Rating the Heat offseason so far

With free agency quieting for the Heat--barring a trade--how do you think the summer has shaped up for the team? What is your outlook for this team heading into training camp (a little less than 2 months away) with the additions of forward Michael Beasley and point guard Mario Chalmers in the draft and swingman James Jones in free agency? At this point, do you think finding another center or point guard is a bigger need? What's your biggest concern?

The Eastern Conference should be stronger next year, but the Heat should still be a playoff team and much improved so long as injuries don't debilitate the team like last season. It will be interesting to watch the development of guys like Joel Anthony and Stephane Lasme, who have had strong summers. Of course, the season isn't going to hinge on reserves, but the more guys that can contribute the better off the team will need more than just the Big 3 (Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and Beasley) to win games. The addition of Jones is significant because the Heat sorely missed not having a three-point specialist of his caliber last season.

Vote on how you think the Heat has done this offseason.

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(FYI: Wednesday is the league's deadline to withdraw qualifying offers, but don't expect the Heat to renounce qualifying offers for forwards Dorell Wright and Kasib Powell, as well as point guard Chris Quinn. Yes, the Heat still has needs to fill but all three come fairly cheap and the team needs depth on the bench.)

Comments

[Dan G.]

Center is the clear need. They don't even need someone offensive-minded. A 5 who can run the floor, block shots and rebound is more than enough. I think a guy like Chalmers who can handle the ball a little, defend, and shoot the 3 is exactly what is needed next to Wade.

My biggest concern is whether Marion will be a distraction if he isn't traded before the season. My hunch is they will get the best deal at the trade deadline for him.

The real question as to how good this team as currently constituted depends on how well they defend, which was the biggest problem last year.

[heatfan05]

i think the heat another center but i dont think its a great need. i think startin haslem at the 5 beasley at the 4 marion at 3 then dwade and chalmers at the 2 and 1 makes for a good starting 5. the east dont have any great 5's so we can get away with that line up plus haslem is a good defender and rebounder. with jones, wright, zoe and quinn if he signs thats a decent bench

[ebag]

Riley has once again managed to scrape together an exciting young team. if Zo can help bring Mark Blount out of his coma, we should be decent, but probably no playoffs.
These are my main concerns:

- i like the chalmers/quinn point guard combo, but they are both a year or two away from legit. throw Beasley into that crew also.

- Shawn Marion didn't do jack last year. If he can play like an all-star, we can make the playoffs. but I'm not holding my breath.

- The obvious hole in the middle. Udonis is a warrior, but too small to play center (think Brian Grant. Good PF, crappy C) Blount could be good, but Isn't. Zo is our best center, and he's too old to play heavy minutes.

Hope for the longshot:

Guards - Wade, Jones, Chalmers, Quinn, D. Cook, D. Wright - Hopefully one or two of those guys can be legit enough to help Wade. And hopefully Dwayne is healthy.

Forwards - Beasley, Marion, Udonis - Obviously our strength. If they play up to potential, we could make the playoffs.

Center - Blount, Udonis, Zo - ugh....

In the end, our hope lies in the hands of Wade, Beasley, and S. Marion. if those three play to potential, they should be enough to carry a mediocre team. I would say they are one season and one big man away. I predict a slow start and a strong finish

[Agent Zero]

I think that with Okafor now wanting to be traded and AI now on the market, things could start to get interesting. Okafor would make sense but not if we have to give up Marion. I would love a Haslem for Okafor swap, but I think Okafor wants way too much money...He would be worth it for around 10mil/yr. Other than that I like our team and I think Chalmers and Banks need a fair chance to sink or swim. Their won't be any pressure on them since Dwade,Marion,Beez will be attracting all the attention. I have seen a lot about Banks not being wanted and I think other than his long contract he does a lot of nice things, but unfortunately he is a scoring PG and not a passing PG which makes maybe less lovable to Riles. It's an exciting young team and a move here or there and the core of this team core be really scary for a long time. A core of Wade, Beez, Okafor, Chalmers would be really interesting for a long time and then they would still have $$$$ to sign a big time player in 2010.

[David]

Center is the biggest need, IMO. Michael Beasley probably won't be a great defensive player in the NBA, so having a great defensive center next to him is a must.

The dream scenario obviously would be us swinging a trade for Emeka Okafor.

[phil]

I think that we do have a pretty interesting team, but first we need to find out if Udonis is willing to come off the bench behing Beasley. if so we have the PF position secured, as well as the SG of Wade/Cook secured. Now I believe that if we keep Marion we will contend for a playoff birth if we trade him we will not make the play-offs unless we pick-up another scorer because Beasley is going to struggle for his first year. so Marion/James/Wright would be great offensively and defensively. the point I think we should give a try with Banks/Chalmers/Quinn. By mid season or the trade deadline we will know if we should make Chalmers the starting point and trade Banks fr an experienced Vet. Now our problem area is in the middle. Blunt/Padget/Joel scares me. We need a defensive center to compliment Marion/Wade/Beasley. I think that we should pick-up Kwame Brown for a defensive purpose and cheap and release Padget. then we can have Defense from Kwame and Offense from Blunt, and Joel would get his chance when possible.

