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.

Heat Acquire Luke Jackson

The Miami Heat have recently acquired Luke Jackson from the Idaho Stampede of the DLeague.

In need of shooting, the Heat decided to give Jackson a shot himself and called up the 3 year NBA veteran who was drafted 10th overall in the 2004 NBA draft out of Oregon, where he played alongside Seattle's Luke Ridnour.

What really turned the Heat's heads was Jackson's 30 point performance in his first game in the DLeague this season - shooting 5-6 from beyond three point range.

Jackson now offers a strong outside shooter which the Heat lacked since Kapono left this offseason. Daequan Cook has been providing a very nice scoring presence off the bench for the Heat as a rookie, but Miami feels it needs more shooters to complement Shaq's game and help spread the defense. It would be a step in the right direction for the 4-15 Heat who seem to be unable to break through and get consistent wins. How quickly, and how often, Jackson can get out on the floor for Miami will remain to be seen.

Jackson has athletic ability and a very good stroke from outside. He could provide the shooting presence the Heat are missing and given the Heat's history of finding assets where previously regarded to be none, Jackson could be the next Jason Kapono - incidentally, the two squared off against one another in college.

Heat Lack of Depth Should Force Youth Movement

Riley is starting to get to me these days. Look, we don't have the greatest depth in the world and at times last season we were seen as slow, old, sluggish, apathetic and just not hungry enough to care.

Gone are Jason Kapono, arguably our best outside shooter since Glen Rice, and James Posey - the defensive dynamo that had the panache for big shots.

What are we left with, a Penny Hardaway comeback story? Riley, are you serious?

Sure, Hardaway could be a serviceable presence in tough game situations, like the playoffs. But you have to get their first.

The general consensus is that Riley would be more likely to keep Hardaway over young players like Jeremy Richardson or Devin Green. Why?! Just because it is a name that is familiar to Riley? He's thinking about 8 years ago when he should be thinking about 8 years from now.

Fortunately, players like Dorell Wright, Daequan Cook, Wayne Simien and Alexander Johnson are all in spots where the Heat need them. Joel Anthony, Marcus Slaughter, and possibly even Earl Barron could be sent packing even though each has talent enough to make the roster. Then there is the backup PG battle heating up between Chris Quinn and Brian Chase...

This bias - or is it an unhealthy fixation - has no benefit. Hardaway is not going to give the Heat more of a future than a talent like Jeremy Richardson, a player who can play in this league and contribute. Look at Allan Houston - the Knicks told him, finally, to pack it up. Doug Christie is still trying to make his comeback - or sell his blasted book about he and his wife's love life (bleck!). Christie contacted the Heat, ironically, and they said no.

So why should Hardaway get a spot that would be best served for a younger player with more upside? Because Riley doesn't want to spend his time developing players and his demands are high. He wants perfection. That is great, but frankly, a veteran might be less likely to make a mental mistake, but is going to be far more limited in what he can do on the court. It really is a tradeoff.

Yet, you can't win games if no one comes to play healthy. Hardaway's durability is just as much of a question as is how would Richardson perform in games. Hardaway might have more experience, but Richardson has less miles.

On a team that saw its two superstars miss almost an entire season's worth of games, there is little to be gained by having another high mileage presence that could be out with an injury. Wade is already going to miss at least the first month. Time to shift the thinking around here.

Heat Get Compensation for Van Gundy

Reportedly, Stan Van Gundy is leaving Miami to go to Orlando to scratch that itch to coach he has. On a side note, maybe we can get the real story once he is out of Miami and out of Riley's grasp.

The Heat are losing a terrific coaching talent, but one that would probably never grace the bench again - at least at the AAA. It's a bit disappointing, too because SVG is a very good basketball coach. I have argued in the past that he would actually be a better fit in this modern NBA than Riley for what Miami needs to do.

The price to lose a possible future replacement and to send him to a franchise not only in your own division, but in your own state? A second round pick.

And I'll take it.

Sure, it isn't quite the steep pace the Heat paid to get Riley back in '95 from the Knicks or even the price the Bucs paid for Jon Gruden. But for a coach that was on the bench for roughly two seasons? Not to bad.

Especially in this year's draft.

The Heat are getting the Magic's 39th pick, to go along with their 20th pick, and also have the option of flip-flopping with the Magic's first round pick next season - as long as it is not a lottery pick. And should Van Gundy do his job, and Miami theirs, we could see Miami get a mid-first rounder next season, too.

The Heat basically get the right to draft another player just by letting their coach go elsewhere. A coach that was doing little else than "scouting" and serving out his contract as a consultant.

There are some interesting prospects in the draft this year, and it is a deep draft. What this does is it frees Miami up to go after want more than need. At 20, they would have to take a PG that they needed to have. They still might, but instead, with the 39th pick, they could still get a PG that could serve the team's interests. Let's face it, whomever Miami drafts at 20 is as likely to play as whomever they draft at 39. Riley doesn't trust rookies and there are some PGs that could be available at 39 that could be serviceable.

Florida's Taurean Green, fresh off his second straight national championship run, could be yet another Gator added to this Heat roster. Jared Jordan, the college leader in assists; Mustafa Shakur, the ever-promising Wildcat PG; or perhaps Oregon's undersized PG Aaron Brooks could all be had at 39.

Miami now has a chance to get value at the 20th spot and find a backup PG at the 39th pick if they so choose. Or they could trade both picks to go up the charts and get something better. Or use either pick to help land a veteran in a sign-and-trade deal -- perhaps Ron Artest or Rashard Lewis?

The Heat just gained more possibilities to play around with because of Van Gundy's departure. So eventhough Miami is losing a possible head coach to take over, it wouldn't have happened until Shaq's contract ran out anyway. SVG could still take over for Riley when that time comes. In the meantime, Miami gains another draft pick and even more possibilities.

Will Heat Sign Scottie Pippen Now?

A week ago, Pat Riley all but laughed off the notion of signing 41 year old, Ft. Lauderdale resident Scottie Pippen. How much has changed since.

With Dwyane Wade out for the foreseeable future, looking to be at least 4 weeks, will the Heat roll the dice on adding Pippen?

Pip has expressed interest in trying to help a team get deep into the playoffs. What is more, he has expressed very deep interest in playing for Miami. But with Dwyane Wade gone, would he still want to be a part of this team?

I think the answer is yes, and Pippen may be able to provide the Heat with something that they desperately need - a sense of will.

Wade is a huge part of this team, obviously, and is the difference between making this team a good team and a great team. Shaq makes the game easier for everyone, but he can't score 35 a game to bail out his teammates. Wade could, while Shaq maintained his presence and made it easier for the Flash.

Pippen will not be a scorer, let's get this straight. He will most likely simply be a veteran presence that will have his moments - fleeting, but important. What he will provide for the Heat is insurance at the PG position and even as a slasher on this team. His skill set won't be an upgrade over EJ or even Posey, but as a PG he could help the Heat go big and control the game defensively.

Let's face it, Gary Payton is useless. He doesn't score, he doesn't hit the wide open threes he's looking at, and he doesn't play the spectacular, lock-down defense he used to.

Ask yourself, is Pippen an upgrade over Payton? If the answer is yes, then there is certainly a need to sign him now - especially with Wade down and it is unknown how Jason Williams will respond to the current challenge with himself just getting back to full strength.

Riley won't play Quinn over Payton, and it would be debatable if that would be an upgrade at this point anyway. Pippen may be an option, and he wouldn't cost the Heat much more than a roster spot.