Miami Heat: The New 15 Strong

From www.thewhitehotheat.com (August 1st, 2010):

The Godfather

Pat Riley and the Heat had an excellent offseason. That........ is a gargantuan understatement.  Getting the Three Kings was a dream come true.  Filling the rest of the roster would require guile and luck and according to many NBA experts it would be very unlikely to end up with anything short of laughable.   Clearly the doubters are getting proven wrong once again.  Here is a in depth look at the Heat's free agency signings and what it means for us this upcoming season:


#3 D. Wade #6 L. James #1 C. Bosh

There's no grading this.  There is no letter in the alphabet that justifies it.  Dan LeBatard put it best: "Everyone wanted one of them! He got em all! DISCOUNTED!"  Just ludicrous.







#50 Joel Anthony - Center

PROS:
- Provides a shot blocking presence in the paint.
- Hustle player, works hard.

CONS:
- Likes playing hot potato with the ball. But to give him credit, he HAS improved at catching the rock.
- Offensive liability.

OUTLOOK:
Joel Anthony will likely start to protect the paint and handle anything that gets past Wade, Lebron and Bosh. With so much offensive power all that will be asked for him is to get out of the way or cut to the basket when one of the Miami Thrice draws their defender. On defense he must focus on handling rotations and affect any shot that might come his way.  Easy job but a lot of pressure to stay the course.

GRADE: B-

#8 Carlos Arroyo - Point Guard

PROS:
- Savy veteran. #2 behind Chris Paul in Assist-to-Turnover ratio. Doesn't turn the ball over.
- "Home" player. Former Florida International University player. Home pride should be a stat.
- Developed good chemistry with Wade.
- Tough enough to do this

CONS:
- Not a dependable 3-pt threat.
- Can be a defensive liability, specially against taller players.

OUTLOOK:
Might not get a lot of playing time unless Mario Chalmers falls off the deep end. With Lebron and Wade able to handle point duties, there might simply not be much need for Carlos. And with his deficient 3pt abilities the Heat is better fitted with Chalmers or House on the court to drain the open looks that the Miami Thrice will create. The Heat re-signed Arroyo for continuity and to reward him for his efforts and being a good soldier last season even when relegated deep into the bench when Rafer Alston came along. He's gotta hope for some blowouts for playing time.

GRADE: C-


#15 Mario Chalmers - Point Guard

PROS:
- Can hit the 3 at a high rate.
- Good instincts playing passing lanes for steals.
- His $847k contract is but a pinhole on the Heat's cap.

CONS:
- Although a decent defender, he has not proven he can stay in front of quick guards or handle bigger guards.
- Gambles a little too much on defense. This can be corrected.

OUTLOOK:
The starting role is his to lose. If he fails to connect open shots or becomes a huge defensive liability he could be relegated to the bench. But it would take a tremendous step back for Chalmers for it to happen. His job will be to take the ball up the court, drain any open shots, and provide decent D on his opponent. If he can at least do 2 of those 3, we're alright.

Grade: B+ (Gets a grade although he was the only player who was not signed in free agency. Believe it or not, he was technically the sole player on the Heat's roster at season's end.)


#40 Udonis Haslem - Forward

PROS:
- Tough, gritty and hustle player that does everything and anything to win.
- The face of the Heat and an example member of the organization.
- Provides rebounding, high IQ, and intangibles.
- Great chemistry with Wade and likely the entire roster.
- Automatic from mid-range.
- Former Florida Gator player. I'm telling you. "Home" statistics are the next big thing.

CONS:
- I honestly can't think of any

OUTLOOK:
Haslem showed what a true warrior and loyal human he is. He declined offers from other teams and took a huge paycut to return to the Heat. Wade took less money than Lebron and Bosh to make room for him which shows the great admiration and friendship they have. Udonis will provide all the little things that the Heat needs and will give his heart and soul to make sure the Heat contends for the Larry O'Brien trophy. He will back up Bosh at PF but might get some playing time at C when the matchups allow it.

GRADE: A+


#22 James Jones - Forward

PROS:
- Throughout his career he's been one of the top 3pt marksmen in the NBA.
- Great chemistry guy and an intelligent individual.
- Former University of Miami Hurricanes player.  Home home home.

CONS:
- As much as he brings on offense with his long range skills he brings in defensive deficiency.
- Not a very quick player although he does play smart.

OUTLOOK:
With Miller and House on board as well, having Jones is a killer threat to any opposing team that might decide to throw multiple defenders at the Miami Thrice. He will likely get little playing time unless the matchup calls for him and Miller to spread the floor. Otherwise he plays behind Lebron and Miller which doesn't leave many minutes available. A good insurance player in case Miller gets injured or baby Jesus forbid, Lebron.

GRADE: B-


#13 Mike Miller - Guard/Forward

PROS:
- One of the best 3pt shooters in the NBA.
- High IQ, knows where to be and how to move without the ball.
- Can play both the 2 and the 3.
- Great character guy and has good chemistry roots. Friends with ex-Gator teammate Haslem and personal friend of Lebron.

CONS:
- Not an elite defender.
- Rebounding only happens when the ball bounces his way.
- Not tremendously athletic.

