Rolling the Rotation Dice

Apparently, coach Erik Spoelstra finds a bit of joy in keeping everyone in suspense regarding what he insists will be a nine-man playing rotation this season.

Of course, Dwyane Wade, Jermaine O'Neal and Mario Chalmers aren't sweating as starters. Udonis Haslem probably isn't either. And Michael Beasley is all but in at small forward, barring a last-minute adjustment due to an injury or some form of indecency.

The next two, according to the view from here, would be guard Daequan Cook and center Joel Anthony as offensive and defensive specialists, respectively. The last two would almost have to be Carlos Arroyo and James Jones. Arroyo would take those first-half and early third-quarter minutes that would become available if Chalmers is either ineffective or in foul trouble. In other words, those minutes Wade would prefer not to chase around smaller and quicker opposing guards until crunch time in the fourth quarter

Jones seems logical because, well, the Heat thought enough of him to sign him to a slightly-less-than-mid-level deal a year ago. He also has worked as hard or harder than anyone on the roster this summer, which isn't lost on the coaching staff despite his limited preseason role. The Heat has to make this Jones situation work. He's got a significant partial guarantee on the next couple of years on his contract even if the Heat decides he's not the answer.

That would leave Quentin Richardson (pictured below left), Yakhouba Diawara and Jamaal Magloire on the outside looking in, as well as plenty of evenings on the inactive list for Dorell Wright, Chris Quinn and Shavlik Randolph.

Spoelstra said there is at least one certainty in the who's-in-who's-out rotation predicament. "It won't be fair," he said. "Guys who probably deserve to play and have a role will have to be patient. At some point in the season, I know that depth is going to help us."

On Wednesday, we'll start to see how well the pieces fit after a preseason of disjointed lineups. Or, we'll start to find out if this will be a season-long collection of moving parts.

(For live news, notes and updates on the Heat, follow me on Twitter @ twitter.com/wallacesports. To post a question or join our live Heat chat each Thursday from 1-2 p.m., click here.)

Comments

[UD's biggest fan]

I can't believe I am scooping you here.

Haslem isn't starting.

[pugtv]

Spo wasted our time last year. He'll waste our time again this year.

I hope he resigns by next year. We're going to contend and we don't need some clueless coach to hold us back.

[Heat-Struck]

The starting line-up is going to be O'Neal, Beasley, Richardson, Wade and Chalmers. Look at his preseason line-ups. QRich was starting when ever Haslem and Beasley were out... that doesn't seem like being on the outside looking in to me. Also, we can't start Haslem at PF and Beasley at SF, because who is our backup PF?! Beasley going to play 48 minutes a game? Start at SF and back up all of Haslem minutes? I don't think so. The only logical choice is to start Beasley at PF, and have Haslem back him up... because those are the only PFs we have on the team. I think Spo is finally realizing this, and he should have Haslem coming off the bench, and QRich starting at SF.

[UD and SPO]

We have Shavlik Randolph to back up Haslem at PF.

[Joel Delgado]

oh yeah haslem ain't starting n beasley will prove that he should have been the starter all along.

[Joel Delgado]

can't wait for the season to start.LETS GO HEAT!!!!!!!!

[JPEJEFF]

People people were is the respect for Haslm. I respect the fact,Haslem need to comeoff the bench.

[black the trucker]

well, while you all seem to be so interested in who starts, all i can say is how wins will we have at the end of the year... and another thing wade came off the bench for the usa team and was the player who played the best.. i say start beasley, why not.. give him every reason to play his best.. but if he fails trade him, and don't waste time, get rid of him...