Heat Trade Wade? Bullsh...!

Ok, you know the offseason is getting a little crazy when we start hearing ridiculous trade rumors and people actually start believing them.

Take, for instance, this idea that the Heat are actually shopping Dwyane Wade and the #2 overall pick for the Bulls' #1 pick. Yes, you read that correctly and yes the Chicago Tribune actually ran the story.

To make matters worse, they even made a poll that dares to ask:

Heat star Dwayne Wade said he's heard rumors involving the Bulls' No. 1 pick and Miami. Would you do it?
Yes -- No. 1 pick and some minor Bulls for Wade and Miami's No. 2 pick
No way -- we need Derrick Rose BAD

Wade, who is back home in Chicago rehabbing and getting ready for the upcoming Olympics, stated that he is ignoring the rumors but that he feels good to be wanted. That is, after all, what a trade rumor's value is.

Of course, it is also a polite way of saying, "yeah right!"

But what does this say about the Bulls intentions? Are they going to draft Beasley and keep Kirk Hinrich as their de facto point guard? Or are they going to draft Rose and deal Ben Gordon or Hinrich? One thing is for sure - there is absolutely no truth to this rumor - after all, 84.2% (as of 6/3/08) of their readership voted for the trade. Which means it is a no-brainer - and last I checked, Riley is a pretty sharp fellow.

Just more proof that this offseason has dragged on quite a bit though.

If Heat Get First Choice, It Should Be Beasley

Derrick Rose, are you serious?

Don't get me wrong, I love the kid's game. But if the Heat get the #1 pick overall, are we seriously going to draft Derrick Rose?

It is the age-old question, practically, of most-talented vs. most-needed. Should the Heat draft the most talented player in the draft or the position they need the most?

Well, if the answer to that question was not the same then what is the point of picking #1 overall? More importantly, if the question must be asked if a player is the most talented or not, again, what is the point of picking #1?

In either case, it should be clear cut.

Michael Beasley is the most talented player in the draft. That is really not an argument. There are some who think Rose is a #1 caliber pick, but more talented than Beasley? At best it is a debate.

Regardless, Miami - if they are fortunate to get the #1 pick - need to go with the best talent available. Just ask the Trailblazers if they made a mistake going for need instead of talent back in 1984.

New Miami coach Erik Spoelstra would agree. "At this point, it's too early to say and a lot depends on where that lottery ball bounces. We'll do our due diligence and the history of the draft shows, you need to take the best player available." I also picked Beasley for the Heat, should we get the first pick, in a previous article.

The reason is simple, draft history shows that you get the best talent available, not the most pressing need. If that were the case, the Heat, by Riley's own admission, may have gotten Chris Bosh instead of Dwyane Wade if it had received the #4 pick in the 2003 draft. In fact, they beat the Raptors to end that season and if they had not, who knows - maybe the Heat draft at the fourth spot. Did the Heat really need another power forward at that point?

Michael Cunningham, at the Sun-Sentinel, throws his hat into the ring for Rose in the following way, "But there's no need to look at Rose's March Madness or Wade's wishes to see Rose is the answer for the Heat. These NBA playoffs suggest it, too. Ask perplexed point guards Rajon Rondo, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Rafer Alston and Bobby Jackson."

Sounds reasonable, except for one big thing - Dwyane Wade is the Heat's de facto point guard. At the end of games, he is going to have the ball in his hands. That worked in 2006 and truthfully, is there anyone on that list Cunningham just gave us that is better than Wade? Another reason why Rose should not be drafted - he is not better than Wade and Spoelstra is going to be putting the ball in the superstar's hands at the ends of games, not a rookie's. No matter how high his draft pick was.

Because at the end of the day, this team will be built around Dwyane Wade. You also have to keep him happy and drafting a guy to give the ball to for the end of games won't work for Wade. It isn't necessarily an ego thing but has more to do with style of play, Wade needs the ball in his hands to be effective. He is a playmaker and sets up his teammates. One of the reasons why he is among the league leaders in turnovers is because he is involved in more offensive plays than most in the league.

