Posey No More

James Posey signs with the Celtics

So things didn't work out as planned. Jason Kapono was not supposed to bolt for Toronto and James Posey was supposed to be signed-and-traded to another team so the Heat could find a suitable replacement.

Looks like neither things happened and the Heat have to deal with it. Or just deal.

Signing Alexander Johnson may be a prelude to a deal, as he adds depth at the power forward position and with Posey's departure all that is left at SF is potentially Wright, Penny and summer league prospect Jeremy Richardson. It just seems like something has to give.

But what happened? Did the Heat really make a run at signing Posey, or did they just assume he would be out of their price range?

And since he clearly wasn't, what exactly is meant by a competitive offer? Posey's agent, Mark Bartelstein - also Mo Williams' agent - confirmed that the Heat did tender an offer but that it ultimately was a better opportunity to play in Boston than in Miami.

Huh?

Talk about a bandwagon - it's already bloated and full in Boston. Apparently all it took was landing Kevin Garnet and the trophy is on a one way ticket to Boston. But seriously, what does this say about Miami's chances? They made a "competitive offer" to one of their own free agents, and he takes the same - or less - money to play in Boston? Shaq and Wade aren't enough, not to mention you live in Miami and have one ring just a season removed already. What kind of an opportunity is Posey looking for?

This should sting a bit to the Heat players, their coaches and their fans. None of us expected that Posey would stick around, but the fact that the market was so bad for FAs this season should have only increased our chances of retaining Posey, yet the Heat didn't seem to be interested. And perhaps, that is the biggest shock of all - Miami had graded Posey out of their plans and instead hoped they could use him as a chip to trade up with.

Could it be a rivarly in the making? Well, let's let Boston get their bearings and see how good they will be by mid season first. Right now, they are a bunch of names and unsure depth.

All's Quiet on the Offseason Front

We shouldn't mistake the relative quiet from the Heat for inactivity. Rest assured that options are being explored but don't bet on anything happening at this point.

I know we all but gave Mickael Pietrus a Heat jersey, but it is looking like the Heat are retracting their interest. Maybe it is a ploy to drive up Dorell Wright's value - or maybe they really are that interested in Wright after all. One thing is for certain, Riley needs to play him and give him a shot and the only thing that seemed to keep him shackled on the bench was his inconsistent shot. Statistically, you might be surprised to learn that Wright fared pretty well against his peers at his position. He demonstrated himself to be fairly efficient, but he excelled at rebounding and that is something the Heat need more of, especially on the offensive side.

That and the fact that the Heat "leaked" information that Wright is now being listed at 6'10" make him an even more intriguing prospect that even last season. Perhaps some time at PF in addition to SF? We'll see. But it is also one of the reasons why Riley is going to stand "pat" with the roster at this point.

Also, there is the Penny factor. He has been getting rave reviews from other players who have seen him in private workouts, and also he has been doing a pretty good job working with some of the young players like Daequan Cook and Jeremy Richardson - a sleeper at the SF spot that might even get some significant PT if he makes this team.

So, although the Heat haven't made that big splash, and it is uncertain if they will or not, there is reason for hope here as some of the key young players have room for growth and with Kapono and Posey almost entirely out of the way, there is certainly an X factor that could see the Heat's identity change and grow. That is, if Riley is open to it. Which may be illustrated by a trade - if he makes one, he needs to make it. If not, he might be satisfied with his talent already.

Hardaway Signing Shows Riley to Be Cheap and Lazy

Riley the GM has failed to give Riley the coach any assets to do battle with this season. At least, any significant upgrades for this upcoming season - but it really wasn't Riley the GM's fault, his hands were tied by his penny-pinching owner.

So much so that everyone is trying to figure out how much a penny is worth because the Heat just picked up a Penny.

The Hardaway signing is validation of the Heat's modus operandi - that they will rely on Riley's old, tired, and stubborn method of coaching as well as continue to waist the resource they have in Shaq and even in DWade. Instead of unleashing hell this offseason, the Heat pinned it up and went home before everyone started unfurling their tents.

If the Heat were just cheap, that would be one thing. There are other, better options on the table still: Ruben Patterson, Jumaine Jones, Dahntay Jones, Jalen Rose, Ime Udoka, James Singleton, James White even Josh Powell. All have been active NBA players over the last two seasons - which is something that cannot be said for Penny. But the Heat are lazy, too and it is evident because of this fact - there are better options available but the Heat just went for the retread, the known name.

