blount (which forced us to part ways with Michael Doleac and Wayne Simien).

Could the Heat pull off something similar? Not likely, unless Mark Cuban wants to gamble. And frankly, that would make sense because that team is not going to win anything unless it gets mentally tougher. Shaq at least brings a massive ego and a confidence that champions need. Funny though how the Mavs' beat writers seem to be talking a lot of trash about the Heat these days - they and their how many championships? And they have even speculated about trading for Shaq which would help them in their search for a trophy.

Still, a deal to trade Shaq isn't happening because Pat Riley said so. Right Pat? Just like SVG was going to be coaching this team for quite a while and you were done coaching.

But here is what is positive about this - a statement. Riley has said "There's going to be a time when he's going to have to play with it. He's going to have to deal with it in the future and fight through it." That means Riley is calling Shaq out. As I have dubbed him, Whaq, his 250K per game price tag is just too much to ignore. He has his money, now it is time to produce. The Heat have held up their end of the bargain, Shaq needs to do his.

Join the discussion.

Deal or No Deal?

The question is becoming paramount, almost the defining point of this season - should Miami trade for help or not?

The Heat are 8-24 and even as Ira Winderman points out, it is with great optimism at this point the Heat could get back to contending for a playoff spot. Let alone a shot at the title. The Heat would have to win 33 of their remaining 50 games to get to that .500 winning percentage which basically assures a playoff spot. That means 33-17 the rest of the way and there is no reason to estimate that as probable.

The season, as it stands, is a failure. The only questions to be answered is how many games will Whaq show up for and how many games will Riley coach from here on out.

The Heat have to commit to the future - that is what Riley himself seems to be commenting about.

So the answer is obvious - the Heat are in win maybe mode. They need to refocus on the young players they have (Cook, Wright, Barron, Quinn, Joel Anthony and Alexander Johnson) and see where that takes them. Maybe even Cook, Wright and Wade could turn out to be something akin to the Odom, Butler and Wade lineup that was on the verge of shocking the world (at least Indiana) in the 2003-2004 season.

Even Isiah Thomas, the league's worst GM, realizes that today's NBA game is a small man's game. Riley, for all his coaching talents, has only begun to realize this last season. At least publicly. But let's not make the same mistake Thomas has made - taking whatever is available and forcing it to work - that seems to be what this past offseason was about.

Sure, Riley tried this offseason: yet as Yoda says, "do or do not, there is no try". And he did not improve the Heat's chances with the players he acquired. Thankfully, he did not put the Heat in as bad of a position as Isiah did with the contracts he got in return. Arison wouldn't sign off on it.

The Heat now are forced to build around what they have. What they have is a frustrated young superstar in Wade who doesn't like losing. What they have is a grumpy old center that has to find a way to recover his game as it slips from his mighty hands. Shaq's refusal to reinvent himself in his latter years is the true reason why Miami is faced with the fall from grace few championship teams have ever faced. The Heat look more like a flash in the pan than a sustaining force. A trend more than a classic.

But there is hope if one chooses to see it. Daequan Cook looks to be a legit NBA scorer with star potential - he has the mental makeup to stay in this league and build with Wade. So does Dorell Wright - when Riley actually plays the both of them which injury has forced him to.

Riley's inability to change also has been his downfall. Stan Van Gundy always showed an ability to work with whatever he was given - just look at how much his team changed from 03-04 to 04-05 and how the Heat sustained success. He did something even Riley in his rigidness could not do.

There should be no deal for Miami unless it is a deal for the future and not for the now. Any deal to try and salvage this season should be predicated on the fact that the Heat are not going to win a championship this season but look to the future instead. If Riley, proving stubborn and ever the optimist, makes the mistake of dealing for parts to win now, he is mortgaging the future on his narrow view as a coach instead of a broader view which is demanded of a GM.

There is no greater illustration of this than Riley's gamble on Jason Williams knees. The Heat's 2007-2008 season was bet on his creaky knees being healthy and as a result the Heat franchise has stumbled and now are found on their knees.

Heat Got Issues

More like Unhappy New Year.

The Heat lost to the Bucks last night 103-98. A team that had 2 road wins comes into our house and beats us. Sure, we were shorthanded, but still, we got DWade.

Well, Flash wasn't enough. In fact, it looked like he was going to only play half a game last night, starting the first quarter with 4 points and 3 turnovers. He is just pressing too much and you can tell he doesn't quite trust this team right now.

For example, to close out the first half, Wade passed the ball twice to Ricky Davis who dropped the ball both times - on the same possession! Butterfingers Davis did come through with a great effort, except at that particular moment.

The Heat showed signs of their biggest problem that has plagued them all season - no defense. During the third quarter, the Bucks just kept rattling off points while the Heat couldn't find ways to stop them or score themselves.

The Heat had some bright spots - Quinn and Blount started and put in solid efforts to replace Williams and Shaq. Quinn, I have been saying all season long, needs to be the de facto starter for this squad since he is more of an offensive threat than Williams - I know, did I really just say that? But the numbers don't lie. Quinn doesn't turn the ball over and shoots efficiently with his timid offense, but his confidence is growing and he is taking the ball to the hole and getting scores.

