Finally Getting The Point: Arroyo

Finally.

It took three preseason games, multiple injuries that depleted the backcourt depth and shaky play from the starter at the position. But the Heat finally added a much-needed, veteran presence at the point.

The team on Monday signed free agent Carlos Arroyo (pictured right, driving against Wade) to a non-guaranteed, make-good contract. And if anyone has seen either Arroyo or the Heat play recently, the assumption is that not only will he make this roster, he might even play a meaningful role.

First things first. This is not a referendum on Mario Chalmers. The kid is the starter. He'll be the starter as far as the team is concerned. But now, Mario finally has a legitimate push to get better every day in practice and to perform at a consistent level in games.

No, Carlos Arroyo isn't an absolute answer at point guard. That much should be taken from the fact that he was sitting at home in Pinecrest three weeks into the NBA training camp season for the first time in his career without a team. But Arroyo, 30, does add the playmaking skills to effectively run the Heat's pick-and-roll.

He also knows how to shoot and score. Is he a pure defensive stopper at point guard? Hardly. But who is in this league right now? Is he a solid upgrade at a position where the Heat was essentially scratching the NBA's equivalent of rock-bottom behind Chalmers? Absolutely. And on top of that, this makes Dwyane Wade a bit happier. That could be just as vital.

Arroyo has been in this sort of role before. Just two years ago, he was in Orlando and considered a serious threat to the anointed point-guard-of-the-future there. A guy by the name of Jameer Nelson. Arroyo left as a free agent two summers ago. The only time you can really question his decision making was when he and agent Leon Rose thought too highly of his open-market value and turned down NBA jobs to play overseas.

Now Arroyo is back in the NBA. He says he'll accept any role he's given by the Heat. But he made certain to mention that he could "run the show."

"It was about being in the right position," Arroyo (pictured left, having his FIU jersey retired last year) said after his first practice with the Heat on Monday. "I had to be patient to wait for this opportunity. To be honest, I've never been at home at this time. I'm usually in training camp. I've been working out and waiting on the call. For the first time, I can use my house and not have to move."

Arroyo, who lives in Pinecrest and was a star at FIU, said he's been trying to get on with the Heat since he left college. But timing and contract amounts always prevented it from happening. He now comes at the right price for the Heat, on a non-guaranteed deal that will pay him the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million for a player with seven seasons of experience. That's only if he's still around in mid-January.

He also comes at the right time in terms of having a chance to address the Heat's needs. Mario shouldn't feel threatened, but he will certainly be challenged. Dwyane Wade essentially agreed Monday, when he said he wouldn't try to console Chalmers if there were any feelings of anxiety right now about his status, which there aren't. But he was still making a point.

"It'll be good for (Chalmers)," Wade said of the day-to-day competition Chalmers (below right) will face.

If things work out as planned, the Heat gets a solid backup point guard on the cheap who also happens to be a hometown hero of sorts. Don't discount the fact that Arroyo could be a crowd favorite, especially among the Latino and Hispanic communities if he performs up to task. And that can't hurt the Heat's bottom line at a time when it has to curtain off the upper deck of the arena to hide empty seats.

This means Chris Quinn, who is out at least a week with a sprained right foot, will fall back to a third-string option, which is probably where he belongs. No shame in that. The kid works his tail off and will qualify for an NBA pension after this season.

This means that John Lucas became even longer of a long shot to make the roster, despite being one of the really good guys in camp who also happens to be a productive spark plug off the bench.

This means team president Pat Riley is off the hook for now in his reluctance, albeit understandable on many levels, to initially address the point guard position before unfortunate things had to happen.

This means coach Erik Spoelstra no longer has to cover up what might be his true feelings about his concerns at the position, even though the good soldier Spo offered this gem on Monday: "We've been going through a lot of decision making. Unlike, I guess, some of you (media), we weren't in a panic situation. We wanted to make the right move. And this is the right move right now."

Most of all, this means the Heat stacks up a little bit better - top to bottom - at the point than it did yesterday. And that's the ultimate point. The most obvious void on the roster is a little less obvious right now.

Finally.

(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

[redbaby]

Not Brevin Knight, but a good pick up nonetheless. Finally.

[carlos]

very smart move....i have a feeling arroyo will THRIVE off playing with a star player like wade...this might be better than we think

[pugtv]

It's about incremental improvement. Nice job.

[jpejeff]

Should buy some time until some trades open up.
At sometime Haslem will have to be traded.If he
becomes unrestricted,You lose control of trade
possibilities.He is wanted by other teams and if you package him with 2 1st rd draft picks(2010& 2011 and keep the lower of the 2 2010 picks),mid level exception,one of the combo guard/forwards,and Quin you probably could get
a outstanding player and get below the lux tax.
C butler would be nice. Add a max player next year and resign D WADE you would have a good 2009/10 and a great 2010/11.Big cat and JO could play minutes behind Beasley at PF opening up more minutes 4 J Anthony backing up O'NEAL. Minutes would be there behind Butler too.ONE PLAYER IS MAKING EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED AND STOPPING OUR YOUTH FROM DEVELOPING & HIS NAME IS NOT WADE.Thats why I
keep saying WHY!It dont have to be Butler,just
someone really good.High draft picks in Miami
dont seem to have much value.So if you have to let A potential lottery pick go to get a Butler
caliber player,you do it.