Make no mistake, Penny will be used much more heavily than perhaps he should be. It isn't about his age or about how he torched NBA camp veteran Ron Hale, it is about Riley's mind being stuck somewhat around 1998. I mean really, why let Eddie Jones go if you were just going to sign a guy in the same age bracket with a similar skill set but is not really as good of a defender?

What this means is now Daequan Cook and Dorell Wright will not get off the bench a whole lot and that this move only retards their growth. If Riley the coach didn't want these talents on his team, he should have had a conversation with Riley the GM. I mean, they have the same agent at least, right? Penny Hardaway, who looks nothing like his puppet I might add, is going to have to fight for his spot in the rotation but he will have less to prove since he is more of a known quantity to Riley.

Yet, does this really improve the Heat? Smush Parker is an upgrade over Payton since he is young, has a pulse, and can tie his own shoes. Payton only had two out of three of those qualities. But Penny, who is he replacing?

If he is replacing Eddie Jones, then fine. But if he is replacing James Posey, we are in a world of sh*%. As nice as a story as Penny Hardaway could be, he is far from proven at this point and is only cashing in on his past accomplishments.

This Heat team needed less history and more ceiling. Riley, as the coach, is not interested in ceiling and growth but instead in what he can grasp and quantify as proof. Penny's past, for Riley, demonstrates what he can do - even if it data about 10 years outdated.

There are better options for Miami - even a potential Mickael Pietrus deal which would have made a huge splash and turned around the Heat's dreadful offseason - but Riley has been unable to pull the trigger. Again, I hope it is due to the other team's demands and not to Riley's lack of vision. I sincerely hope this is not a point in which Riley shows himself an outdated dinosaur incapable of growth himself.

But in signing Penny Hardaway, it only shows the Heat to be cheap, lazy and unimaginative.

Could the Heat Trade for Jermaine O'neal?

Apparently, Jermaine O'neal wants out of Indy and a trip to LA. That's nice. But since we are speculating here, why not see if Miami could be a suitable option for the other O'neal?

The rumor is that the Lakers have been pushing for JLo, as I like to call him due to his incessant on-court whining, but have been only offering Andrew Bynum and Kwame Brown as integral parts of the deal. The Pacers want Odom, but the Lakers want to keep Lamar to integrate further into their triangle which is the crux of Phil Jackson's "genius" label, eventhough it comes from Tex Winters.

Can the Heat trump that deal? Possibly.

Jermaine O'neal is scheduled to make 19.7M, 21.3M and 22.9M over the next three years. That is pretty sizeable.

The Heat could counter with Jason Williams (8.9M) and Antoine Walker (8.5M) for a total of 17.4M.

This leaves the Heat about 2.3M short in the financial aspect of the deal. So, throw in Udonis Haslem (6.0M) and the Heat are roughly up 3.7M. The Pacers could counter with Jamaal Tinsley, who makes 6.3M this upcoming season: Heat would be -2.6M.

Now the Heat could counter with offering Dorell Wright (1.7M) or they could take one of the aforementioned players off the board (Udonis Haslem, or even Jason Williams or Antoine Walker) and instead use James Posey as a sign-and-trade to make the numbers stick.

The question remains, is this a more attractive offer for the Pacers than Bynum and Brown? It could be because they would be getting O'neal's contract off the books and getting solid value in return. Jason Williams would come off their books and free the Pacers up to spend roughly 8M more next season. They could also get Walker off the books via a buyout or ride it out one more season and get him off the books in 2008-2009. The Pacers would also get rid of Jamaal Tinsley's risky contract - he has 4 more years left (6.3M, 6.7M, 7.2M, and 7.5M) and with injury concerns.

For the Heat, it would be an interesting move that would generate some more buzz to counter the Boston trade for Kevin Garnett. The Heat would gain that legit third star they need to take pressure off of Shaq and Dwade and it might be enough to vault them back into championship contention immediately. The Heat would also gain a floor leader whose skill set would complement Wade and Shaq's much better - a strong defender who can handle the ball and move the offense. With Jermaine O'neal, the Heat wouldn't require Tinsley to score but he could stick the open shot when needed.

Ultimately, the Heat would give up:
Jason Williams
Antoine Walker
Udonis Haslem
Dorell Wright
and/or James Posey

and recieve from the Pacers in return:
Jermaine O'neal
Jamaal Tinsley

Of course, that is 4 or possibly 3 players that the Pacers would recieve in exchange for two and roster moves would have to be made to make room.

