Managing the Matrix

An interesting development occurred late in the Heat's 100-92 exhibition loss to the Magic Saturday in Jacksonville that might be worth keeping tabs on.

With the teams locked in a tight fourth quarter battle - with starters from both teams still on the court (and with Miami largely still in search of a cohesive unit), the Heat's highest-paid player was deep on the bench. Shawn Marion - he of the $17.8 million expiring contract - was not on the court with Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley and Udonis Haslem.

The Heat had opted to stay with its super-small unit, with Marcus Banks, Mario Chalmers, Wade, Beasley and Haslem on the court to finish out the key stretches of the fourth quarter.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra suggested after the game that there was nothing more to read into Marion being on the bench than simply a coach's decision to go with - and stick with - the unit that had made a nice run at the Magic late in the game.

"I was thinking about it," Spoelstra said. "I was really waiting for an opportunity to get him back in there. But I just went with the guys - kept them in since they were turning the tide a little bit."

But you have to wonder which way the tide is heading with Marion and the Heat. It was just a few days ago when Marion talked about how he's put the business of his contract dispute with the Heat behind him and is focused on playing with a Heat team he insists he likes.

He also talked at length about how excited he was about handling the tough task of being the only player on the team who has been asked to know - and play extended minutes at - both small forward and power forward. Marion didn't seem upset about how things played out late in Saturday's game and is taking a wait-and-see approach - just like every other teammate of note - with how the juggling act plays out in Spoelstra's search for a rotation.

Marion has been steady this preseason, but he has not yet stood out by any means. Clearly he's the most expensive employee on the roster. Clearly he's one of the five best players on the team. But with Beasley's emergence and Haslem's return to health, it's also clear Marion might not have a clear role.

Even at 6-7, Marion is clearly more comfortable in the Heat's offense when he's able to play power forward. In Miami's system, the four spot primarily sets screens as the pick-and-pop option. Shots generally come within Marion's range, and if not, he's able to get to the basket. Marion is clearly one of those rare players who are much better and more effective when you don't run plays for him and he's allowed to roam, get tip-ins, catch lobs for dunks and squeeze through cracks in the defense.

But when he's at the three, which is where he's been starting for Miami since Haslem returned from a foot injury, Marion is essentially out on an island. He's on the opposite wing or corner from where the action takes place with Wade. He's left essentially as a spot-up shooter in the deep corner - some 20 feet from the basket - which isn't his strength at all.

During his time in Phoenix, there seemed to be little difference between the forward spots in that run-and-gun offense. You simply fill a wing and finish with authority at the rim when Steve Nash finds you.

In Miami, it's different. Much different. And the Matrix seems to be caught in the middle. On top of that, he's playing with a torn ligament on the pinkie finger of his shooting hand.

Still, this new up-tempo offense the Heat has been advertising should be tailor-made for Marion's open-court game. Only that offense has yet to kick into gear because of turnovers, chemistry issues and growing pains. Plus, you can't get out on the break if you don't rebound - which has been a problem area for the Heat amid injuries and ineffective play at center.

At some point, in order for the Matrix to matter, those kinks have to be worked out. And maybe Spoelstra just wanted to try something different on Saturday. That's fine. This team is still tinkering.

But Marion must find his way in the offense - and the Heat must find ways to meet him halfway. Otherwise, 'Trix will be the highest-paid fourth option on an NBA roster this side of the Knicks.

Comments

[Pay Per View]

we should tell pat riley to explore a trade of Daequan Cook for Javaris C (from memphis) he would be probably better than every healthy PG that we have right now (except for Livingston) but he would be especially helpful off of the bench. Javaris would be great with second team. He is a combo guard in the same mold as Rodney Stuckey from Detroit and Tony Allen in Boston. He can push the ball and make his own shot and get and one's. we are supposedly playing in a more uptempo offense in which he should thrive in. Memphis has no one to back up Mayo and Javaris is just wasting away as the 4th option on the bench. I believe with more playing time Javaris will become a very servicable player for us. Plus he is strong with the ball and plays some defense. He would have a better upside with the heat and Cook will have more upside backing up OJ Mayo. and the we could use Banks or Quinn in a package to get us a Big Man in the middle. Also Javaris should have went to us before but the lakers took him right in front of us and we ended up With Daequan Cook. The bottom line is he can score and he can get others easy baskets. And when James Jones comes back along with Dorrell Wright that second unit will be pretty exciting with Javaris running the point. Daequan Cook has done noting for us and maybe a change of teams would work out for both players. Plus the money and years are about even with them so a swap could work. Come on Pat Riley lets make this happen. Then try to get Anderson Varejo from Cleveland for our Big and we would be in great shape.