You take the best player available - that is Michael Beasley. You can argue on a given day that Derrick Rose is first pick caliber, but you can't realistically make an argument for Beasley being the 2nd pick.

Riley Calls It Quits; Spoelstra Takes Over

Where were you the last time you heard this news: Pat Riley is retiring as coach. And the time before that? And the time before that?

Well, Heat fans - and Knick fans - should be able to remember those moments. I still remember the surreal moment we landed Pat Riley here in South Florida. The fortune of this franchise changed instantly.

And now, Riley is once again leaving the bench and heading upstairs. In 2003, four days before the start of the regular season a change was made. Back then it was in favor of Stan Van Gundy, who is currently leading his young Magic team through the playoffs. Today the change is being made for a young Erik Spoelstra, a virtual unknown outside of these parts. And really only known to those of us who are hard core fans of the Heat.

Spoelstra, at 37, is now the youngest coach in the NBA - 69 days the junior to Lawrence Frank. He has been a fixture on the Heat's bench since 2003, mostly working with players on their jump shooting techniques and scouting. His coaching presence has been felt as even Dwyane Wade has paid complements to Spoelstra for helping him grown and develop his game.

Earlier in the season, Riley had stated he was committed to coaching for the remainder of his contract. A big factor in the change of heart may have come from Shaq - who was with the team at the time Riley made that statement but has now been dealt to Phoenix for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Most obviously, this is the reason why Stan Van Gundy got cold feet back in 2006 and why Riley stepped in - due to Shaq's pressing.

Now, Riley is free to be simply the team president and GM. Naming Spoelstra to this position has been a while in the making. Other candidates were Ron Rothstein and even Mike Fratello - and I would suggest Jeff Van Gundy - but the time is now to rebuild so it might as well go all the way.

Maybe a big influence, too, in Riley's decision was his hall of fame induction. What more does he have to prove? He won a championship in 2006 and without all the injuries and locker room drama, and some questionable offseason decisions, who knows if another one wasn't in the stars. But that isn't for him to worry about - at least not on the court anyway. That is Erik Spoelstra's job - and let's hope it is not like it was for Stan Van Gundy.

Discuss the Heat's coaching move with us here. (Thanks Wadeskywalker for breaking the news on our site!)

Further Reading
Heat.com makes announcement on Riley coaching change in favor of Erik Spoelstra.

Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley

The Heat will have to wait until May 20th until they can even seriously entertain this decision - but let's pretend.

If Miami gets the #1 pick in the draft, which as it stands they currently have a 25% chance to do, who should they select as their #1 overall pick? Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley?

Both prospects are highly-touted for their athleticism and their potential on the court.

Miami should take, without hesitation, Michael Beasley. I say this definitively understanding that I will probably change my position on this about 5 or 6 times - in the next week. And I say this for one simple reason: Dwyane Wade.

Wade's whole game revolves around having the ball in his hands. Rose's game, as well, revolves around having the ball in his hands. Since his position, by definition, is a point guard this might prove to be a problem. Dwyane Wade, however, is not a point guard, but who is Riley going to trust at the end of games more? A rookie point guard or Finals MVP Dwyane Wade?

Exactly.

And that isn't necessarily the case only if Riley does return. This is Wade's team, and how successful Wade would be without the ball would prove to be a project in of itself. Now, that isn't to say that Wade cannot defer offensively to other players - he has done that, just check how he played with Shaq.

Which brings us to Beasley. Who is more likely going to aid Wade's game? A player who plays point guard but needs the ball to be effective or a power forward who could go into the post and play the two man game with Wade?

Heat Prepare for Draft; Playoffs Roar On

Well, even though the Heat are not in the playoffs, there is still a lot of work for the franchise. They are looking to get their first ever #1 pick (and hopefully their last...) and in preparation of that the Heat have to scout and work out various scenarios.