The real question is, why couldn't the Heat get involved in trade talks with the Pacers? Couldn't they offer just as much if not more than the Lakers? Would they be willing to do so? Would it cost the Heat too much down the road? The answer to that last question is not really. Sure, they would have three players with around a combined 55M payroll, but the contracts would last until Shaq's final season 2009-2010. Both O'neals would come off the books and Wade would have a player option in place should he choose to invoke it.

It's too much of a risk to not try and make that move. Especially as how much better the East has gotten this past offseason.

Ruben Patterson: How the Miami Heat Replace James Posey

The expected sign and trade deal of James Posey to another team has not come to fruition yet. In fact, there really doesn't even seem to be a seed.

The Heat were hoping they could cash in on Posey's talents by offering him up to other teams while in return solving a need of their own.

Better scrap that idea for now.

Because the free agents left on the market are going to be going away and the Heat will be a team left on the outside looking in and wondering "what if". If they don't move fast enough, there will only be a "what?!" from the rest of the Heatian fan base.

Yet there is one solution that could meet all the needs of the Heat. Right now, they have just under 2.15M left of their precious mid-level exception (MLE), the 1.8M biannual exception and the 1.1 veteran minimum exception (which they can use unlimitedly to round out their roster).

Ruben Patterson might be available for any one of those three options.



What is there to love about Ruben Patterson? Well, he is a ferocious, physical defender that can attack offensive rebounds. He can post up on defenders at his position, he can drive to the basket along the baseline. His outside shot was almost non-existent, he's just 6'5" and he just pushed pass the 32 year old mark today (Happy Birthday, Rube Cube).

But it almost seems too perfect for him here in Miami. His off court antics and personality would mesh well with the other personalities Riley seems to enjoy placing his own brand of therapy upon: John Starks, Anthony Mason. Patterson seems almost like a perfect prospect to be programmed by ol' Pat. He will play his butt off, won't back down from anyone, and will do the dirty things this Heat team needs done: mostly defend and rebound.

Patterson can score, but it will be around the basket and not from afar, which the Heat also needs more of. Too many guys were falling in love with their three point shots, which weren't spectacular to begin with, and it made the offense stagnant and predictable. See James Posey, for example. With Patterson, you won't have to worry as he shot 15% from three point range last season! It doesn't matter as much as the Heat won't need to rely on his offensive production, but instead need his defense to help assert their style of play better.

Posey is known for knocking down guys and getting very physical, Patterson would do the same. The biggest difference is Ruben Patterson has found a way to score in this league without relying on his outside shot while James Posey has been able to hit his outside shot but not be as productive as a scorer as Patterson.

Sure the Heat get older, but they also get a bit tougher, meaner and more physical. With the East seeing all these moves to improve teams, especially within their own division, the Heat are going to have to find ways to intimidate and bludgeon their opponents as they will most likely not have enough firepower to run.

Ruben Patterson's skill set and his pricetag may ultimately prove a great choice for the Miami Heat - should they choose to look in his direction.

Is Mickael Pietrus or Matt Barnes Coming to Miami?

Reports out of France are that Pietrus was on TV talking about how much he wanted to join the Miami Heat for the upcoming NBA season.

Meanwhile, the Heat have shown interest in the 6'6" French swingman, but what would set off Pietrus to practically demand a move to Miami? It could be that he learned Golden State and Miami were in discussions - his agent was the one who most likely informed him of this:

Golden State restricted free agent Mickael Pietrus, perhaps the best small forward still available, wants to play for Miami, agent Bill McCandless said, but it will only happen through a sign-and-trade. Talks between the Heat and Warriors are ongoing, but it's unclear if a deal will get done, McCandless said Tuesday. Miami Herald

The Sign & Trade? Most likely James Posey.

The Warriors have offered a 3.5M contract to Pietrus and any team that offers him a deal will have to exceed that amount to get him. Most likely the Warriors will match any offer, since the most Pietrus could get is the full MLE (5.3M) from teams still on the free agent hunt. Knowing this, they also know Pietrus has value and the Warriors also have a 9M trade exception they could use due to the draft day deal of Jason Richardson.

Will Mickael Pietrus land in Miami? He definetly wants to be here but the Warriors are playing hardball. Of course, the sign-and-trade could be Posey for Matt Barnes, too. Check out the San Jose Mercury News as they report that talks with Miami are ongoing, but that it is Barnes that should be the target and not Pietrus. Posey is viewed as an improvement over Barnes, in this case.

Zo Returns

Return of the Heat King

Alonzo Mourning will be back.