[Mindrangr]

The Anderson Varejo move has merit. He's got good size and hustles and is pretty solid in the paint. On this team a center wouldn't be asked to do much more than rebound and at the very least be long and strong enough to hold the middle down.

[Khalil]

We got to get Matrix going. He is a great player and he and Wade need to be the focus of this offense. Everybody else including Beasley needs to get in where they fit in. A Wade/Marion combo should be putting up huge numbers. I'm also wondering what we are going to do to shore up the point guard position. The Tinsley rumors keep popping up and I'm not sure if that will be a good move for us, unless we are able to dump Blount and/or Banks in the deal. I think Memphis has some other PGs I would like to see in a Heat Jersey.

[taheati]

Agreed.

Mitch Lawrence (NYDN) claims the Heat has an "interest" in Tinsley. No big deal and not exactly news.

More interesting -- and foreboding -- an Eastern conference coach who confirms the "new" Heat look just like the old Heat, i.e., new faces, same system.

Hence Miami's problematic and continued *dependence* on Wade to iso & create, 3PT shooters + others who stand around waiting (on offense) while a rookie head coach stubbornly tries to fit unfittable pieces to the only system he knows -- Rileyball era post-oriented defense, post-oriented offense. As Lurch would say, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Lawrence: "Miami has interest in Jamaal Tinsley, stuck at home in Atlanta as the Pacers continue to try to move him. As for Miami's new 'running game' that Dwyane Wade was so excited about, the Heat's offense under new coach Erik Spoelstra 'is a clone' of Pat Riley's system, according to one Eastern Conference coach. Meaning there's no running." [ http://tinyurl.com/6qgafc ]

If I'm looking at trades, they'd include: 1A- a passing center who can board, clog the post, facilitate on offense, draw and make FTs. Brad Miller could be expendable with Hawes seemingly poised to start; but what would the Heat have that SAC might conceivably covet? Not much. 1B- a younger version of JKidd with enough size to board and start the break; footspeed to defend 1s or 2s; an attacking mentality + ability to finish at the rim, draw coverage, whistles, and-1s *or* reliable 3PT range; superior court vision to improvise, involve non-featured players, find shots for himself or others as shotclocks expire.

Otherwise, there's no secret to Marion's current lack of impact because there is *no* current or "featured" role for 3s in Rileyball. Exhibit A: Mashburn. Likewise Majerle, Ellis, Weatherspoon, Bowen, Caron, Walker, Posey, Davis, etc.

Spoelstra seems wedded to the notion that culture = system, e.g., culture = Rileyball. Wrong. Utah/Sloan have always been defensive minded. But the Jazz today (offball motion) are *FAR* different from the Jazz of Stockton & Malone (exclusive pick and roll). Undersized 4? Check (Boozer ~ Haslem or Beasley). Do it all 3? Check. (Kirlenko ~ Marion). A guard who can score or create? Check (Wade > Deron). A center who boards, passes, defends and facilitates? Umm.

Et tu Spoelstra/Riley? It's never to late to change. Even with a season about to start. Else face the unchanging possibility of, at best, marginal improvement over 15-67.

[dskz]

Why doesnt Spo just put Bealey at the 3 and Marion at the 4?