The draft order won't be known until May 20th. Until then, the Heat will have to examine scenarios for not just the #1 or #2 picks, but the #3 and #4 (with the worst record in the NBA, they can't pick lower than #4 in the draft).

There is a lot going on over at MiamiHeatwave still, as well. Because the Heat's official season is over, we are gearing up for the offseason as well as keeping our fingers on the pulse of the playoffs. Join us in the Playoff Playhouse to talk post-season basketball and in the Draft Chamber to talk about the upcoming NBA draft and scouting.

Pat Riley To Decide Coaching Future

Look for a decision to be made very soon about Pat Riley's coaching plans.

Reports are that even as early as this weekend a decision will be made about whether or not Pat Riley will return to the bench next season. He hasn't made that decision public yet, but one could make arguments either way.

Would Riley come back to reclaim his status among the NBA coaching elite after such a horrible season? Did all the losses scare him off or make him hunger once again to prove himself?

Or will he feel sated by the Hall of Fame induction and feel less inclined to grind through another NBA season as its coach?

Watch for his announcement to be made very soon if indeed there will be a coaching change. Why? Because he will have to hire someone on as coach and the big names, Jeff Van Gundy, Rick Carlisle, may be gone if the Heat wait too long. There is, of course, the option of promoting from within but Riley's heir apparent is Erik Spoelstra, yet it isn't clear if Riley is ready to turn the reigns over to a young coach who will have to reshape and rebuild this team into a playoff contender. There is added pressure to achieve a turnaround because of Wade's contract status in 2010 - which will enable him to be a free agent.

Devil May Care; Heat Don't

There is something very appalling about losing to a team by 20+ points. Then again, there is something even more sickening about losing to a team by 20+ points when you previously were beating them by 20+ points - in their own building.

And then, there is something just down-right disturbing about a team that goes through that, in the same game, and then doesn't seem to care about it.

Sure, Udonis Haslem, Shawn Marion, and others may care. But the rest of this team seems immune to it. Desensitized. Just another loss on the season - pile it on. Ho hum.

This might be the biggest challenge for Pat Riley to overcome as he pushes forward with the reclamation project.

Heat teams of the past had, what Riley refers to, as a culture of winning. Guys who knew how to win, expected to win, and would settle for nothing less than perfection. The biggest asset in this regard? Alonzo Mourning, who alone has exemplified the Riley era here in Miami. He was lost this season early on to knee injuries. Some suspected he was done, but in all honesty, because of the way he went out, he might actually want to come back.

Count that as a big blessing for Miami if he does. Because this team lacks a leader. Sure, Dwyane Wade is the star, the franchise. He has the commercials and the notability. And he no longer has to live under Shaq's shadow - which is quickly diminishing under the sun out in Phoenix. But Wade has to learn how to lead now. He has to go through the same maturation process most star players, on the verge of becoming great, must do. Kobe is showing you what that transition looks like on the other side coming out of the selfish, self-centered opposite end he once resided on. It split up Shaq and his tenure. Here in Miami, it is a much different circumstance.

Riley, as the architect, has to find a way to surround players that will compliment Wade's game. That process in underway. But another consideration must be to surround him with like-minded players; players who won't back away from a challenge but will fight and rise through it. Marion definitely is one. So is Haslem, although I still question his height. Who else on this roster would fit?

After this latest loss, it is disturbing to contemplate.

Yell at us.

Ricky Davis Returns

Now that is more like it.

When the offseason started, we all knew Miami had to get younger and more athletic. Not for the reasons you may think - the Heat's foundation is not deteriorated or old, but rather because they just needed to change things. Youth tends to lend you more athleticism but also more hunger - which is what the Heat really need. To get back on that championship diet.

In comes Ricky Davis, the former Heatian who did not stick because he was, well, too young and probably too athletic for Riley to coach up. Now he's a vet, and things are different. He is a bit more mature, but still quite brash - something Miami also could use these days. We need some head-banded attitude. Now we got Smush Parker and Ricky Davis.