The Heat center made the announcement Sunday at his annual Summer Groove charity event, which brings great relief to Heat fans. The offseason has been a confusing one, seeing many targeted free agents get snatched up elsewhere but Riley has been contending all along that they will not overpay for a possible player.

In this case, the Heat will be getting unquestionable value on their investment.

Zo will back up Shaq again and this has proven to be a boon for Miami. Always professional and an intense leader, Zo continues not only to deliver continuity but to build on his legacy as a Heat player. He has the skills and the mentality to make it through another NBA season and be as productive as ever.

This was always going to be a crucial point for the Heat this offseason, losing Zo would be unthinkable as it would force the Heat to adapt Micheal Doleac to their backup center role - now they may have found another huge asset that could be liquidated.

Zo's return means that Doleac, in his last season and commanding a modest $3M contract in his final year, could be used as trade bait to shore up more pressing needs on this Heat roster.

As it stands now, keep an eye on Juan Carlos Navarro - Riley is meeting with the young Spanish point guard while on his way to Africa for a little R&R (in fact, Riley has not publicly stated he will return as coach, but with Zo signing on chances are pretty good that not only will Riley return to the bench, but that a move is going to happen that Zo also finds satisfactory). With Zo's return, he must feel pretty good about committing to another season.

Also, James Posey has been meeting with several teams, one of which is Golden State who is loaded with guards and small forwards and needs to deepen their front court depth. Posey would be an upgrade defensively, but throwing in a guy like Doleac could also give the Warriors a solid veteran to boost up their front court with. And Posey has stated he is open to a sign and trade possibility - and the Heat are looking at Mickeal Pietrus.

Zo's return is good for the Heat on the court, and also can serve as a barometer for what is going on behind the scenes - namely that Riley should return as coach and that there is possibly a deal in place that will give the Heat what they need going forward into this NBA season.

At any rate, welcome back Zo. It is going to be nice to have you back.

Free Agent Watch: Best Options for Miami Heat

With all the talk about landing big name free agents circulating in relation to the Miami Heat, I wanted to take a second and remind everyone that the likelihood of it happening is very very small.

The Heat have virtually no wiggle room due to big ticket items like Dwyane Wade (12.5M) and Shaq (20M) and are forced into finding more cost effective alternatives due to their financial constraints.

The Heat have a payroll for the upcoming season that is estimated to cost $64M for 9 players - the most attractive assets are Jason Williams and his 8.9M expiring deal and possibly James Posey's sign-and-trade potential as the Heat can offer him a better deal than his new team could and there is expected to be competition for his services. The Heat, realistically, cannot match offers from other teams to keep Posey (yet, as this article will show they really shouldn't anyway).

The rest:

Antoine Walker has 2 years at 8.5M with a team option in 2009-2010
Udonis Haslem has 3 more years at 6M rising to 7M in 2009-2010
Micheal Doleac is in his final year at 3.1M
Zo is in his final year at 2.7M but it is only speculated that he is returning
Dorell Wright is in his final year at 1.7M but Heat can match offers next season
Wayne Simien will make 997K with a team option for 1.8M next season

Now, owner Mickey Arison has stated he will pay luxury tax dollars for a player that is worth it - so that is the main reason for public speculation about the Heat acquiring another big name. Yet the reality is, there are teams with slightly more to offer and the chances for the Heat are not as good as some in the media might dare to portray.

Yet, there is plenty of hope left for the Heat to re-tool their lineup. In fact, the options that are out there can be much more enticing.

I am going to outline a couple of unrestricted free agent options that could immediately help this team get better and deepen its talent pool in the areas it needs help. What are those areas? Good question, and a great place to start.

Let's play GM:

Point Guard.

The Heat need point guard depth as Gary Payton is retiring (not official yet...but 99% chance he does not return with the Heat), Jason Williams has question marks over each knee and Chris Quinn is solid, but not proven enough to build with.

Options.

- Steve Blake. He is a hometown kid with a pass first mentality and his motor runs but never blows a gasket out there. He knows his limits and plays safe, smart basketball. He has pretty good handles, can penetrate and can stick the open three. Not going to offer too much defensively, but for the price would be a much more valuable alternative to Jason Williams. As such, would free up the Heat to deal Williams and his expiring contract.

- Jason Hart. Despite being 31, has a lot of minutes still in him, but just needs a place to play. A very good defender for his position, not a huge scorer but a solid passer and can shoot the open three - the only question is can he knock it down consistently? Can run an offense and do what is asked and for the price, could be another valuable alternative to Gary Payton - may only take the veteran minimum depending on the market.

