Moderators: KingDavid, QUIZ, MettaWorldPanda, Wiltside, IggieCC, BFRESH44, heat4life
Hoops23 wrote:Well yeah, its a big possibility Riley wants to get rids of the contract of Banks and Blount but we don't have the assets to do that because our 1st pick next year is traded to Minny. Our pick this year is too valuable to trade and a franchise changing player like Bron and KG are not available.
MartyConlonJr wrote:God, every time I look at the Blount and Davis for Toine trade it somehow gets worse. Imagine we use Cook or Dorell to get rid of Blount's contract. We end up trading a 1st round pick in 09 and Cook/Wright for nothing.
Heat11114 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
That's another reason I think Riley doesn't wait until 2010. What if wait until 2010 and then we don't get Bosh or Lebron? We just wasted 2 off-seasons for a player who we could have gotten 1 or even 2 seasons earlier (same level of player). When has Riley ever shown the patience to completely sit out 2 off-seasons (not signing MLE guys, signing no one long term, etc?)
its game time wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
For the most part the last 2 offseason.
Smush Parker,Penny and Seasonbefore that ?
Its true, thats why I did not mentioned the players available but the players who are not available. I'm sure you will agree that the player Riley mentioned, KG and Lebron are not available.BBallFreak wrote:You never know who's available
Famous Pat Riley Quotes
Riley's Pre-Draft Juggling Act
Pat Riley gave up his dual roles as Heat president and coach more than a month ago to focus solely on running the team. But he remains a man with a split focus this week.
One one hand, he's evaluating potential draft picks this week while attending the NBA's pre-draft camp at the Disney complex just outside of Orlando. On the other, he remains in preliminary talks with the agent for Heat forward Shawn Marion regarding a potential contract extension.
Riley said negotiations with agent Dan Fegan have been "productive" as Marion heads into the final 30-day window of the opt-out clause in his contract. But you have to wonder just how "productive" those talks are when the two sides clearly want different things.
Marion, who can opt out of the final year and $17.8 million of his contract to become a free agent on July 1, has long said he wants long-term stability and a place where he can finish the final four, five or even six seasons of his career, provided he stays relatively healthy.
His double-double production hasn't dropped off much if at all in recent years, so it's likely he doesn't expect a sharp decline in his salary, either. Which likely means Marion, a four-time All-Star, still considers himself a $13-15 million a year player. But Riley, who is committed to a clear-salary-cap-space-by-2010-to-resign-Wade-and-another-potential-max-player financial model, values things a bit differently.
Committing any significant salary and years to Marion, 30, would run counterproductive to the Heat's plan to clear as much space as possible by 2010. And, as Riley would tell you, there's a chance to be a "room team" as early as 2009.
With all of the emotion that surrounded the Shaquille O'Neal trade for Marion, it was easy to lose sight of what the Heat really got out of the deal. Relief. Flexibility. Sure, Marion is a nice player who would be a great running mate for Wade. But he's even better as an expiring contract entering next season.
Riley has worn two hats well for many years with the Heat. But there's clearly no two ways about this Marion situation, despite how this is being played publicly right now. The truth is, the Heat is in a win-win situation, albeit a potentially uncomfortable one. Just ask Cleveland GM Danny Ferry or Fegan how well things went last offseason in negotiations over forward/center Anderson Varejao.
Should negotiations break down and Marion opt in for the $17.8 million, there's a chance Marion could mope, demand a trade and rekindle some of the issues that came up during that bad ending in Phoenix. And that isn't exactly the way you'd want to start the Erik Spoelstra rookie coaching campaign.
There's also a chance Marion would realize that his best option might be to play out the season and put up All-Star numbers and increase his value on the 2009 free agent market. Even then, it might be a tight market as teams curb spending in order to save for the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh sweepstakes in the summer of 2010. Still, the Heat could offer more than any team.
Should Marion opt out next month, which is highly unlikely, Riley will celebrate Christmas in July. All Marion wants is security. And rightfully so. But the Heat might only be willing to offer it at a starting salary in the $8-10 million-a-season range on a short, short-term contract. If that.
If Fegan is skeptical of the Heat's commitment to Marion, he has every right to be. If Riley is unwilling to spend the Heat right back into luxury-tax range, who could blame him?
But somebody's going to have to budge. At least a little bit. For the best interest of both sides. The truth is, there's still likely a long way to go in these "productive" negotiations.
heat4life wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Exactly. I keep reading people wanting to rid themselves of Marion like he was Dorrell Wright:The Overrated.
Marion is an allstar who still puts up allstar numbers and effort. He is one of a handfull of players in the league who has the ability to score almost 20ppg WITHOUT getting a single play ran for him, all of this while he grabs 10r, blocks shots, steals the ball and defends his man like the best of them.
Do I pay Marion max money? I wouldn't but he is worth MUCH more than the crappy trades I see for him and definitely more valuable to our team than what most people give him credit for here, expiring or not-expiring contract included.
TGM wrote:Ability to score 20 without a single play setup? What the hell do you call those alleys that Nash tosses him 3-4 per game are? and the open 3's in the corner?
Buddy I think you totally missed the assessment on Marion, he totally needs a PG to help him create. I'm not saying that he can't, but I would say that a solid PG is the difference from Marion averaging 15-9 and 20-9.
20-9 gets you on the all-star squad, 15-9 makes you a potentially all-star replacement if someone gets injured.
If you guys take Beasley in the draft, I totally see Marion's numbers coming down on the rebounding and scoring side.
LO is a SF who can play PF, and thats how versatile he is. If he's playing PF now, because its necessary. I don't see another player with Lakers that can play better than LO at PF unles you view Gasol as a PF.shortodom wrote:if the lakers don't it it all this year will the Heat trade Marion for LO???? the reason for the LAkers is Bynum will be back at C and Pau at PF so LA needs a SF and LO isn't that. LO and Wade with whoever you guys draft could be a good trio
