It's simple math. So let's just face it, accept it, embrace it and move on to the more favorable matchups. 

The Heat will lose most battles this season at point guard and center. Hold up. Scratch that. Let me rephrase this. Unless Dwyane Wade plays a more prominent role at point guard, the Heat will lose most battles this season at point guard and center.

Granted. The debate should start - and end - there. And that's no disrespect to the Heat's candidates at point guard and center. Most are hard-working, respectable, established veterans at varying stages of their careers.

But it doesn't matter if the starter at the point is Mario Chalmers, Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Kenny Hasbrouck or Pat Beverly. Nine times out of 10, you're going to prefer the opposing team's starting point guard over Miami's when you break down that matchup going into games.

The same can be said at the center spot, regardless as to whether it's Big Z, Jamaal Magloire, Joel Anthony, Shavlik Randolph or rookie Dexter Pittman. So what do you do if you're the Miami Heat?

You play to your strengths.

And what do you do if you're a Miami Heat fan worried about some of the criticism from the national media, who have labeled Miami as "soft" or "inadequate" in the middle? You turn the channel/station or you change the subject.

Because the plain truth is simple. The Heat won't ask its point guards and centers to do much other than limit mistakes, pass the ball, rebound, block shots, defend, and knock down the easy looks.

So even if Miami doesn't stack up at center and point guard with the likes of Boston, Orlando, Chicago and the Los Angeles Lakers, those teams have to answer for the areas where the Heat will dominate on most nights. And that's shooting guard, small forward and power forward. That's Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Make no mistake. This is nit-picking time. And there will be plenty of pundits out there who will take pride in nit-picking the Heat's areas of weakness. But it's silly to point out those shortcomings and not take into account the clear areas of strength on this roster.

When taking into account the starting five, there isn't a 2-3-4 trio in the league I'd pick over the Heat's. And that includes Boston (Allen, Pierce, Garnett), Orlando (Carter, Richardson, Lewis) or L.A. (Kobe, Artest, Gasol). The question is chemistry, and how quickly the Heat can build it this season.

But all three of those teams - Boston, Orlando and L.A. - have a clear advantage at point guard and center. On paper, if the Heat plays to its strengths, it should come out one spot ahead most nights in the battle of the starting fives. And whatever shortcomings Miami has with that first group must be made up for by its bench.

But there's no need to panic in nit-picking time, although this subject was a key topic in this week's Heat live chat. Here's a sample of Thursday's Q&A session.

That's the most intriguing question posed this week during our Thursday live Heat chat. If I've said it once, I've suggested it a million times.

Take Pat Riley for his word.

And then take it with a grain of salt.

So where does that leave you? Confused, confounded and never quite comfortable. And that's exactly where Pat likes you to be, which is what has made him one of the most rugged, respected and resourceful executives in league history.

But I do take him at his word that his coaching days are over, when it comes to regular-season NBA coaching, that is. Would he step in and try to rescue this team - and salvage Micky Arison's $330 million investment in Wade, Bosh and LeBron - at the first or second sign of adversity?

Absolutely.

And who would blame him? But that's neither the plan nor the preferred method of operation. Erik Spoelstra will get plenty of room to do his thing with this team. At least that appears to be the case.

Spoelstra can afford to lose a game or two or three. He could even survive a few doses of uncomfortable moments with LeBron James (Chris Bosh is a go-with-the-flow-guy in this equation, so no worries there).

But Spo can not afford to lose Dwyane Wade's support and confidence. Then, and likely only then, would Pat be forced off his perch in the president's suite at AmericanAirlines Arena and swoop to the bench.

As an aside, I return from vacation the day after Labor Day and will update the blog daily as we begin our countdown to Heat training camp, which opens with media day on Sept. 27. Until then, here's another sample dose of this week's live chat ...

Most Recently Answered Questions

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/qna/forum/heat_chat/index.html#ixzz0xjimNUV5

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

Eddie's back again. No, not Eddie Jones. Been there, done that. And did it again.

This time, it's Eddie House's turn for a Heat reunion. House agreed with the Heat Thursday on a two-year deal worth the veterans' minimum. The deal is worth a total of $2.8 million over two seasons, with the second season at House's option.

Agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed the deal just minutes before the start of our weekly Heat chat. As we do every week at this time, I try to answer your Heat questions. Or, at least try to provide an entertaining way to waste your time as we search for the answers.

Here's another sample of the hot questions this week...

Most Recently Answered Questions

Chris Bosh repeatedly made it a point during his transition to the Miami Heat to publicly thank fans, former teammates and executives on his way out of Toronto.

Although it had long been clear that Bosh was the most likely of the major free agents to jump ship and leave his franchise, there at least seemed to be a willingness from Bosh and the Raptors front office to work together on a divorce that would satisfy the needs of both sides.

Still, all along, there seemed to be a disconnect between what was said publicly between Bosh and Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo and what actually was felt behind closed doors.

Apparently, those doors have blown open now. And if Bosh and LeBron James share anything in common beyond their move to the Heat and the championship aspirations and criticism that came with it, it's the backlash from the front-offices of their former teams.

The Toronto Sun reported in Tuesday's editions some rather scathing comments from Colangelo, who headed down a similar path Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert took in questioning LeBron's competitiveness at the end of the season.

According to quotes taken from Colangelo's interview with a local sports talk show, the Sun reported that Colangelo not only took slightly-veiled shots at Bosh's recovery from injuries, but also his desire to mesh with the pieces the Raptors tried to place around him in recent years.

Bosh had been dealing with a number of nagging injuries over the second half of the season.

"Despite limited swelling and any excessive damage on an MRI, he felt like he needed to sit for six more games ... I’m not even questioning Chris’ injury. I’m telling you he was cleared to play subject to tolerance on his part, and the tolerance just apparently wasn’t there and he chose not to play,” Colangelo said.

“The fact that our season was spiraling downward and we were hoping he’d come back sooner and we were also dealing with a few other things at that point ... we were really struggling there.”

At that point, the Raptors were in the midst of tumbling from fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff  race to completely out of the postseason picture. Bosh also sustained a facial fracture in the final days of the regular season that knocked him out of the remaining games.

“Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn’t quite into it down the stretch, he wasn’t the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it,” Colangelo said.

Now, apparently, no one is willing to hold back.

“I never felt we were quite in the game (in terms of signing Bosh to a new contract). There was too much out there, too much built up for him to take an easy out here, and he decided to do that.”

If the comments are reported accurately, it's safe to say that Colangelo didn't quite go Gilbert in torching Bosh after he bolted for Miami. But Colangelo also didn't stray to far from that territory.

Repeatedly lost in all of this is the fact that Bosh, James and Wade had every right as free agents to do what they did. Still, the criticism and questioning of their character was inevitable.

Having said that, I'm not sure Bosh can be blamed for Hedo Turkoglu flaming out the moment he arrived in Toronto. And you'd have a hard time naming any other player on that roster who would clearly start on any teams that made the playoffs in the East last season.

On the flip side, I've always felt Toronto gets a bad rap from star players who seem to despise going there or playing there for any length of time. The crowd support is great, the passion for basketball is respectable and Colangelo has been daring and aggressive in trying to make things work there.

But now, there's only more fuel for the Heat's fire. As if the team didn't generate enough already with its controversially successful offseason.

If Colangelo feels that Bosh never really gave the Raptors a chance in his free agency, and didn't do enough to salvage the season down the stretch, he's got the insight and right to justify his case.

But it's also difficult to challenge Bosh on some level, considering he did push through some of those injuries and still put together a career season in his final one with the Raptors. He never publicly demanded a trade, never openly ripped his teammates and I can't remember him bashing the coaching staff or any of Colangelo's decisions that didn't necessarily work out.

Bosh quietly chose to walk away when he had the option to do so.

Apparently, that silent treatment was deafening to some in Toronto.

And now, Colangelo is speaking up for the other franchise, the other city scorned in this Heat coup.

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

You've got Heat questions. I've got answers. Or at least as close to them as possible. Or, maybe not. 

But here's a sample of the questions and answers from our weekly Heat Q&A. From Allen Iverson to Shaq. From LeBron to Pat.