Wade/Cook/Davis- if we Trade Marion
Banks/Chalmers/Quinn
Marion/James/Wright/Kasib powell
Beasley/Udonis/Stephane Lasme
Blunt/Padget/Joel Pick-up Kwame release Padget.

This team can make a run for a 7 or 8 seat in the playoffs. But will Udonis be willing to go off the bench, and can we get a defensive minded center. I don't see a reason for ZO. He should sign with a contender like cleveland or LA or Chicago doing mid season because that is when he will be ready to return. If we sign him now we would be waisting a spot that we can use to develop somebody for our future. As good as he is lets not forget he is 39 years old. with kidney and Knee problems.

[D-Fence]

A sign-trade with Charlotte is what we need. Trade Marion (and maybe spice it up by adding a pick)for Okafor and Augustin. we fulfill our pg and c needs in one trade and we can put dorell or JJ at the 3

[pugtv]

This Summer is a vast improvement over the last one. When you commit and overpay Smush Parker, the only way to go is up.

[james paul]

Like the additions in Beasley, Chalmers, and James Jones but we have NO one in the middle, and without an interior presence we are dead.I love Udonis but he is not the starting center,he gets killed by bigger power fowards and smaller ones for that matter.Blount is at best a weak defender and rebounder{being as kind as i possibly can be} ,and a decent open jumpshooter ,but unfortunatly no anchor in the middle.SOOOOOOOO what to do ????????.Is evryone out there so in love with Marion? that if the deal for Okafor is out there and it hinges on him being a part of the deal you wouldnt move him?.Love Marion too but he is not a 17 million dollar a year player no way, no how.Pat, Mickey, are you out there? Okafor is our type of guy he,s a worker and a warrior ,and a good rebounder and he,s got some offensive skills.{this guy is the perfect guy to have Zo mentor}.So other than Wade,Chalmers,and Beasley lets roll the dice and make this trade because time stops for no one ,not even the 2006 CHAMPS who are most recently remembered as the back to back non competing CHUMPS{hurts to even type it but its the truth and im a heat fan till i die}.OKAFOR CAN BE HAD NOW!!!!!!!!!!!PLEASE MOVE BEFORE SOME OTHER TEAM SWOOPS IN...........

[Magic_Marc]

We did great this summer! With the center market being what it is, I think that we should stand pat and use Udonis, Zo and Blount as our center by committee. They all bring different things and there are 18 fouls between them. If we play a sort of collapsing defense on power centers we could manage this and still go to the playoffs. This team should look forward to adding a center later on this year or even next year.

Between Banks, Quinn and Chalmers our pg problems are solved. Chalmers should be our starting point guard, maybe by day 1.

[dribbler]

if Beasley has good attitude, stays out of trouble, and is developed properly by good coaching, by 2010 there will be no need to hold our breaths for a big name because Beasley's game and his frame will grow and be ready for a Hall of Fame career starting in 2010.

the problem with Okafor is that he is physically fragile. you can gamble on that
only if you don't overpay. i would trade Marion straight up if not for the fact O
will not likely escape injury. that is a
much bigger factor than any of you are taking into account. that is the reason
i have also proposed trading Wade (who i love and only for great value would i trade him..but if good value i gotta think he is prone to serious injury again
due to his aggressive style.)

[Anthony]

About the Okafor situation...I think that we may have to move Marion rather than Haslem, because I believe that they would want a proven "all around" player like Marion is. On the other hand, I would prefer a trade scenarion like this:

Bobcats get: PF. U.Haslem
2nd D.Pick next year

Heat get: C. E. Okafor

[HeatFan]

We are not going to trade for Okafor, who wants over $13M per season, when in 2010, big men like Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire will opt out of their contracts and become available. Unless we get a big time player, and Okafor is not a big time player, via trade in the next 6 months, we will simply let Marion come off the books, and maintain plenty of cap space for 2010. Don't forget that Haslem also comes off the books in 2010.

We will be the only team in 2010 with one of the big time free agents that will opt out in 2010 (wade, kobe, lebron, bosh, amare, etc.) that will have the ability to re-sign our stud, and have the cap space to bring on one of the other studs. All this talk about Lebron/Wade moving to NY/Brooklyn for "more money in endorsements" is nonsense. They both are WORLD-WIDE names that would not have a problem getting endorsements if they played in Memphis!!

So, be patient, because unless a super star from a team looking to shed cap becomes available, Riley and Pfund will be content sitting back until 2010. As was said by many others, we will be a young, entertaining, playoff contending team for the next 2 seasons, and make our move to solidify our roster in 2010.