Also in the deal Minny threw in Mark Blount. All it cost the Heat is Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac and Wayne Simien. Let's face it, Walker was fun to watch when things were going good, painful to watch when they weren't. He is always going to be a member of the Heat's only (for now!) championship team. His Walker Wiggle still gives me the giggles, but his game is highly inefficient and sometimes God-awful to watch. His contract, soaring up to $10M per is just as bad.

As for Doleac and Simien? Expendable. Doleac for Blount is actually an upgrade as Blount has a better arsenal and could be an excellent addition coming off the bench. Upgrade. As for Simien, he just seems to not be able to get it together in Miami. That and we have a very nice prospect in Alexander Johnson who could hold his spot on the bench instead.

This is a great move all around as it gives Miami more options to play with. The Heat need a SG to start the season and frankly, they didn't have a really good option until they traded for Davis. Now, they could start Davis at the 2 or the 3 - depending on whether or not Dorrel Wright can wrestle the starting job. Of course, this was the biggest question for Miami - Wright had to be the starter coming out for them to really have any kind of success. Now, things aren't as dire.

Charlie Bell: The One That Got Away?

Well, as we all know (and some of us expected) the Bucks matched the Heat's offer for Charlie Bell - which means he won't be moving to Miami anytime soon.

We could all pin our hopes on a trade, but it was more likely the Heat were going to make a trade if they retained Bell than they would actually trade for Bell.

What this means is the Heat's offseason continues to disappoint. Sure, it was a long shot and Riley basically took a shot in the dark on this, but it wasn't quite like the genius moves of the 2003 offseason where Riley dangled money for Elton Brand only to snatch up the Clippers other RFA, Lamar Odom. Mo Williams re-signed with Milwaukee, but because they are possibly even cheaper than the Clippers they had enough money to match Bell, too.

But this brings up an interesting discussion - or two rather.

1) Is the restricted free agent situation even a worthwhile pursuit? It seems like teams hold all the cards and the only negotiation ploy for an RFA is to threaten to go to Europe. This is what Bell did, and it is what Sarunas Jasikevicius is doing as is Mickeal Pietrus. Pietrus just wants to play in Miami, but it is looking like Golden State has some kind of weird vendetta against Pietrus and will stop at nothing to flounder his ideas. So, he threatens to stay in Europe - but the trick is, even if he does go to Europe, when he comes back to the NBA the Warriors still hold his rights and he is still in the same situation.

As an RFA in the NBA, you're basically screwed. Methinks that will get tinkered with come time for the next CBA.

2) Did signing Smush as an act of desperation stifle the Heat's ability to sign a guy like Charlie Bell? Yes, it did. But the real question is, who was more valued - Bell or Smush? It seems Smush is, but if he isn't, than what is the explanation for the Heat? Bell was available all summer, yet they made no overtures. They would have been better off pushing for a deal at the start of the offseason, like the Raptors did with Kapono, and we may have had him here in Miami. After all, the Bucks had to deal with the Yi situation and then the Mo money scenario. Quietly going after Bell at that time would may have been too much for Milwaukee to handle and they might have let him go since they were trying to plan on retaining the other priorities.

That is, if you think Bell was a highly coveted target at all. I think it was more of a 'hey, why not?' kind of move for Miami. No risk, all reward. And now the Bucks have to deal with that 5 year contract.

The Open J: Grab Bag

So the offseason has been a bit slow, but some of you have been stopping by and reading what we are covering these days. Time to return the favor!

I pulled this question out of one of our comments, posted by jasond76. He asked:

I agree about Johnson, actually. Although I honestly had to research him to become more familiar with what he could offer, I really think he could be a positive player for the Heat. Anyone Hollinger rates as a top 10 rookie around the all-star break is a great addition. With all of the interest Haslem is garnering, is there a chance we might trade Haslem for other needs (SF, a younger/healthier PG) and consider giving Johnson major minutes?

Hollinger rated Alex Johnson in the top 10 rookie class, huh? I didn't know that, very interesting.