Blount actually helped matters - he dominated the first quarter and was the reason why the Heat jumped out to an early lead and helped the Heat shoot over 50% in the first half. His energy and movement opened up the lane and his jumper helped spread the defense. Yet, he is hardly in position to get rebounds as a result - and he had three in the first quarter but then only 1 rebound the rest of the game. In order to meet that challenge, the Heat have to find someone to rebound at PF since Udonis has been exposed as a limited, although hard working, stiff.

The issues only start there though. Riley's obsession over Luke Jackson is understandable - the kid had a great game in college. Hell, I want him to succeed and was excited at the prospect of his signing. But Kapono he is not, and although he can drive the ball he really shouldn't. His floater in the lane last night looked terrible and he looks like a JV kid trying to play with teh varsity.

What is more puzzling is why Riley won't just get over himself and trust Cook. The kid is an offensive weapon - he can light it up in a hurry. Like he did last night and helped save this anemic offense. If Riley gave the kid 25+ minutes a night, Cook might consistently score 15+ points - and help spread the floor with his shot in the process. But Riley is too smart for that.

Then there is Whaq, Shaq's alter ego/evil twin. Whaq showed up this season to pretend to be Shaq - he plants in the lane, doesn't move on offense, doesn't box out, doesn't play defense. He whines after losses and points the finger, grumbles about the team and its performance - yet never offers to take the team on his back and lead by example. Whaq, of course, doesn't sit with his teammates when he is injured, too. Calling into question just how injured he is and just how much does he really want to win.

As far as I am concerned, Whaq can stay injured. Whenever Shaq returns, who knows if he does, he can come back. Until then, keep the imposter off the floor and even off the bench for all I care.

Riley seemed to address this though, too. He seems to note that players are quitting on this team because of the losses. He wants the players to commit to the future - yet several don't have much future beyond this season: Jason Williams and Ricky Davis, for example. Davis, however, is out there playing and trying. Williams pouts about possibly being traded, and all of a sudden his knees are creaking up again. Riley was a fool, a commendable one though, for gambling the Heat's season on Jason Williams' knees. Jwill should at least take note of that and attempt to repay Riley's faith.

So the Heat have all kinds of issues - lack of trust in teammates, lack of a consistent effort, no leadership, and no vision of the future. This season, as promising as we all thought it to be, is not turning into utter blackness. A trade might not be enough to save this team - but it did work in '96. Then again, playing for the lottery is not a good idea as the Heat, even with a horrible record, are not likely to get one of the top 2 picks in the draft. Look at Boston last season. David Stern would never give Riley that kind of luck.

Artest and Bibby or Pietrus and Stoudemire?

First of all, Happy New Year everyone - here's to 2008 and goodbye to 2007. For the Heat, 2007 was a horrible year, going 39-48 during the calendar. Hopefully things change.

But don't be foolish and expect things to change just because the 7 was replaced by an 8. Keeping the same players around and expecting a different result is just moronic. Riley must know this and that is why there will be a deal sooner rather than later. If not, they will continue to spiral downward and the season will be lost.

So what possibilities are there? Well, Mickeal Pietrus remains a strong possibility to be dealt - that is, if we can believe his agent. They are pushing for a deal so that Pietrus can get the playing time he needs in order to score a big contract. He has commented on playing "closer to the West Indies" which is a very obvious way of saying Miami. Miami continues to show interest.

Then there is another option slowly churning in the background - Damon Stoudemire. The Grizzlies, loaded with PGs (Juan Carlos Navarro, Kyle Lowery, Mike Conley and Damon Stoudemire) are looking to shore up the rotation. They have committed to Conley (6th pick in the draft) and it seems sensible to move Stoudemire's contract although it is not certain they are trying to free up cap space (speculation about trading for Mike Miller has several teams tossed around including Miami). Golden State may attempt to land Stoudemire as a backup PG, which would undercut Miami's bid to land Pietrus and to trade for Stoudemire, a player Riley has shown interest in the past (plus the fact that the Heat have been able to work out trades with the Grizzlies in the past).

The other possibility, which is much more positive, is a trade with the Kings to get Artest, Bibby and possibly even Kenny Thomas. The Heat have been interested in this move for some time, and it seems that the Kings might actually start becoming more amicable to a deal with Artest getting bone chips removed and possibly missing a few weeks. With Beno Udrih, Bibby is not needed and Kenny Thomas does not get any playing time for new coach Reggie Theus. This deal would have to start with expiring contracts - the likes of Ricky Davis and Jason Williams. The Heat might even have to toss in a Udonis Haslem or even a Dorell Wright.

This is why I would pull the Kings trade before all others - it would make the Heat matter again instantly. They would get two excellent scoring options in Artest and Bibby who can play off of Wade or even help set things up for Shaq. But in Kenny Thomas they get a hard-nosed player who can slide in at PF and start if UD left. You have a starting five right there that could really make it interesting for the Heat in the second half.

If there is a deal looming, we will find out sooner rather than later. If Riley wants to save this season, it will have to be now. If not, no deal will be made and the season will be surrendered and scrapped for next year when the 8 changes into a 9.