Most Recently Answered Questions

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/qna/forum/heat_chat/index.html#ixzz0uR7QyE4v

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

A lot of chatter in Vegas regarding the Heat's two former O'Neals - Shaq and Jermaine. 

Both have made headlines in recent days. Jermaine O'Neal was introduced to the media on Wednesday in Boston, where he indicated he turned down an opportunity to return and play with Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Some of the comments O'Neal made raised quite a few eyebrows.

There was this ...

"I could have re-signed back with those guys," O'Neal said in his press conference. "It comes down to personalities and style of play, and I thought Boston had all of that for me. It came down to winning now and not worrying about chemistry."

What Jermaine didn't come right out and say was that he had absolutely no chemistry with Bosh when the two were in Toronto. For that matter, Jermaine also didn't have much of a rhythm with Wade in Miami, either.

O'Neal favored the Big 3 that already has won a championship together over one that's forming in Miami. "Being part of something great is what matters to me," O'Neal said. "Obviously, those guys (Garnett, Allen, Pierce, Rondo), they have a ring already. They want another one. They know what it takes to get one."

It will be interesting to see how Jermaine's comments are interpreted by Wade, Bosh and James.

And then there's the other O'Neal. Shaquille. Word is he's looking for Brendan Haywood and Marcus Camby-type money in free agency. But there isn't a team in the league - and perhaps on the planet - that would pay Shaq anything close to $10 million a year.

And there might not be any teams out there willing to give him the full mid-level amount of about $5.8 million in first-year salary. But there are a handful of teams that would toss him a portion of the mid-level or the $2 million veteran's exception.

  Let's make one thing very clear here: Miami isn't one of those teams. There is absolutely no interest in a Shaq reunion from the Heat's side. Even if the burned bridges didn't exist, it just wouldn't be a good fit.

The last thing the Heat needs is a lane-clogging, ball-hogging presence in the paint. The first thing Shaq would want is his share of touches to feel involved in the process.

The one thing Shaq remains - and always will be - is an attraction. That's why fan-starved Atlanta makes sense. That's why New Orleans (returning to the state where Shaq played his college ball) might work.

One league official tossed out one very intriguing potential destination for Shaq: Los Angeles. No, not the Lakers. The Clippers. Imagine that.

LOCKOUT CONCERN: Heat fans better take every opportunity to watch Wade, LeBron and Bosh this season. Because the way the things appear to be headed, this could be a one-and-done-for-awhile show.

In an interview Wednesday with Yahoo! Sports, players union executive Billy Hunter insists the league is headed for a lockout when the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2010-11 season. A day earlier, commissioner David Stern said, "we're not as far apart" as people make it seem. Sounds like Hunter disagrees.

"We can't be caught blindsided," Hunter said in the interview. "We have to prepare for a lockout. That's what I'm expecting."

Scare tactic? Perhaps. But this battle will loom heavily over what could be an extraordinary season.

RECRUITING SEASON: As it looks to fill out its final roster spots at the  veterans' minimum, the Heat officially has shifted from recruiter to being recruited. Former Heat point guard Mike James is the latest in a line of vets who'd like to latch onto the Heat's thrill ride guided by Wade, James and Bosh.

Speaking at Wednesday's golf event in advance of The Summer Groove in Miami, James said he's been in contact with the Heat, contact he initiated. "I'm 35 years old, but I'm in the best shape I've ever been in," James said. "I want to be able to help these young guys get better. But I can still hit a jump shot and I can still stop somebody on the other end."

HEAT MOVES TO 2-1: Guard Weyinmi Efejuku scored 19 points and center Garret Siler put together his second consecutive strong performance with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks to lead  the Heat to a 92-83 victory against Detroit on Wednesday in the Las Vegas Summer League.

Siler, a 6-11, 304-pound prospect, was undrafted out of Augusta State last year. But he has been the biggest surprise through three games of action. Siler has outplayed Heat second-round pick Dexter Pittman, and has averaged 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 76.9 percent from the field in his last two games. Pittman, Jarvis Varnado and Shavlik Randolph were held out Wednesday.