I think we have to be realistic about something - Udonis Haslem has probably the most value of the Heat players that we could part with. Sure, you could argue that Jason Williams does, since he has a one year deal. But Haslem's age and affordable contract, coupled with his production and experience, make him an excellent candidate to be a complementary piece for a playoff team. The question is, as I believe I understand jasond76's suggestion, is can the Heat actually afford to part with him? On another "Open J" article, I actually posted that the Heat should trade UD.

So, my answer is yes.

The only question is, to whom? First things first - can Alexander Johnson push Haslem from the starting spot? Quite possibly. That isn't to say UD is not any good, just that Johnson has vast potential and it has gone quite untapped since his college days at FSU. He is explosive, athletic, and with those gifts comes confidence that he can perform at the pro level. He can rebound, he can score, and his long reach enable him to defend better and hurry his assignments and force them to shoot contested shots. UD gets better positioning, but that is something Johnson can work on and obtain with experience. Johnson has a solid midrange game, not quite as good as UD's, but Haslem was not polished by any means coming into training camp as an undrafted rookie with the Heat a few years back.

Yes, Haslem is expendable, and for that very reason he should be dealt. We Heat fans tend to overvalue him, but coupled with another asset, something tangible could be yielded in return.

Also, watch this Charlie Bell signing very carefully. If the Heat are able to retain him, this could be a signal that a move is imminent. On its own, this Bell signing has very good value as the Heat gain a shooter and scorer in Bell that could complement Wade's game and even afford the Heat to play Bell alongside Wade while giving Bell the point guard as the defensive assignment. And they could do so with confidence. This of course means that Jason Williams could be just a bit more expendable, but it would also mean that the Heat would have to be confident with Smush Parker as their starting PG.

The Johnson signing definitely makes Haslem a bit more expendable. Signing Bell could mean that we would be free to drop another asset into the pot to pull the trigger on a deal. We'll see if the gambit pays off.

Thanks again, jasond76 for the question. Keep 'em coming!

Charlie Bell Signs Offer Sheet with Miami Heat

This may signal another move in the works. Then again, it might be a pipe dream.

The Heat extended an offer to Charlie Bell and he took it. The 6'3" guard who has been stuck in Milwaukee the last few years, signed an offer sheet with the Heat for 5 years at 18.5M. The Bucks can match, but reports were that they expected to entice Bell with less than a million per season. Bell and his representation started to explore playing in Europe as an option to free him from the Bucks, but with the Heat's signing the Bucks may be reluctant to match but instead look for another option.

The Bucks have 7 days to match the Heat's offer...that means mark the 24th on your calendar. Let the countdown begin.

Heat Getting Older?

That's right, as if the media can't make fun of the Heat enough, there is a possibility the Heat could actually get older.

Apparently the latest buzz is the Heat are interested in two names that may seem familiar to NBA fans of several years ago - Doug Christie and Allan Houston.

Christie has stated that he is going to play again this season and has several offers from teams for private workouts. He has been making the circuit, and in actuality the Heat is a team that looks to be a consideration. Since the loss of Posey, the Heat are in need of a tough, physical perimeter defender and Christie could provide that as well as a solid outside shot. Since he would be viewed as a stretch, due to his age, his value would be high in the sense that he could really only demand the veteran minimum salary.

The other possibility is more intriguing for Heat fans, considering the history. Alan Houston has been a favorite of Riley's and is in great shape and has an excellent understanding of positioning on offense. He can play off of Shaq and Wade - however, due to his advanced age at his position, he might not be able to offer more than 15 or even 20 minutes of high level play. At 36, he came in the league with Shaq and has ties to the big fella, although his history against the Heat would make his signing hard to swallow. Reportedly, both the Heat and the Cavaliers are interested.

Right now it is highly unlikely that the Heat make a big move via a trade, but rather they will most likely sign a player in order to thicken the pool going into camp. Adding either Christie or Houston would be an intriguing move to bolster the roster and shore up a hole left by a departing player.