[sha]

MY FELLOW HEAT FANS, the heat will wait till the 2010 when lebron and dwade are free agents the plan is to wait keep marion till his contract is up, then when lebrons a free agent court him to miami to create the best one two combo since jordan and pippen... i say this will happen because dwade isnt going anywhere and, lebron and him are the best of friends not to mention lebron will definetely never win a title in cleaveland... no one is speaking about the thought of them two playing together because the knicks and, nets are making it known to everyone that they are clearing cap space and opening up new arenas, to convince lebron that the northeast is where he needs to be.... add about 3 or 4 mill to the 17.8 that marion makes that pretty much makes that a max offer for lebron, with dwade already getting that much all we need to do for him is sign him to a 6 yr deal..... even if the heat go over the luxury tax, who in their right mind would not want a dwade and lebron one two punch on their squad??? in the past id say this would never be allowed by the NBA however after the big 3 in boston this past season and all of them having extremely extravagant contracts makes a lebron dwade 1 2 a definate possibiilty in my eyes....... ASK URSELF THIS HEAT FANS, WHY DID LEBRON AND DWADE BOTH SIGN THE SHORTER 3 year deals as opposed to the 5 year CONTRACTS IN 06,07 WHICH MADE THEM BOTH UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS IN 09 10? SO THEY COULD BOTH FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PLAY TOGETHER....... THIS ISNT UR EB AND BARON DAVIS SITUATION, BECAUSE WADE AND LEBRON KNOW IF THEY PLAY TOGETHER THEY WILL NOT ONLY COMPETE BUT, GO TO THE FINALS EVERY YEAR WITHOUT QUESTION......

[Yitz]

I give it a B, but if Chalmers ends up a starter, it'll go up to an A. A starting 5 of Haslem, Beasley, Marion, Wade, and whoever, with Jones and Zo off the bench might be a playoff team, but not a legitimate contender by any stretch. It'll take one more year at least. If Chalmers develops like he's showing flashes (albeit in the summer) that'll accelerate it, but it will still take at least a year, and a real low post option. They can go small and make the playoffs, but it's been shown time and time again that you can't win a title without defense and a big man. I've got no problem with being a poor man's version of the Suns, but remember how many titles they've won.

[Phil]

Heat fan I have to dissagree with you. Labron and Wade will not sign on to the same team. They both demand the ball too much to be on the same team, and Wade is just as big a star as Labron but Labron would over shadow Wade. I just don't see Labron passing up on a New York team for Miami and if Miami don't put a winning team with Wade now before 2010 Wade will leave to go play home with Derick Rose. We need to be creative and do some moves now. I can see an Okafor trade for Udonis and Blunt to give them back a C/Pf we need to build now to give our self a chance to sign Wade. Look at how Baron Davis left to go play at home. we can not afford that. Minus Wade no other stars will want to come to Miami especially with an unproven coach running the team.

[Maher]

OMG, did anyone think about the possibility of Allen Iverson heading to Miami. Um, seriously; Denver wants to trade him to get below the luxury tax, and they need to trade for someone in the 17 Million range. Don't you think grabbing a 20 million dollar expiring contact in Allen Iverson is way better then Shawn. Can you think of a better starting backcourt in the nba or duo better then Wade and Iverson(if healthy).

If Miami has Wade/Iverson/Beasley; that will be the next big 3 in the NBA, and have a legit chance of going deep in the playoffs.

[Ken B.]

Allen Iverson would be the worst thing that could possibly happen to the Heat. There is now way Iverson/Beas/Wade could ever coexist. Too many shots and not enough minutes. I love D-Wade but i don't see him as the kinda guy who would like Iverson taking some of his shine.

[phil]

No Way, I love Iverson, but not enough ball for Iverson/Wade/beasley. We need to be smart and build for the future not for title run. Getting Iverson would be for a title run. Next year is a year to build on the future. I think we need to set a goal to reach the playoffs with 44 to 48 wins and run for the 7 or 8 seats in the east. I believe that we need to keep what we have and look for a trade for Wrght and Blunt for a better center, and wait and see if we can trade Banks for Tinsley or wait to see if he gets released and try to pick-him up for two years and maybe he can back-up Chalmers by mid season. Keep Udonis to back-up Beasley and kep Marion and resign him unless we can get a trade with Wariors for Ellis and Bierdris for Marion and maybe throw in Blunt to get rid of this crazy money for a defensless 7 footer. that can not even rebound. We need a rebounder/block shot/ defensive player to play next to Beasley. Maybe we can trade Udonis and Banks to Cleveland for Variejo and Delonte West. Maybe?

[Ken B.]

