Free Agency: The Frugal Approach

Heat president Pat Riley will enter the summer free agency period at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday with at least one comforting feeling: His team won't do any worse than it did during last season's free agency.

That would be almost impossible, wouldn't it?

It was this time a year ago when the Heat watched Jason Kapono bolt to Toronto faster than Shaq's honorary security badges got stripped last week. Certainly, there was no shame in the Heat's refusing to cough up $24 million to Kapono the way the Raptors did.

Nice fella. Great shooter. But just not worth that much money in the Heat's grand scheme.

But it had to be painful to watch Posey walk to Boston - after a long, drawn-out, we-really-don't-like-one-another-but-lets-pretend-like-we're-negotiating-in-good-faith process - and become arguably the fourth most critical player in the Celtics run to a title.

So how does the Heat make up for those moves? It signs Smush Parker and takes a shot at Penny Hardaway. Then, it trades for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount. If anyone cares to find what detonated the disastrous 15-67 season that soon followed, just look back to what transpired between July 1 and Oct. 24 of 2007. The Heat is here because it dared to go there.

But even amid that mess, Riley still managed to productively unload the bloated contracts of Antoine Walker and Shaquille O'Neal. So a total loss it was not.

Riley has a different plan this free agency period. He's recruiting with a reluctance to offer anything more than a two-year contract as the Heat looks to save up for the sweepstakes of 2010, when D. Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire and LeBron James could be on the open market.

Taking such a frugal approach into free agency could lead to another long summer as the Heat waits for the market to set itself and the trickle-down process to take affect. Would Chris Duhon be willing to take a two-year, $12 million deal from the Heat when New York or Phoenix might double that offer?

Would DeSagana Diop? Would Beno Udrih? Or might the Heat be left to pick from the less desirables, which is how they ended up Smushed in the first place.

There's something to be said for taking the short view on a long-term approach for 2010. But there are still games to win and rebuilding to be done right now. Indeed, this is a roster that needs to be tweaked. Not torched. If the Heat is healthy, with a few adjustments, it's a playoff team again.

But if Miami is reluctant to pay the price to win now - even at a muted mid-level rate - it might prove to be too costly of a gamble later. The Heat squandered last offseason, in part, by being stubborn.

It can't afford to make the same mistake this time around by being too cheap.

Comments

[michael]

Though it's tough to swallow Riley's approach this off-season considering how much help this team needs we shouldn't discount the possibility of a sign-and-trade. Elton Brand just opted out of his contract, as did Baron Davis. I can't imagine Riley won't make a pitch for Brand.
I agree that this team only needs a tweaking, not an overhaul(there isn't really much to overhaul anyway), but the free agent class this year isn't that appetizing anyway. I hardly think Chris Duhon is the answer at PG and of the Centers available Diop is the top name on the list. Diop averages 4pts and 4rbs plus good defense, but Dallas will outbid us for his services anyway. That leaves who? Kwame Brown?
What I'm getting at is signing anyone outside of a sign-and-trade this off season shouldn't get more than two years and the second year should be a team option, not player. Look, it may not be the quickest solution, but with the free agent classes of '09 and '10 to come we shouldn't be too hasty.

[Shawn]

We waited all last off-season for the so called big acquisition...now again, the hype is for a talent infusion only to find out we will probably end up with a couple bench players at best...

9/11 was an inside job

checkout wtc7.net & watch the collapse videos

learn the truth

[Ken B]

If we can manage to get Brand now we don't have to look to 2010. Sign and trade Marion to LA. Better to get Marion then just let Brand walk on down the road to Philly. I mean who in their right mind would want to resign with the Clippers for 5-6 years?

[High Heat]

Beasley, Haslem, and Blount for Brand, Jordan

Wade, Marion, Brand becomes Miami's version of Allen, Pierce, Garnett. Chalmers plays the role of Rondo with a free agent PG in the mix. Take a chance on Kwame and Jordan at C with Mourning being the leader. Then you still have Cook and Wright backing up the SG and SF spots.

[joe]

High Heat..are you insane?!?!

You don't trade Beasley...period. The chips you move are Marion and his $17.8 mil and/or Haslem in a sign-and-trade for Brand or some other player.

Beasley, besides being extraordinarly talented and one of the best NBA prospects in years, is cheap labor for 3 seasons. He should be off limits in just about any deal.

[mark]

You do not trade players like Beasley, Haslem, Chalmers, or Wade. Tehy all play their guts out and are quality type guys. Marion fits in this group as well. Brand has been injured and plays the same position as Beasly and Haslem. We need a legit center that can cover the bigger centers, rebound and score some as well.He has to move well because of the abilities of some of the centers around. A 6'9 Brand can't do that and you do not know what you get with his injuries. It is the most important position to fill.
To add a comment about Shaq. He was born into the size and weight which is what he brought. He never worked to be a rebounder, defender, or a shooter. He is nothing in my book compared to any of the other guys that worked their butts off to develop skills. Shaq couldn't shoot further than 5 feet from the basket. What a waste of potential.

[Shek]

Shaq a waste of potential? Are you kidding me? He is one of the greatest all time. Yah hes got a giant ego but he is far from a a waste of potential. That comment alone from you makes your whole statement a waste to read.

[Phil]

Shek I agree with you that Mark is absolutely wrong. I have lost any love for Shaq with his low blow at Davis and Quinn when they busted their ass trying to feed him the ball but he could not produce. I do believe that Miami should first try to see if Wade has any interest in staying with us, or if he at least might try to bolt to Chicago to play with Rose at home. If we can trade Marion for Brand right now, our sole priority would be to try to re-sign Wade by dumping some of the big contracts of Blunt, Udonis(whom I love his heart and effort)and Banks. I can not even imagine Labron and Stoudemire leaving their present team for Miami. We have a potential PF/SF in Beasley so Bosh in 2010 does not make any since. I think that we should go after Chris Duhon for his 3 point shooting and defense, plus he is a pass first guard. Lets give a chance to Chalmers development as well, he is also defensise player and a good shooter as well. If we go for a trade of Marion for Brand and maybe add Blount to clear cap space and pick-up a bench player from the Clippers as well. We can now concentrate on a defensive minded center. We have plenty of offense with Wade, Beasley, and Marion/Brand if a trade is made. Scartch all that keep Wade/Beasley/Marion/Wright/Cook/Quinn/Baron and trade Mark Blount/Banks & Udonis for a C & PF-for back-up that is defensive oriented,and then go after help like DIOP, James Jones, Get Chris Duhon, and a back-up taller defensive minded PF.
WE CAN HAVE THIS ROSTER:

WADE/COOK/JAMES JONES
C. DUHON/CHALMERS/QUINN
MARION/WRIGHT/M.Peitrus
BEASLEY/Defensive Tall and Big PF
DIOP/BARON/M.DOLEAC(real cheap & very serv.)

We should hire ZO as a coach for defensive minded and let his body heal from all these years in the NBA if he returns he would waste a spot for us to develop a center for our future. We can go after Michael Peatrus cause he can work with Wright as a back-up SF and PF and they can always step in when Marion or Beasley gets injured and give some stability. Miami would have a great bench that can give offense and defense, and have one of the top starting five in the league that Wade would have to really be crazy to leave for Chicago.

[jab]

heat may have signed their answer.--david padget. they need a big who distributes. no one will give 100% all game like padget.no one will distribute like padget. super basketball IQ. longley served a purpose on the bulls. kudos to riles.