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.

Alexander Johnson Fits in Miami

He's young and he is under appreciated. Most fans will not have heard of Alexander Johnson, unless they were Florida State basketball fans - like myself.

I had the privilege of watching Alexander Johnson play basketball at FSU while Leonard Hamilton was just starting up his program and right away I was impressed with his physical ability.

Johnson seems to be cut in that same mold as a Charles Barkely, a physical player with a strong power game and the ability to explode and surprise opponents. See for yourself:



Johnson has a long wingspan and can play on both ends of the floor. He is a gifted athlete, has good agility and quick feet and can get up off the floor very quickly - sometimes it can be somewhat surprising as he looks slower than he is. Just check that video above.

He can stick the jumper to about 18 feet, he has good form and a high release point and he can play physical down low in the block. He also has shown great passing ability and at FSU he was frequently used to set up plays at the top of the key.

Also while at FSU, Johnson often took on the tough, physical assignments and proved he was up to the task. In fact, it almost seemed as if he preferred it. He might have struggles against smaller, quicker players but only because of his positioning and understanding of defensive techniques needs some help when guarding players. However, he is a very strong rebounder on both ends of the floor due to his physical nature, his vertical leap (around 40") and his reach. In fact, some scouts and experts marked Johnson the 2nd most athletic big man in the draft behind Tyrus Thomas.

The Heat just got younger at PF and expanded their roster up to 18 players by signing Johnson. He also signed a high value contract for 2 years at 1.5M - this demonstrates the Heat are thinking more shrewdly about their situation. With Shaq and Wade eating up a bulk of the finances, the Heat have to be smarter with their spending which means they need to focus on younger talent that could be cheaper and fit their system while at the same time tolerating more risk on the court. Alexander Johnson just makes sense.

Further Reading:
Ex-FSU Star Signs with Miami

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Also, keep an eye on PJ Brown. Rumor has it he would like to retire after this season and he might be looking to do it in Miami where he would have a chance to win a title and finish up where he spent his better professional years.

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.

Ime Udoka No Longer a Possibility for the Heat

Take Ime Udoka off the board. The Heat will not be able to sign the defensively-minded guard that worked his way up from the NBDL and obscure Portland State into a starter on the Blazers last season.

The Oregonian is reporting that Udoka is close to finalizing a deal with the Spurs, the defending champs, on his way out of Portland. It seems that the Blazers drew Udoka out of their plans with their flurry of offseason moves.

Udoka, who can stick the three and has developed a reputation for being a tough perimeter defender, will probably land a deal in the $2M ranger starting out. He would have been a very good option for the Heat who are looking for more depth at the guard and small forward positions, and his pricetag is in the Heat's financial range.

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.

Deja Vu: Heat Sign Another Hardaway

Anfernee Hardaway. Wow. Almost like dusting off an old relic out of the garage.

The Heat finds new ways to confuse this offseason as they sign Anfernee Hardaway to a contract today, terms not disclosed.

It is an interesting consideration with this signing because essentially, the Heat have replaced Gary Payton with Smush Parker, which is an upgrade, and now is looking to replace Eddie Jones with Anfernee Hardaway.

There was a time when this would have been a ballyhooed move, but that was probably about 10 years ago. What can we expect from Hardaway? His last time on the court in an NBA game was in November of 2005: Gas prices were under $2.50 back then. Still, he has been working hard on his conditioning and getting himself back into game shape after succumbing to knee injuries in 2005, his final season with the Knicks.

There might be more to prove off the court, too, as Ira Winderman seems to suggest. Shaq and Hardaway have grown apart and based on some of the things Shaq said, there might have to be an agreement just to move forward without reconciliation.

Yet for the Heat this is a value move. They get a guy who can play the 1, 2 or 3 and offer more depth at SF and offer competition to the pool of players that are chasing that starting spot. In other words, this is a signal that Riley is still not sold on Dorell Wright but would Penny help this Heat team regain its foothold atop the East? Not likely, unless he has been a real revelation behind closed doors.