[phill]

This sucks. I don't believe Aroyo is the answer. we need a player that can penetrate and defend, he can only penetrate he is not a good defender. We also need to get rid of Quinn and try to get that rookie back from over seas and let him learn as the third string guard. Quinn just does not fit for the heat. a nice shooter, but just does not fit in with this team.

[Ed E Jones]

I appreciate what quinn did for us during our 15 win misery but i honestly don't want to see him play again this year for us except in blowouts. Wow my prayers finally answered.

[JDOGTHEDOG]

Nice pickup I always mention him and Bobby Jackson as the Heat's short term answer. He is a great shooter that will spread the floor like Damon Jones did as well as become a playmaker with the pick and roll game. i actually think he is snatching that starting pg spot, maybe because I'm not so big on Chalmers but I just don't see him as the future's pg even if we had Michael Jordan himself running the show lol

[Toolbag]

Good move, considering the alternate options. Might provide the veteran help that will help us actually close out games. Plus it's esentially pay as you play, so if he doesn't cut it, he'll be gone after christmas.

[Greg Gembe]

"Unlike, I guess, some of you (media), we weren't in a panic situation. We wanted to make the right move." ----Thanks, Coach Spo, for spitting the truth.

"Don't discount the fact that Arroyo could be a crowd favorite, especially among the Latino and Hispanic communities if he performs up to task." -----a bit troubling statement here. First, the team is out there to win NBA games, without respect to players heritage. If that were the case, didn't you just piss off the caucasians, because they HAVE to be Quinn fans, based SOLELY on the fact that he is of the same ethnic background. Whoa, slow down, how about judging a player by his worth, not his skin tone.

That being said, I like the pickup. He won't be the starter at point any time soon, but he may be in the game at the end game (when it's most important). Other than Skip-to-my-Lou Alston signing with us, this seems like another prudent move by the organization, price-wise and time-wise.

[Greg Gembe]

"if we had Michael Jordan himself running the show".....

Another gem! How have the Wizards or Bobcats fared with mj in the front office? Pretty stinky! It's laughable to even compare his GM abilities with Riles'. Let's start with championships and work through playoff wins........How's that comparison going so far? mj isn't capable of leading anything but his own image marketing, and nike/espn/nba/gatorade/mcdonalds/haines do all the heavy lifting there.

[pmartin]

Riley asleep at the wheel again;
First passed on Jameer Nelson and David Lee in the draft.
Now passed on Allen Iverson for Arroyo ???
Riley sucks!!
Next waiting for 2010 will blow up in his face when Bosh is traded elsewhere or re-signs with Toronto;
And, Amare re-signs with Phoneix.
And, Johnson re-signs withe Atlanta.

[Dave]

Smart decision??? This guy was sitting at home last week with no one calling and the Heat signing him is a smart decision? C'mon people our point guard situation is probably the worst in the league. Chalmers would not even be thought of as a starter on the best teams in the league. Would he start in Orlando above Nelson? nope. How about on the Celtics above Rondo? nope. Lakers? nope, Cleveland? nope, Nuggets? nope, Pistons? nope. C'mon Riley we can do better at point guard. We might as well dig up Jay Williams and try him out at point guard, I hear he's looking for a job.

[UD's biggest fan]

Dude get with the times. J Will is already signed to Orlando.

Carlos is a great signing and should start ahead of Chalmers if given a fair shot.

[jpejeff]

Yeah I remember Iverson waiting a long time 4 the phone to ring too.Carlos will be a fine addition for now.

[Rookie]

Lets give Carlos a break to see What he can bring. I watched him playing at the World Qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico and he seems more mature player. I followed his career since college and playing overseas helped him. He even looked a lot better defending some of the point guards from Argentina and Brasil (Barbosa). Let see What he can bring!!!!!!!!!

[JDOGTHEDOG]

Greg Gamble you are a freaking Idiot, Stupid and any other word that disrespects your intelligence. I meant Michael Jordan as a player running the show! Who cares about him being a Gm except your little brain.

[Greg Gembe]

Jdogthedog - first, great posting name. I think I'll change mine to Gdogthegdog (if it isn't already taken)

Your post that mentioned 'his errorness' was a bit ambiguous at best. I took it to mean, running the team, as that is what mj's CURRENT role is.

I respect the fact that my opinion is different than yours, and will aim to see the NBA game through your vastly intelligent eyes.

Some day I hope to evolve into the kind gentle human being you are.

You are not only wise beyond conventional NBA wisdom, but I detect a bit of medical background in your past. How else would you know the size of my brain?

Now, put your Keith Olbermann cap on and give me one of those snappy-well-thought-out comeback posts.

[edgardo]

Carlos is a great addition to the heat in all ways right now he is the best point guard miami have....very good complement to wade same style, other thing carlos brings people to see him can increase the fans to get in games,just give him the opportunitty and you see miami is gonna be a very good team to watch.

[Dre]

That's sad..... I actually LIKED Lucas..... Hopefully we can keep him as the team's 15th man or at least for practice squad. Lucas or the "Mighty" Quinn? You decide.

[Champ]

The signing of Carlos Arroyo was a very smart and calculated decision. Just wait and see, Arroyo can play, just watch!!!

[ebag]

this is like putting a band-aide over a cut three hours after it started bleeding. is it a good idea? of course! the only question is why it took so long