- Brevin Knight. Probably the best defender at his position on the market, but concerns about his durability is what got him on the open market in the first place. Basically, he's fragile, but when he is healthy he is one of the better floor generals and playmakers at his position. Great assist man and offers low turnovers. Can't shoot to save his life, but can get to the rim and create. Not a scorer, but has his nights. Could be had for the veteran minimum and could start on the Heat because Wade will do most of the heavy lifting on offense and Knight could hold it down defensively.

- Jannero Pargo. Another rangy guard that has great quickness and athleticism, but needs a place to play. He can shoot the three and can run an offense; defensively he can get busy while bouncing in and out of lanes and has the physical tools to guard his man. May cost a little bit more because he has a perceived potential that could result in a higher ceiling of the guards available. Like Blake, may be looking for the entire MLE (mid-level exception worth about $5.6M).

Small Foward.

The Heat have another hole forming at small forward due to the free agent status of James Posey and the now-departed Jason Kapono. The Heat at least have Dorell Wright, a building piece in that spot, and can play Antoine Walker at the small forward position (where he started, incidentally, for the championship team in 2006) although it isn't recommended.

Options.

- Ime Udoka. Very good perimeter defender as well as solid shooter: he can hit the three, he can hit his free throws and he won't try to do too much on offense. An excellent candidate to replace James Posey and he will do so at a much cheaper price (made 744K last season). Starter caliber SF with excellent defense and spot up shooting as well as tough and physical and will battle for loose balls and rebounds. His age (turning 30) could price him down which makes him a bargain for the cash-strapped Heat. Only 3 years as a pro in the NBA which means, like Hart, has a lot of game left in his legs at this point.

- Jumaine Jones. Another tough perimeter defender that could lock down the SF position but has a little more experience scoring the ball with other teams. Actually younger than Udoka, but has more experience in the NBA. Just a very good and solid all around game, he also can replace Posey at a fraction of the cost - only made 744K last season as well.

- Devean George. This guy always seems like he has more potential, extremely gifted athlete and can defend at SF, PF and even SG. Has a nice shooting touch and can score the ball from time to time and will have his break out games as well. Has experience and has played with Shaq back in his Laker days. Might cost a bit more than Udoka and Jones, however, as he has had a more consistent NBA career. Opted out of a guaranteed $2M contract for next season, so not as much value especially considering his disappointing performance last season with the Mavs.

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Not only would these options answer questions for the Heat and address needs, they would also offer a strong package of complementary pieces that could build around Wade and Shaq for the next three years. Each player listed should be signed using the MLE and the only ones looking to use the entire MLE are Blake and possibly Pargo.

Signing these players also frees the Heat up to move other pieces and contracts that are on the books. For example, finding a replacement for Jason Williams allows the Heat to deal Williams; finding a replacement for James Posey allows the Heat to deal Pose. What this means is the Heat could sign-and-trade Posey, coupled with Williams' expiring contract, and get back a bigger piece to obtain that third scoring option they so badly need. This does not require the Heat to deal Udonis Haslem or Antoine Walker, which they also cold do provided they get back a PF in the deal to account for Haslem's loss - such a PF does not have to be an all-world talent, instead he just has to rebound and help spread the floor. It is debatable at this time if Simien could do this himself, although it remains a very good possibility.

The Heat don't have to rebuild, just reload. They can do this affordably given the options on the market but it would be advisable that they move quickly as teams are looking to make that quick deal in the beginning of the free agent period so that teams don't have a chance to sign-and-trade with their own free agents.

Posey Gets DUI; What Now for Miami?

James Posey was arrested for a DUI early Monday morning but this time it doesn't seem like the Robert Hite incident - this arrest seems legit.

Further Reading:
Posey Arrested On Drunken Driving Charges
Hite's Life in Exile

The problem is, what now? Robert Hite, some will accuse, was released because of his DUI - which turned out to be wrong (he was below the limit for intoxication set by the state). Yet, this is not true - Eddie Jones became available and the Heat were going to have to trim someone off the roster to make room for the veteran swingman. Robert Hite was just that candidate.

As for Posey, he has proven himself to be a vital part of this team. His defense, his intensity, and his ability to come through in the clutch has really contributed to the team dynamic while Wade has been out with his shoulder injury.

The last time this Heat team was together in uniform and free of injury was Feb. 21st. It was the first time ALL season. Then Wade gets his shoulder dislocated.

