Lottery Fate for Heat Tonight

The thread is pulled and ready to be snipped. The fate of an awful 20th season for the Heat will finally be realized tonight. Will the spoiled fruits of their labors be rewarded with a #1 pick or will they slip down the slope to the #4 pick and force to rethink their quick turnaround?

The Heat are a playoff team right now, let's face it. A healthy Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and a solid supporting cast can get them back to the postseason. But this is not just about getting back, but about getting back on top.

The top pick would assure the Heat of a better chance of getting there.

The Heat also have limited financial options. Sure, after this season they will be rid of Shawn Marion's contract, but if they want to keep him they have to pony up. Getting a young stud at a reduced rate for a few years would help greatly in their rebuilding efforts. Even if rumors of Carlos Boozer's desire to play in Miami are true, the Heat cannot be realistically expected to make a big splash in the trade market.

Then again, no one thought Antoine Walker's contract could be moved. Or Shaq's for that matter.

So, the Heat will find out what fate awaits their draft this year. Finally, we can end the speculation about what pick the Heat will have and start focusing on the talent that is available and what effect it could have on this team. I still say with the number one pick the Heat should draft...Michael Beasley. Tonight, we find out if that is even a possibility.

Discuss with us.

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.

Shawn Marion Promises Bright Future

Ray Bans? Panama Jacks? Blu Blockers?

Look, the future is so bright, I just might grab me a pair. Kim Jong Il has some, much be watching Heat games.

Why has the Heat's future been resurrected from one of a dilapidating old sorry site to a sleek, new, hip one? They traded Shaq away and got Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. And so far, it has paid immediate dividends.

Banks has already started to turn things. He called the Heat slow. Old man Heat need to get young buck quick and they are doing so by getting rid of the old diesel engine for a high-octane variety.

"It feels like we're pacing ourselves for something," Banks said. "If we get out there and just lay it on the line, we can shock a couple of teams and get a different outcome."

But Banks isn't the only one feeling prophetic these days. Shawn Marion believes in the future of this team too.



You heard the man. "I'm happy to be a part of this Heat organization and we're trying to build for the future." We all are.

The Heat got back not only an legit all star at a position they were iffy on, small forward, but they also added a potential starter for another position they are desperately thin at - point guard. Both Marion and Banks will take what they learned in Phoenix and help the Heat overhaul their offense and tweak it up to a faster paced model. The fans here in Miami are talking about it more, and seem to be rejuvenated.

Tonight is just another point in case. The Heat lost, sure, 114-113. But it was to the Denver Nuggets who had to rely on a career night from JR Smith to survive. Smith's 8 three pointers propelled him to 28 points on the night, with which the Heat may have won this game and may have done so convincingly.

Shawn Marion did poor in another productive night with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Dwyane Wade, all of a sudden, is looking more like the play maker he was in the 2006 playoffs - having 10 assists and only 2 turnovers.

Not to mention the Heat, averaging around 77 shots a game, put up 100 shots tonight.

In fact, after a dunk from Marion, who was on the receiving end of a bounce pass from Marcus Banks, took a 42-28 lead at home against the Nuggets.

Overall, the team is performing better. Blount had 18 points, Wright dropped 19 and is showing himself to be not just an athlete that can score, but that can contribute with rebounds (8) and in other ways (4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block).

Remember, Udonis Haslem and Alonzo Mourning are currently injured and in street clothes. They were both at the game cheering on the team and getting very excited. Could this mean Zo might lean towards returning? Regardless, the excitement was visible and could be a barometer of what is going on within the organization.

This team may or may not win a lot of games to close out the year, but the future is actually going to be brighter as a result. They not only will have salary cap space to play around with (expect another trade before the deadline so the Heat can get a player they want without having to play the numbers game - possibly Mike Miller) but with their continued losing efforts they are actually stepping closer to getting one of the top picks in this year's draft.

So Enter the Matrix and watch as the Heat, with their true architect Pat Riley, turn this thing around very quickly.