Banks/Haslem for Varejo/West. Thats not a sexy trade but its realistic. No one will take Blount off our hands...but packaging banks with a reasonable starter like Haslem is possible. I'd like us to keep Marion too but not at anything more than 12 mil. a year.

[Armando]

Everyone seems to have short-term memory. The key will be Wade. If he is 100%, he is top 3 in the NBA in taking over a game in the 4th quarter. We need good rebounding (Haslem and Beasley), three point shooting (Jones & Chalmers) and Wade attacking the hoop. That's enough for the playoffs... then, a first round exist.

[genius]

AI and Wade could be the new Pearl and Clyde! everyone said there weren't enough
shots for both on champ Knicks '73 squad.

look, can you give me ONE example of a team
adding one all-star scoring guard to another where it didn't work because of
"not enough balls?" then i'll listen.

Marion for AI? i love it!! so will you.

[Ken B.]

We are a rebuilding team. I don't think our best option right now is a 6'0 tall almost 34 year old guard whos been logging almost 38 minutes a game his entire life. I love AI, and if we were a contender i'm right there with you. But we are not. We are a rebuilding team trying to develop our rookies and learn Spo's system.

[Dom]

if we have to give up haslem and wright/cook to get to okafors salary, with banks thrown in since they need a PG(drafted DJ), that would work, and we would still have matrixs expiring to go after lebron in 2010. It might already be a done deal with the wink wink with lebron and riley-- HOWEVER, okafor, accept for his offense, is like a baby zo, He is a double double that can block shots. PERFECT FIT---Chalmers, wade, marion, beasley, and okafor-----NOW WE HAVE A BIG 4. and thats a top 3 team, --------without a doubt, thats a potential 4 allstars --Emaka is the play

[Ken B.]

Wade and Lebron will never be on the same team. Ever. And Alonzo Mourning is twice the player that Okafor will ever be. Alonzo LEAD teams with emotion and defense. He played like a role player with near superstar talent.
I wouldn't mind Okafor coming here or anything, but lets not jerk off all over ourselves saying that hes going to come here and be the next Alonzo Mourning. OR even close. Hes a follower, he has no offensive game, hes injury prone.
That being said if we could trade Marion for he and Felton i am sold.

[black the trucker]

i think we should trade hasslem,powell,cook to worriers for harrington. then trade marion,davis,blount for okerfar,butler and blacthe. we have to make this season a competitive one, there are trades to be made and a dwade and amare in 2010 makes sense. sign starberry when he comes available. kwame brown could fit somewhere. see if we could get david lee some kind of way. come on Pat we need a winner. black the trucker, will keep in touch.

[black the trucker]

ok lets say, we trade haslem,lasme,alexsander to warriors for harrington. makes sense me! marion,blount in a three team deal. we get inreturn okafor,deng. starting lineup consist of okafor,harrington,deng,wade,banks/or chalmers. we then sign kwame brown, trade ricky davis for david lee. keep dorel,earl,chris good young payers. beasley is going to be great give him time. good pickup was james jones will be good. see if we could make a deal like cook,powel,padget and 1st-rounder for o.j. grizz just might do it! black the trucker,will keep in. touch

[HeatFan]

Sorry Phil, I don't see the right pieces available to make a trade right now. I'm not saying that it won't happen because anything is possible, especially with Riley. But trading for Okafor would be a mistake. He has peaked as a player, and while I think he is definitely defensive minded, he has averaged less than 2 blocks per game for his career, so he's not exactly ZO back there. Almost every Heat Fan was complaining about Shaq making $20 million per year averaging 16 pts and 8 rebeounds. Well guess what, Okafor wants $15 million per year, and he's never averaged more than 15 points per game! He's the type of player we need at the C position, just not worth the money. Just as a comparison, he wants roughly what Dwight Howard will be making, and they're not even in the same stratosphere in terms of talent and production.

Also, I wasn't necessarily referring to the Heat getting Lebron in 2010. I was referring to the fact that we will be the only team with a Superstar, PLUS the cap space to bring in another one of the superstars (i.e. Kobe Bryant, Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson, Lebron etc.) that becomes available. You don't think anyone of those guys would love to come to Miami to play with Wade and Beasley??? And you think Wade would leave if that is possible??? You're talking about a championship contender for the next 5 years....

[black the trucker]

I think we are making a mistake not going hard at Okafor, they're aren't that many bigs out there and he is the kind of player that would fit here day 1. marion is and will be a problem without a new contract, so trade him the value is great. blount does us nothing get rid of him.! ricky davis has to go too.! now i like haslem but he has value and teams want him and he is a local guy so he will be back.

now lets say, marion,blount,j williams for okafor,harrington. three team deal. trade davis for david lee. sign kwame brown. we still have zo and will need him down the stretch. we could make a title run this year. and still have room in 2010. this we keep haslem and get help on boards. or haslem,cook,powell for artest. now at worst con-finals. black the trucker, will keep in touch.