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Pietrus Still Wants to Play in Miami

Reports out of France are that Mickael Pietrus still wants to play in Miami and there is a slight chance that could still happen - but it will depend on how valuable James POsey is to the Golden State Warriors. Or some other team for that matter that would like to be a part of a three team deal to send Pietrus to Miami and grab Posey for themselves.

The Warriors just re-signed Matt Barnes, an unrestricted free agent, to a one year deal worth about as much as Mickael Pietrus' offer of 3.5M. There are concerns that because the Warriors signed Barnes to a 3M portion of their MLE, they will go further into the luxury tax to keep Pietrus - something they are not willing to do. Which means there may be a window of opportunity for Miami to make something happen - if they value Pietrus enough to go over the luxury threshold themselves.

Wade Defends Heat's Offseason: Welcome to Plan B

Wade's defense of the Heat's offseason was unnecessary. We all know that the Heat had limited financial tools to get anything done this offseason - in fact, that is kind of the point.

The Heat are limited in that they can only use their MLE, bi-annual exception and a veteran minimum exception to entice anyone to play in Miami (again, why MLB has it right - they don't handcuff teams willing to spend to win). But the Heat are being cheap because Mickey Arison, only worth a few billion himself, doesn't want to pay the luxury tax for players he adds to this team.

Hey Mickey, you only get one shot at this. You have Shaq on your roster, arguably one of the greatest forces that ever played in the NBA. And you want to limit your chances at turning your franchise from an average one into one of the premier franchises in the NBA because of a few million dollars?

It's like Michelangelo turning down the Sistine Chapel because he didn't want to lay on his back while painting.

Sometimes to do something monumental you have to commit to it just a little more than everyone else. After all, that is how it becomes a great achievement.

And here stands one of the best young talents in the NBA, with truly a shot at being one of the all time greats, Dwyane Wade, and he is talking about how the Heat tried but couldn't get the talent they needed. Isn't that ironic?

Pat Riley, as usual, disappears when something like this goes down. He wants to wash his hands of it and not get involved. Yet if something positive happens, he's right there to take his lion's share of the credit.

Sure, the Heat tried, but in truth they didn't really try. They didn't want to overpay - like they did with Anthony Carter, Eddie Jones, Brian Grant. They wanted to prove themselves shrewd and smart and savy, stating that they knew the market and what they needed.

Then they should have just stated up front that they were targeting Smush Parker and that is it. Because they proved themselves to be damning to their own cause: like pumping up Mo Williams' value by bringing him in for a recruiting trip. If not for that, the Heat may have landed Williams at a steal.

The Heat had an option to add one of the best talents in Europe with Barcelona PG Juan Carlos Navarro, but the Wizards were asking too much. The Heat chose not to up their offer from a draft pick and thus the Grizzlies nabbed him - for their draft pick.

So what does this mean? That Miami is still a good destination for NBA players, just they don't have the money to spend. But Riley has to realize that because of this limitation, he cannot bail himself out with a big ticketed acquisition. This calls for Plan B or "Riley Has to Coach the Damned Thing".

Dwyane Wade addressed the media from his basketball camp in Davie, and defended the Heat's offseason by stating that they just didn't have the financial space available to make a move. Yet, he also pushed Dorell Wright out there when he said it could present an opportunity for him to play.

And Wade's right. But Riley has to show he can grow as a coach and not be stubborn about playing a talent like Wright, who simply needs experience and a chance to utilize his skills; he certainly will get the chance in training camp.

Because of the Heat's limited financial situation, Riley is going to have to do his best job as a coach since as a GM he couldn't help much. Yet, this season will call for a challenge to Riley's definition of himself as a coach - he will have to be more flexible in who he is willing to play.

Since the Heat could not go out and get a big ticket item, they are going to have to turn to developing players like Wright, Jeremy Richardson, Trey Johnson, Daequan Cook and even Smush Parker to round out their roster.