The Debut of Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks

Well, I missed the debut of the two new Heatsters, Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, on ABC today because I was at the game.



And hey, what can I say but WELCOME!

The way this Heat team is shaping up in the rebuild here is actually more exciting than any Heat team since...the 2003-2004 team.

Pat Riley has noted that he did coach a team, if anyone can recall, for 9 years that didn't grind it out from the halfcourt. They were known as the "Showtime" Lakers, and practically refined the run-and-gun offense to an art form. Some might say, it hasn't been duplicated since.

Well, Pat, you have a chance to revisit those days again. And it does start with Marion and Banks.

All Marion did in his debut was drop 15 on the Lakers on 6/13 shooting, grabbed 14 rebounds, had three blocks and 3 steals. Two of those 15 points came on this transaction from Dwyane Wade:



Notice the nice foul Kobe put on Wade. Wow, look at that, another high sticking from the poster child for passive aggressive NBA players.

But Marion provides that spring, that electricity that until now only Wade could provide. And what makes Marion such a God-send is that he can actually play defense, can help defend and - get THIS - can rebound! When was the last time Shaq had 14 rebounds? Heck, when was the last time he had three blocks? How about putting those numbers together in a game!

Now, the Heat will miss Shaq's interior presence on the offensive side of the ball, but considering that this team does not have shooters (yet, I still contend that Cook will be an assassin from outside...), adding Marion's unorthodox shot and defense will help in two areas of weakness for Miami.

Even more interesting is to watch Dorell Wright. He seemed to be playing more power forward today, and really pushing the matchup in the Heat's favor. His length and ability to move with the ball in his hands are tangible assets, but his money will be made once he can figure out how to consistently stick that outside jumper and get a little more physical defensively. He is progressing and watching him today work with Marion and Wade can make for a potentially exciting game to watch.

The defense has gotten so bad in Miami over the course of this season, that when the PA yells for the fans to scream DE-FENSE, even the fans have forgotten how. Today, however, against a tough Lakers team, the Heat did not looked outmatched on either end of the floor. Well, except for forgetting about Sasha Vujacic. Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks both looked comfortable pushing the offense into a higher gear and playing strong, man defense.

Banks, by the way, had 7 points on 3/6 shooting and 4 assists in 14 minutes. I expect we'll see those minutes increase as he gains familiarity with Riley's (new?) system. Banks' long arms, by the way, give him more upside defensively as he is strong enough to guard taller players on the wings as well.

The Heat looked better today and seemed to have fresh legs. I still don't know why Riley is averse to playing Cook, Daequan cannot be any worse than Ricky Davis and in playing him now, he gets valuable experience.

The Matrix Comes to Miami

In a much more subdued press conference than the over the top PR move the Heat had when they acquired Shaq, Shawn Marion, along with new Heatian Marcus Banks, was introduced with a simple "Hello everyone.".

Marion's broad smile seemed appropriate considering the aftermath of the Shaq trade. Bitter words have been spun about regarding Shaq's departure and his relationship with Pat Riley. To get a quite smile in the middle of this is almost as bold and as loud as when Shaq rolled into town with a semi-truck and water guns.

"The sky's the limit," Marion said. "Can't get any worse. We can only get better now."

And like that, the Heat's season is summed up as well is the trade. Shaq was not fitting in with this team and that fact became painfully obvious once the Heat lost Kapono and Posey and failed to replace their shooting abilities. (Most will not realize, however, that Kapono's game thrived when Shaq was injured last season and that he actually played better with Wade - but that is another discussion.) Shaq became too crowded and like a bull in a china shoppe. And at $20M a season, the Heat need better numbers from him - 17 and 8 is not enough for a player who is eating up about 34% of the payroll.

With Marion, they get a quiet personality who does his talking on the court. His explosive athleticism allows him to create posterizing dunks and game changing blocks. He can defend any position on the floor and he also has an outside shot with very good range - despite his disturbing, unorthodox shot.