And now, on the heels of a disappointing, but promising return, Posey spoils Wade's availability by going out and getting arrested. Stupid, stupid, stupid. You might begin to think this team is cursed.

How will Riley handle this? Will Posey get a week off like Hite did? Possibly. The Heat have a spot in the playoffs clinched and they can't sink any further than 4th - unless the Wizards mount a run. So, there is little incentive to play Posey and instead take the time to send the "right message". The Heat are also deep enough at SF to get over the hump in the meantime, most likely we will see Jason Kapono get the nod as starting SF while Posey is out.

What happens with Posey in the meantime will be interesting to see. Will he do the public apology thing and serve his time (with the Heat suspension) and get back in the starting lineup or will he stick to the bench for the playoffs?

In a season filled with so much drama, from the injuries to Riley stepping down to Tim Hardaway's anti-gay comments, as we like to say - stay tuned.

Dorrel Wright Should Start

This is a plea for sanity. Pat Riley, you paying attention?

Look, it isn't that I don't love what you have done with the place, but it is time to tweak things just a bit more. The funny thing is, you don't really have a choice.

Dwyane Wade is out. He will rehab and I sense he will only come back to the Heat if he thinks it is really worth it. Sounds like an audition? Well, it is.

Jason Kapono, in the midst of a huge slump, twists his ankle and is going to be out for the meantime. It might be 5 games, it might be more. Strangely, I don't feel that bad about it because it seems Wade made Kapono the player he is more so than Shaq was going to. Just look at Kapono's recent games: in his last 6 games, he has only scored double digits twice (17 against Cleveland, 24 against the Knicks). Before that, you would have to go back 1 month to catch a game where the Kap'n didn't drop double digits on a team.

So, here Riley sits behind his desk, the shades drawn close to keep the light from entering. Dark, dank, Riley, hands on his forehead supporting his head over his desk while he stares at his roster. Now what? Now who? What will work?

The Heat are 3.5 games in back of Washington for the division lead. The Heat are in sole possession of the 6th spot in the standings and only 7.5 in back of Detroit for the #1 spot. Things couldn't be better considering.

Yet, the Heat are going to have to rely on an older team to get them into the playoffs. Shaq, drawing rave reviews around the league, is the Shaq of old, and at 35 that seems like no minor accomplishment. Yet, let's not forget that the Diesel has only played in 19 games this season.

This is precisely the reason now is the right time for Dorell Wright. The Heat have a veteran heavy team, and although two of them -- Shaq and Eddie Jones -- have seen lighter action, the rest of them have not.

Dorell Wright is a better solution for a starter over Walker and Posey. Why? Well, Walker is just horribly inconsistent - some nights he's on, some nights he never gets out of his warmups. Or at least he shouldn't.

As for Posey, he is the energy guy in this lineup. He seems more comfortable coming off the bench and giving the Heat a boost when they need it. He is the Red Bull of this team, just pop him open and let him go.

Wright presents an interesting possibility to the Heat's starting lineup. For starters, he can play the 2 guard or small forward, but considering Riley is starting EJ for Wade, it seems Wright would be mostly at SF.

Wright has long arms, and can defend smaller or bigger players. He is an excellent rebounder - bringing a dimension that Kapono doesn't. He can also handle the ball and bring it up over the half court - if Riley wanted to cut JWill loose for a moment. Wright can score inside or outside - his shot is coming along and maturing. Plus, Wright has shown more poise on the court and understands what to do at certain times offensively.

If this kid is going to develop and be a part of this franchise, Riley has to let him go loose out there. Now is his chance. The crazy thing is, Riley doesn't have much choice.

To roll Walker out as the starting SF would be to kill the bench's potential for scoring - which has scored 30+ points in the last two contests. And with the premium on scoring with this team already, you might not want to mess with the rhythm.

Sure, Wright doesn't have the range that Kapono has or even Posey, but that isn't the thing the first unit needs as much. EJ is serving Shaq the ball in the post, which was helping keep team defenses honest from doubling Shaq. Yet, EJ's stroke isn't quite there yet, but he can make that three off of a Shaq re-post or kick -- Kapono wasn't being given that chance by Riley anyway. So, Wright would replace Kapono and that dynamic suffers nothing.

The other thing to consider is Wright can create with his dribble. If Shaq is having a hard time in the post, kick it out and around to Wright who could penetrate and create - something Payton is not having much success doing.

Wright adds another dimension of athleticism, of speed, heck, of youth to this team. If this team is going to get deeper into the playoffs, they might as well have everyone sharpened and ready to go.

It's the Wright time for Wright.