Siler, however, held his own against lottery pick Greg Monroe. "He was just one of the those guys that people saw potential in early, and some people didn't see it in me early," Siler said of his matchup with Monroe, who finished with 20 points and six boards. "You don't want to go out there with a chip on your shoulder. But you want to prove your own worth out there against some of these guys."

The Heat plays its fourth game Friday against Milwaukee.

MEDIA ROOM HUMOR: True story. Question: "So no Bosh jersey burnings in Toronto after his free agency announcement?" Response: "Nah. We knew a long time ago he wasn't coming back."

(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.)

After seeing Juwan Howard and Zydrunas Ilgauskas commit to joining the Heat for the chance to win a ring alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, it's amazing how many other old-time NBA players had a pep in their step Tuesday night.

Chris Webber still looks in shape. So does Steve Smith. Heck, may as well throw Kevin McHale down on the low block and see what he's got left. I'm sure he can still pump-fake and up-and-under his way to the free throw line to knock down a few.

These days, almost everybody seems willing to jump on board with the Heat. Ilgauskas confirmed his commitment earlier Tuesday when he said he loved Cleveland, but the best path to a championship runs through Miami and alongside good friend LeBron James.

So counting Ilgauskas, the Heat has either signed or is on the verge of signing James, Bosh, Wade, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, Howard and Mike Miller. There's also the qualifying offer out there for Joel Anthony.

Miller's situation created quite a buzz among league people in the two gyms being used for the Las Vegas Summer League. The fact that he remained unsigned as of Tuesday night led to speculation that Miller might be having second thoughts. At least two teams have reached out to him again to see if he would reconsider signing with the Heat.

Miller even reached out to people Tuesday to make it clear that a deal is not yet done in Miami. The hangup, however, doesn't appear to be Miller having any sort of cold feet. Instead, it seems to be a technicality that deals with the completion of physical exams and trade paperwork.

Part of this goes back to Michael Beasley, who has yet to arrive in Minnesota to complete his physical with the T-Wolves. Everyone assumes he will pass the physical, but Beasley had root canal surgery recently and was unable to fly the past couple of days. If Beasley is unable to pass his physical for whatever reason, there's a chance the trade can be rescinded, meaning Mike and his $4.9 million salary for next season would fall back onto the Heat's books.

And that would essentially mean no space for Mike Miller. The T-Wolves expect Beasley to arrive either Wednesday or Thursday to be formally introduced to the media. So this saga could drag on a day or two. The Heat doesn't want another Tyson Chandler situation to come of this. Chandler was dealt two seasons ago from New Orleans to Oklahoma City, arrived in OKC and failed the physical because of a toe injury. He was then sent back to New Orleans.

- The Heat's summer league team fell to 1-1 with Tuesday's 72-69 loss to Golden State. It was a painful setback for a number of reasons. First and foremost was the fact that former Heat camp prospect Brian Chase nailed the game-winning shot on a 34-foot 3-point dagger with 12 seconds left.

Two summers ago, Chase was one of the better point guards in camp. But he got caught up in a numbers crunch because the Heat had more money and time invested in Chris Quinn. Another former Heat short-timer, Kasib Powell, had 16 points for the Warriors. Miami was led by Kenny Hasbrouck for the second time in as many games. He had 14 points. Center Garret Siler had 10 points and six rebounds.

It was another struggle for second-round pick Dexter Pittman, who is being groomed to be a rotation player with the Heat this season. But Pittman was in early foul trouble and closed with seven points, four rebounds and four turnovers in 18 minutes.

The Heat lost former Duke guard Jon Scheyer in the second quarter to a lacerated right eyelid. Scheyer was taken to UMC Trauma Center for treatment and did not return. He received five stitches and was released. His status for the Heat's remaining three games has not yet been determined. The Heat plays again Wednesday night against Detroit at 10:30 p.m.

(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.)

Highlights from Day 2 of the Heat experience at the Las Vegas Summer League ...

- The biggest news of the day? The Three Kings will get to do their championship chase thing in Miami.

Of course that was the expected. But NBA commissioner David Stern had to give the league's owners a chance to voice their displeasure with the Heat landing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in Miami. As expected, talk of potential tampering dominated the early stages of the owners' meetings at The Palms Hotel. But Stern emerged from the meeting declaring that no team formally filed charges and that there would be no investigation for tampering or collusion. Consider it case closed.