There are some who are not high on this trade and see this as a salary dump. Shaq's low numbers and inability to stay healthy is what the Heat were looking to drop. They could have added by subtraction - the Heat have played 115 games without Shaq over the last three seasons. That is practically the inverse of buy one get one free. Considering the Heat's record over these last three seasons, and how dramatically things have taken a turn for the worse, this move had to be made.

"The Matrix" is exactly what the Heat need. Shawn Marion can rebound, can score, can defend, can help defend, and has a track record of staying healthy. And he was doing it before Steve Nash showed up, and he will do it while playing in Miami without Nash.

For those of you who are cynical, let's look at the numbers. Before Nash arrived in Phoenix, in 2004-2005, Marion was averaging 19 PPG, 9.3 RBs, 2.7 ASTs, 2.0 TOs, 2.1 STLs and 1.3 BLKs. He shot 44% from the field, 34% from three point range, and 85% from the charity stripe. Once Nash arrived, Marion saw his FGAs go down (from 17.0 per game to 15.9 per game), his FG% go up slightly (44% to 47.6%) and his scoring rise marginally (19.0 to 19.4). In other words, Marion became slightly more efficient. In fact, the only real strong improvement was in rebounds where he went from 9.3 to 11.3 a game with Nash - perhaps due to increased possessions and shots taken there were more opportunities to rebound.

How about with the Heat? With Dwyane Wade, we could expect a more dynamic offense as Wade has the ability to penetrate into the paint almost at will but he also has the ability to set up his teammates - a role he seems more comfortable in. Wade can penetrate and kick, much like Nash does and that is something Marion knows how to play off of.

On the defensive side of the ball, Marion's great wingspan allows him to be a very strong help defender - something the Heat have been lacking since Zo went down: a consistent shot blocking presence to keep defenses honest.

He is a hard worker, an ideal member of the community, and can help this team win now. Which actually, might not be a good thing considering the Heat are in an ideal situation for drafting one of the top 2 picks in the draft. Considering the Heat still have very little financial flexibility going forward - assuming Marion stays - getting a franchise player in the draft would put the Heat back into serious contention almost immediately. Now we will have to sort out who is going to coach this thing...Spoelstra?

Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks Arrive in Miami

Today the Heat held a press conference introducing the two newest members of the Miami Heat, Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.

The deal became official on Wednesday at 5:40pm, but the players were not scheduled to be in Miami until today. Watch the press conference here.

As for the rest of the coverage with this story, there is a lot to chew on. Just take a peak at all of the following:



Pat Riley's spin on the trade:



Dwyane Wade's vision of playing with Marion:



And Tricky gives his analysis:



What a season it has been.

It's Wade's Team Now

What is interesting now is how the Heat will play out the rest of the season without Shaq. If the loss to Detroit is any indication, it might show the Heat to be a tougher team than at any other time this season.

So the Heat enter the P.S. phase - post Shaq - and move forward. Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks will join the team tonight or Friday and be ready to move. The Heat will continue to evaluate their team, but it sounds like Marion is not a short term plan.

One thing is obvious - the Heat are hitching it all to Wade.

"We simply looked at the big picture, where we are today, and we need to build around Dwyane," Riley said. "And everything we do now, moving forward is about building around Dwyane."

That will include Marion's and Banks' futures as well as the rest of the Heat's players. Any player considered to have a future must start with their ability to mesh with Wade's game. One of the biggest question marks right now has to be Dorrel Wright's future. Where will he play with Marion coming in to man the SF spot on the roster? I think his future actually is playing PF in a Chris Bosh-like role. The kid is still growing, has a very long wingspan and has the flexibility to take it outside on occasion and put it on the floor and take it to the hoop. He is athletic and can guard almost any position on the floor. He will need to bulk up some, but that is a part of him growing still. He is a very good friend to Wade, so if there is anyone with pull on this team, Wright is in with the right people.

