Another old friend returns

It seems that Steve Smith will spend his final NBA days in a Heat uniform after all. The rumor started to grow only a few days ago, but now it seems that Malik Allen will be shipped to Charlotte for the sharpshooter.

Smith, 35, will give the Heat another veteran off the bench but also another 3 point threat. Damon Jones has been the most consistent three point threat thus far this season.

This seems a bit puzzling to me because Wesley Person also is known as a three point sharp shooter but hasn't even gotten the chance to get off the bench practically all season long. Also, the Heat have Rasual Butler and Eddie Jones whom, although inconsistent, is still a threat that teams have to respect (EJ is #13 on the all time list after all). And Allen was adding to our front court depth and has pretty good skills at the PF position.

Strange move, in my opinion, but welcome back Smitty!

Wade better than Kobe

Ok, maybe the title is a little misleading and should say, 'will be'. Right now, I think you can defer to Kobe, but not by a whole lot. Sure, Kobe has a whole collection of highlights and clutch performances - most of those coming at the side of the Daddy. But his individual talent is not to be denied as Kobe is surely one of the top - if not the best - guards in the league.

But Wade is right there.

Did you see his 38 point performance against Indiana? Without Shaq? It isnt just his points that are impressive. Wade shot 13-24, while the rest of his team, without the surging Damon Jones, shot just .286 (12-42). Of those 12 shots made, Wade got 8 assists. He also had 5 steals.

But even those numbers, which Wade produced after having a scary tumble while flying to the hoop, are not as impressive as how Wade got them. Wade has recently been putting on display more and more his jumper. A very lethal jumper in which he just stops and pops - totally indefensible. He was 8-16 on jumpers, several of them of the quick strike variety just mentioned. If he can incorporate this aspect of his game more frequently, following in the footsteps of another guard known for driving to the hole with ferocity but taking a nightly beating - Michael Jordan, then this Wade kid might just be allright. Not that you could tell anything is wrong with him - no indication he is playing with tweaked ankles, bruised and strained ribs. He is tough. Allen Iverson tough. And mentally? Wade is sharp and plays the game like a 10 year veteran, not like a 2nd year kid just starting to get acclimated to the NBA lifestyle - let alone the shock playing with Shaq must bring to the system.

And yes, like Kobe, Wade is going to benefit huge from Shaq's presence. It will speed up Wade's development - something that we did see flashes of last season. Flash, after all, did hit a clutch shot against the Hornets in the playoffs. Flash also dunked all over Indiana's lesser O'neal model. Got the poster on my wall to prove it.

But how does this make Wade better than Kobe and not just equal? Well, if you value something like team chemistry and test of character, you see Dwyane Wade also takes that from Kobe. Just ask Shaq: he has played with both. And although he may be biased it does seem that a kid Shaq had to, as he claims, drag out of bed at the All Star fesitivities is much more appealing on several levels. For one, the reason why Shaq had to go and grab his all-star partner was because he was exhausted from the season thus far. Wade leaves it out on the court - he doesnt cheat anyone. Not his teammates, not his fans. No one.

As the talent grows, everyone should just enjoy watching Dwyane Wade develop. Well, everyone except opposing coaches. Last night was just a glimpse of how this kid is growing - the Heat may have lost last night, but Wade gave them a fighting chance against one of the arguably better (though currently disappointing) teams in the league. He did it with Shaq on the bench. His game continues to soar to the heights of which Kobe has raised his. And once he is there, Wade will prove to be a better teammate to Shaq. And better than Kobe.

Trade Deadline is here

The NBA trade deadline is today, 3pm. When the dust settles, the Heat can expect to find Alonzo Mourning back, but will there be another new guy in town? That remains to be seen: mentioned in rumors have been Donyell Marshall, Steve Smith, even mumblings of Abdur Rahim from Portland. I wouldnt be surprised if Riley did nothing or dug up a guy from some other teams' bench and dusted him off. Jamal Mashburn seems like an intriguing idea, but his health concerns make pundits scared. Of course, playing in New Orleans may give Mash 'health concerns'.

With Webber already moved to Philly and a possible Micheal Redd deal in the works, we may see something the NBA hasnt seen in a while. For all the latest from the Heat's perspective, visit: MiamiHeatZone.com

WIth Shaq down, Heat must reassess

With an odd landing on top of Othella Harrington, Shaq's left knee gave way and may seemingly do the same for a now quieted Heat championship hope. Shaq had to be helped off the court with the help of trainer Ron Culp and was quickly taken to get x-rays of the Daddy's knee. The left knee showed no damage and came back negative, although it remains to be seen if there is any further structural damage. X-rays do not show ligament and tendon damage, so Shaq was put on the shelf, for now, with a left knee strain. He is obviously doubtful for tonight's game against the Pacers - a game the Heat might have been targeting as a bit of a revenge game considering they lost to the under-manned Pacers back in Miami earlier in the season.