[305baller]

We need to trade Haslem for a stud shotblocking, rebounding C

[Pay Per View]

we should tell pat riley to explore a trade of Daequan Cook for Javaris C (from memphis) he would be probably better than every healthy PG that we have right now (except for Livingston) but he would be especially helpful off of the bench. Javaris would be great with second team. He is a combo guard in the same mold as Rodney Stuckey from Detroit and Tony Allen in Boston. He can push the ball and make his own shot and get and one's. we are supposedly playing in a more uptempo offense in which he should thrive in. Memphis has no one to back up Mayo and Javaris is just wasting away as the 4th option on the bench. I believe with more playing time Javaris will become a very servicable player for us. Plus he is strong with the ball and plays some defense. He would have a better upside with the heat and Cook will have more upside backing up OJ Mayo. and the we could use Banks or Quinn in a package to get us a Big Man in the middle. Also Javaris should have went to us before but the lakers took him right in front of us and we ended up With Daequan Cook. The bottom line is he can score and he can get others easy baskets. And when James Jones comes back along with Dorrell Wright that second unit will be pretty exciting with Javaris running the point. Daequan Cook has done noting for us and maybe a change of teams would work out for both players. Plus the money and years are about even with them so a swap could work. Come on Pat Riley lets make this happen. Then try to get Anderson Varejo from Cleveland for our Big and we would be in great shape.

[Brad]

Marion will be fine, but he is a sensitive guy, so they will have to cater to him somewhat to get the production he is capable of. A happy Marion is a devasting player.

What is big brother defense? find out @ http://www.pickupbasketball.net/

[genius]

not to pick on anyone here but some common
mistakes in English are annoying.

"should have went" does not exist!!!
it's "should have gone". people now commonly use went instead of gone. awful.

"loosing". no such word, it's "losing"
i know the oo sound is phonetically oo,
but English doesn't follow regular rules.
you lose the game, you don't loose it.
if you keep using loose to mean lose, it
appears to other you have a screw loose.
lol

[genius]

not to pick on anyone here but some common
mistakes in English are annoying.

"should have went" does not exist!!!
it's "should have gone". people now commonly use went instead of gone. awful.

"loosing". no such word, it's "losing"
i know the oo sound is phonetically oo,
but English doesn't follow regular rules.
you lose the game, you don't loose it.
if you keep using loose to mean lose, it
appears to other you have a screw loose.
lol

[black the trucker]

hey, whats up guys. now after taking a look at our team so far, three possible trades come to mind. now i am just a fan so cut me some slack when i am out on the road. one (marion) to golden state for jackson, harrington. two ( quinn, cook, diawara, padgent, anthony,) and 2nd rounder for curry, lee from the knicks. three ( banks, haslem) to chicago for hinrich. now we still need time to play with one another but this is giving us a punchers chance because as it looks now we are in trouble. this team might lose more than last years teams. hey, keep in touch.

[stevey boy smith]

Its the freakin preseason.

Marion is a 10-year vet. 4time allstar. Finished top-5 for DPOY award and top-10 for an MVP award. made the all-nba team. 20/10 career averages.

You think he cares about the preseason? He isnt playing yet. Just as all star-10year-vets are at this time of year.

Get a grip.

If anyone is expendable it is Haslem. He plays the same position as Beasley except Beasley is alot better at it..... we should ship out Haslem for Varejao (a center that plays defense and hits the 12-footer instead of a PF that does it).

Put it like this: we need a center. One guy is expendable.....

Beasley is a 20/10 POWER FORWARD.

Marion is an allstar/all-defense SMALL FORWARD.

Haslem is an above-average roleplayer POWER FORWARD.

That simplifies it. Haslem's the odd-man out. When Beasley was drafted it made Haslem expendable...... Haslems been one of the bottom-10 starting PF's for years anyways. (While marions been a top-10 starting SF for years)... Time to go UD, if we had a starting center it would be a different story and you could go to the bench.... but we dont. See ya later, thanks for everything..

[al rogers]

I would like to see the Heat try to acquire
the hawks Josh Smith. Because of his shot blocking ability he can play an undersized center. with alonzo coming back in january.
Trading for Josh Smith (10 million sallary)could make the heat a 50 plus win team. Trade a future first round pick and udonis haslem.
or dorrel wright and udonis haslem for Josh Smith.
I would go as far as to say I would even trade shawn marion for Josh smith and a player of the hawks chosing.

[adam]

everyone is so quick to give haslem the boot. haslem is a better defender for large hard to guard talents such as dirk nowitzki. without haslem u lose alot of the small ball the heat would play. they could put haslem man to man on their opponents toughest defensive job n play a zone. without haslem the heat are very limited to their defensive scheme. KEEP HIM!