But Stern did leave the door open for the owners' Labor Relations committee to look into possible tweaks to the free agency format and how to better monitor the rules and spirit of the process. The plain and simple truth is this: You can't keep players from talking among themselves about future plans. As Stern said: "Those three players were within their rights to talk to one another."

Stern also sternly expressed his displeasure with comments made by Cavs owner Dan Gilbert and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson in the aftermath of LeBron's departure from Cleveland. Gilbert was fined $100,000, and Stern said he had a long talk with Jackson on Monday morning about Jackson's "slave" remarks. The commish also was far from thrilled with LeBron's way of announcing his decision on the ESPN hour-long telecast. "The Decision was ill conceived, badly produced and poorly executed," Stern said.

- There's the Big 3 and, now, the Gator 2. Udonis Haslem's decision to turn down more lucrative offers from New Jersey, Dallas and Denver to re-sign with the Heat on Monday gives Miami significant depth and experience at the power forward spot. The all-but-officially-completed addition of swingman Mike Miller also gives the Heat a needed shooter on the perimeter. Pat Riley just continues to come up with Aces in this free agency process. There appeared to be no way the Heat would be able to carve out enough salary cap space to re-sign Haslem, let alone Mike Miller. But the former UF Gators took less than market value to get it done here.

Miller was a Heat target years ago during his prime years in Memphis. Now that Haslem and Miller are in Miami, the Heat can now focus on picking up two or three players at the veterans minimum. There are center options out there in Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire, Brad Miller and Kwame Brown. The Heat simply needs a banger down low to eat up rebounds, block a few shots and use six fouls. There's also a need for help at point guard, with Derek Fisher pulling a Lamar Odom by turning the Heat down Monday to re-sign with the Lakers. Among those still available are Keyon Dooling, Jason Williams, Earl Watson and, dare we say it, Allen Iverson.

- The Heat's summer league squad didn't have a game scheduled Monday, but that didn't keep them off the court. The team went through practice Monday morning in advance of Tuesday's game against Golden State at 10:30 et. A look back at the stat sheet from Sunday's game revealed a solid second-half performance from guard Jon Scheyer, who filled the stat sheet with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. There were the four turnovers. But he also nailed the go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth and also drilled four consecutive free throws to close out the 77-72 victory over New Orleans.

"I feel confident, and that's something the Heat is known for, giving guys a chance," said Scheyer, who was undrafted out of Duke. "I'm going to just keep giving everything I have and that's all I can control."

- The Heat officially finalized the trade that sent Michael Beasley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft, to Minnesota for two future second round picks. Let's repeat that. The second overall pick was traded for two second-round picks. It isn't quite a LeBron-type come up for Minnesota. But the T-Wolves got a big-time something for absolutely nothing. The Timberwolves have a team here competing in summer league, but it's too late to add Beasley to the roster. Instead, Beasley, who was already in Minnesota in advance of the trade being complete, plans to remain there to work out at the T-Wolves facility.

(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.)

If it seemed at times Sunday like forward Shavlik Randolph was a man among boys, well, he essentially was.

When it comes to NBA experience, Randolph's five seasons in the league easily trumped everyone else on the court at Cox Pavilion on the UNLV campus.

Randolph had 18 points and the Heat also got a game-high 24 points from guard Kenny Hasbrouck in a 77-72 victory against the Hornets in the Las Vegas Summer League debut for both teams.

The results in these five games over seven days aren't necessarily the most important thing for the Heat. The far greater competition is for the handful of roster spots that are likely to be available, with the limited salary-cap space the Heat has after landing LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"It's obvious that Miami is the place you want to be right now," Randolph said. "I wanted to do this here to continue to familiarize myself with the system and do everything to stick around."

Among the highlights from the Heat's summer league action ...

- Before Sunday's game even started, coach Erik Spoelstra was the most popular man in a gym full of league executives. Everyone wanted to talk to him about his plans for working the Heat's Three Kings this season. Spoelstra sat down with NBA TV analyst Kevin McHale before the game to offer his thoughts.