There is hope though, Shaq left a note in the locker room saying he'll be ok, "Period".

But the ramifications of this incident seem to be sending shock waves throughout the Heat organization.

With the trade deadline's date of February 24th fast approaching, it seems any possible deals the Heat were involved in - Donyell Marshall, Shareef Abdur Rahim, whoever - have to be entirely re-evaluated.

Alonzo Mourning is expecting to return, in an official capacity, on Thursday. But now, with Shaq down the Heat must re-consider any deals that may have involved Micheal Doleac - as he is the Heat's lone back up center. Well, unless you consider Zhi Zhi to be an option - who, admittedly, played admirably in last night's loss to Chicago (11 pts., 2 rebounds). There was a rumor that Doleac was involved in a possible deal for Donyell Marshall. Proof that this may have taken a turn away from the Heat's grasp is illustrated by the Pacer's sudden involvment with the Raptors' forward.

This is precisely the scenario the Heat feared. And it is precisely too early to tell what is going to happen here with Shaq. And, it is precisely too late to reel from this and make personnel moves in order to recover if this situation turns out for the worst. There is no reason to hit the panic button, yet. Maybe Zo will return now, when the Heat needs him more than ever, and spell this team while Shaq is out. The Heat are pretty much set for the playoffs and all they really need is to get in with a healthy Shaq. They do have to get there first, but there is no reason why this team couldnt do so even without Shaq. They played admirably last night on the road in their overtime loss to the Bulls.

But what has to happen now is the Heat have to stand Pat. And yes, the pun is intended. Riley has to stick with the current team he has - along with the addition of Alonzo - and let it ride this out. There is plenty of ammunition. In some ways, it is a very compelling situation as Zhi Zhi played very well last night. He displayed his lack of physical toughness but made up with it by flashing his offense skills and quickness. The telling sign, one would think, is the lack of playing time for Person last night. But the Heat needed front court help - as Doleac and Haslem were in foul trouble. And, the Palm Beach Post reports that the Heat have assured Person is staying on board for the rest of the season. So, who is going to be moved for Zo? What is Shaq's status and how will the Heat deal with it?

Heat Nation, hushed, waits to see if its championship hopes indeed fell to the floor last night.

Why Zo will work

The Heat will be adding Alonzo Mourning to their roster today. He cleared waivers at 10 am this morning, and will join the Heat in an official capacity on Monday after the All Star Break.

The speculation has been mounting all season as everyone, from Zo to his agent to the media, has been expecting him to obtain a buyout and then re-sign with the Heat in order to finally get the chance to win a championship. That dream becomes tangible now.

With the Heat, Zo joins the team with the best record in the East and with Zo the argument can now be seriously made that the Heat are an elite team. Not that they weren't before, but with Zo the Heat is a hard team to ignore. Even Detroit, the most talented team in the East, has to take notice. They are finally kicking into high gear - something the Heat has been able to maintain all season despite a learning curve the size of Shaq.

The pundits seem to be up in arms over this decision. Most agree that adding Zo makes the Heat a very deep and dangerous team but there are those out there who question whether or not two egos like Zo and Shaq can co-exist. Can they? The answer is simple, 'yes'.

Shaq has said it himself. He wants to win and he knows he needs Zo's help. He has admitted as much even acknowleding that if this happened when the Daddy was younger, he would have a hard time with it. Things change though, over time. These two once-bitter rivals, are now joining forces to win a championship. Zo knows that he needs Shaq and he needs this team to get him to the promised land. He also has been humbled by his disease and understands - all too well - that his playing time is limited because of his disease. Necessity creates the situation in which these two colossals of the game must interact.

It is epic in the basketball universe. It may not seem so now, but the alignment of forces like Shaq and Zo - two of the best centers to ever play the game - is like two superheroes joining up. Shaq has already dubbed Dwyane Wade 'Flash', so it is an appropriate analogy to liken Zo and Shaq to a Batman and Superman hook up. Both bring different looks to the Heat and only deepen the team's strength. Zo brings intensity, fire. Shaq brings confidence and domination.

The only question that should be asked, and indeed the only one that remains is, how can any opposing team have a chance against such a duo? They more than likely won't be on the floor at the same time, but Shaq and Zo will create something the likes the NBA has probably never seen: get ready for 48 minutes of hell.