OUTLOOK:
Look for Mike to have a career year and many high percentage years along the Three Kings. With the double teams Wade, Lebron and Bosh will attract, Mike will have a good share of wide open shots. He just needs to hit them. If he comes off the bench he could cherish a Sixth Man role a la Ginobli that will provide spacing and scoring. Strong Sixth Man of the Year candidate. He will most likely be on the floor to finish games.

GRADE: A+

#11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Center

PROS:
- Can hit the midrange shot with consistency.
- Pterodactyl like arms provide decent shot blocking presence in the paint.
- Wise veteran who understands what is needed of him.

CONS:
- He's aged and lost considerable speed and quickness.
- Won't be able to keep up if the Heat pushes the ball.

OUTLOOK:
Big Z is one of the best centers that were available in free agency and is a Lebron signing consequence.  He'll likely be behind Joel and Udonis in the middle and that is perfectly fine with him.  I can see Big Z being the X factor in a few games.  He's ancient, but will come in handy in times of need.   

GRADE:  B-

#50 Eddie House - Guard

PROS:
- Deadly from 3.
- Can get hot and drain shots in a hurry.

CONS:
- A little erratic at times.

OUTLOOK:
House is a sneaky signing.  No one really saw it coming and when it happened everyone rejoiced.  They say you can never have enough shooters but with Miller, Jones and a decent Chalmers we could have attempted to sign a defensive specialist guard.  Nonetheless, House will be huge in a few games this season and will get the crowd on it's feet with his energy on the court.  As far as cheap signings go, this one is a big win.

GRADE: B+



# Juwan Howard - Power Forward/Center

PROS:
- Another veteran who brings experience no athletic skill can do.
- Can hit the midrange shot with consistency.
- That's 6 fouls to give on D. Howard/Gasol/Bynum/Garnett!

CONS:
- He's ancient.  37.  Not real world old, but NBA old.
- Like Z, won't keep up with an up tempo squad.

OUTLOOK:
Judging by what he brought to the Blazers amidst the absence of injured Oden and Pryzibilla, Juwan can still ball.  He executed all the veteran tricks in the playoffs but ultimately his team was overmatched.  The Heat won't be.   Might not get a ton of minutes but they will be productive minutes.  Most importantly he will be a strong voice in the locker room and will cherish his role. 
GRADE:  B+


# Dexter Pittman - Center

PROS:
- BIG and young with a strong desire to play.
- Drafted as a senior he's slightly ahead in the development process.
- 6 more fouls!!!!

CONS:
- Rookie will make rookie mistakes.  Guaranteed.
- A little too heavy for Heat standards and must work on losing some bulk.

OUTLOOK:
Pittman will likely be the only player the Heat will focus on to develop.  Da'Sean Butler will have to wait until next year to have a chance after missing time with his injury.  Unfortunately for Pittman there simply won't be many if any minutes open for a rookie this year.   Even as an enforcer, the Heat already have Magloire who has mastered the art of bruising.  If he thinks positive, he will cherish the chance to learn from players like Big Z, Juwan Howard and "Big Cat" Magloire. 

GRADE: C-


#21 Jamaal Magloire - Center

PROS:
- Gives the Heat an Enforcer.
- Has the body, the ability, and the will to go against the biggest of men.
- 6 more fouls!!! That's 24 between Anthony, Howard, Z and The Big Cat!

CONS:
- None.  He's got nothing to lose.

OUTLOOK:
"The Bruiser" will be wearing his finest coats most nights but he'll be ready when needed.  I hope we need him.  He's a blast to watch.  I'm convinced Jamaal would've ended up as the greatest bouncer of all time if he didn't play basketball.  Bring on the big bodies.


GRADE: C+


#42 Shavlik Randolph - Power Forward

PROS:
- Has a good arsenal of post moves

CONS:
- Doesn't have the body to keep up with most forwards

OUTLOOK:
Always have liked Randolph.  He was the go to guy in the Summer League and he did not dissapoint.  Shake and baking his opponents and fighting for rebounds impressed many.  However he is likely an appreciation signing and will be on the last chair on the bench.  If you attend a Heat game, he might just be seated next to you. 
GRADE: D


#4 Kenny Hasbrouck - Guard

PROS:
- Quick, agile, can create his own shot.
- Plays with confidence.
- Works hard.

CONS:
- Still has a lot to improve and he might have peaked already.

OUTLOOK:
Kenny was great in Summer League.  He impressed coaches and players alike and took over some games.  With the dire need of another guard he might find some minutes at the 2 if Wade and Miller need the rest.  His athleticism will prove helpful in a fast paced game.   If the Heat sign another guard Kenny's chances will be slim to none but as it stands he could be a suprise to everyone.

GRADE: C+

#44 Brian Scalabrine - Forward

Kidding.  He's still a free agent.  We COULD use the best high-fiver in the NBA.  Just give him a seat close to the bench that belongs to someone dispensable and he'll take it from there. 













As it stands today we are 15 strong.  Strong enough to win an NBA championship?  We'll see in June. 

My take? I say @!#% YES!