But is Wade the right person for the rebuilding process? Should the Heat build around his game? By that, some have observed that Wade is not going to be a consistent big time scorer - he will have his 40 point games, but 50 points? 60? He lives off creating contact and bringing it strong to the hoop each night. Yet his style will get him into a higher likelihood for injury, and with a team building around his game is this a wise thought? Not to mention, Wade's defense is among the worst at the position - he has the ability, but he just doesn't bring it himself.

There is no question that the Wade we all saw in the 2005-2006 playoffs was the one to build around. Can we see that Wade again? He demonstrated himself to be really one of the only players in the modern NBA right now that could win games on his will alone. That, if anything, is the one elusive trait players must have to compare to Jordan. Some said Kobe was it. Some wanted to say Lebron. But Wade is the only player to really put it together - and it was in Shaq's shadow.

Now, can Wade raise the Heat again - this time on his own? Riley seems to think so. We'll find out.

Shaq Deal Done

So it is a done deal.

Shaq is gone. Apparently, pending a physical, the relationship between Riley and Shaq has strained so much that a deal was needed. That and the Heat would be wise to part ways with that $20 million white elephant contract.

Let's not get into whether or not this deal makes sense for Phoenix. As a Heat fan, who cares? This deal makes a ton of sense for Miami.

Shawn Marion is in the final year of his contract - he has a player option on the table for next season at $17M. Maybe he doesn't like playing in Miami and opts out. Maybe he does and keeps it. The Heat, however, drop Shaq's $20M albatross off the books which was scheduled for two more seasons after this one. Regardless of how Marion performs, this deal helps the Heat financially. Tremendous.

Marcus Banks is on the books for three more seasons around $13M total (4.2, 4.5, 4.7 respectively). If he can push this into a starting role, then it could be a valuable signing for the Heat. Well, trade, I mean.

Shaq's game has diminished. Or has it? If he passes the physical, then he is in playing shape. If he suits up immediately for the Suns, then it would be fair to say he shut it down for the Heat. Which his "people" have leaked he should do. Seems like Shaq was doing just that.


At the heart of this matter is the feud that may not be publicized. There has been observations that there is a feud between the two and this latest deal might be validation. Shaq was untradeable previously - then again, so was Marion. But given the rumors of feuds between Shaq and Riley - Riley telling Shaq to get off the court during a practice - this hurts the Heat franchise in another way.

It cost us Stan Van Gundy.

It cost us Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian Grant.

That 2003-2004 team, coached by Stan Van Gundy, may have had enough talent to win a championship. And they would still be talented enough to challenge for it today. They all liked playing in Miami. Caron Butler even named his daughter "Mia" after MIAmi.

Dwyane Wade, working in concert with Lamar Odom, Caron Butler and even Rafer Alston, may have been something to fear. We paid for that with the Shaq trade, which instantly put the Heat on the NBA map among the best franchises. A championship banner hangs atop of the AAA.

And here it is. Shaq leaves, with things busted in his wake. The warnings came from fans in LA. They said we would live to regret this deal, and although regret is still a far emotion away, Heat fans should not like the way the tenure of the Diesel fell apart.

And now the feud will be made public because the trade is going to go through. If not, then we got an even bigger mess to clean up.

Good bye Shaq. Hello Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Now, will we improve too much to not grab the top spot in the draft?

Shaq Traded?

Given the cost of fuel these days, it is no wonder that the Heat are trading away their main fuel source. After all, there isn't any heat being generated and it has a lot to do with their Diesel drying up.

In what is shaping up to be a trade deadline blockbuster deal, Miami could be sending Shaq to Phoenix to help the Suns get past the Spurs. The Miami Herald is reporting that the Heat would be getting back Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, a point guard that Riley had his eyes on a few seasons ago.

If the rumors are true, Miami just turned things around financially. This would be a tremendous lift for the franchise. Shawn Marion can opt out of his contract after this season, saving the Heat $17.1M and paving the way for the Heat to sign whatever marquee free agent they wanted. Couple that with what is looking like one of the top picks in this year's draft, and the Heat could face an immediate turnaround.

Until this deal is finalized, if there is a deal in place, we at MiamiHeatwave.com do not wish to speculate. So, stay tuned...