Spoelstra on the Heat's roster needs: "We need a little more depth at the point guard position and probably up front. We like shot-blockers, and I like active guys back there who can erase some mistakes at the rim."

- The first thing you notice about the Heat's summer league squad is the size and athleticism of big men Jarvis Varnado and Dexter Pittman. With the way Pittman moves, it's hard to believe this guy was once flirting with 400 pounds before he trimmed down at Texas. His conditioning improved even more in the past two weeks of summer league training camp in Miami.

Pittman struggled to get shots to fall amid an 0 of 4 night from the field. But he had the most impressive move of the night. He caught the ball in the low post with his back to the basket. In one swift motion, he faked inside, turned baseline and powered in a dunk that draw a loud reaction from the crowd. The move didn't count because of a shot-clock violation. But it certainly was an NBA-quality move.

Varnado, the NCAA's career leader in blocked shots, had a 3-to-1, foul-to-block ratio. The reaction time and athleticism is just far greater at the NBA level. Even in summer league. But Varnado had the Heat's coaching staff applauding after his chin-at-the-rim dunk on a baseline cut in the third quarter.

- Patrick Beverley and Kenny Hasbrouck started in the backcourt for the Heat, with Beverley initially cast at point guard. But Hasbrouck seems to have the early edge in command at the position. He's more confident in his ball handling and ability to get where he wants to on the court. With Mario Chalmers likely to take one of the PG spots, and with the Heat looking for veteran help at the position as well, the third and final roster spot at the position - assuming the Heat carries three - could be determined by this summer league battle.

- The Heat is also in the market for shooters to put around James, Wade and Bosh. That's one of the reasons former Duke standout Jon Scheyer latched onto the Heat's summer league squad. Scheyer missed three of his first four shots, but did make a couple of impressive plays.

His driving layup and free-throw on a conventional three-point play put the Heat ahead 31-29 in the second quarter. Scheyer then came right back and dished a nice past in transition to fellow Duke alum Randolph on a play that led to another Heat score. Scheyer also nailed the three-pointer with 30 seconds left that put the Heat ahead 71-69. He finished with 11 points. One other thing Scheyer has going for him: He played in the same AAU program and for the same coach that produced Dwyane Wade.

(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.)

Pat Riley did it. Give the man credit. He placed his bets - and hit the jackpot.

The Heat has the framework in place to build the NBA's next dynasty. The Heat got a clean sweep by landing the three top free agents on the market.

D-Wade. LeBron. C-Bosh. Or, should it be LeBron, D-Wade and C-Bosh? Doesn't matter. All three insist it won't be about egos and in what order they fall in line. There will be enough to share.

Especially when it comes time to hand out those championship rings in the coming years. Credit Chris Bosh for being the first domino to fall. His commitment on Tuesday night freed Wade up to make his return. After that, the duo put pressure on James to form the trilogy.

Here are some key quotes from LeBron during his hour-long ESPN special Thursday night.

(On the stress and strain of free agency) "This process has been everything I thought it would be and more. I have enjoyed it. It's been a real humbling experience to be in this position."

(On when he made his decision) "I think I decided this morning. But it was day to day. I'd wake up one morning and it's this team, wake up one morning and it's that team. This morning, I woke up and had a great conversation with my mom. And I knew."

(On what led to decision) "The major factor (was) the best opportunity to win now and to win in the future also."

(On opportunity to play with Wade and Bosh) "It was hard to turn down. You have two great players there already. You add me, it's going to be a good team."

(On who will coach this team) "Erik Spoelstra will be the coach. Pat said that. Erik had a great mentor in Pat. I respect Coach Spoelstra and everything he's going to do."

(On toughest decision of career) "It was tough. Very tough. You feel like you let a lot of people down. You raised a lot of expectations also. You have to do what's best for you. I feel like this is going to give me the best opportunity to win.

(How hard it was to leave Cleveland) "I never wanted to leave Cleveland. My heart will always be in that area. It's not about leaving Cleveland. It's about joining forces (with Wade and Bosh)."

(On disappointment after seeing Cleveland fans burning jersey) "This is tough. Very tough. You feel like you let a lot of people down."

(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.)