Miami Heat Regular Season/Speculation Thread 2021 Part 3

[HeatingUp3]

Good it's better then nothing. Let's hope he can contribute

[abark]

Someone texted me "at least we got a big that can stretch the floor and shoot a bit"

Does anyone else have this weird thought in there mind for some reason that Dedmon can shoot 3's?

He shot 0% from his freshman year of college through his 5th year in the NBA, had a couple average years and has been 20%, 22%, 19% in his last 3 years.


He is a helpside defense and rebound ONLY guy. Similar to a Silva or a Joel Anthony (just longer)

It's already been said he had consecutive years he shot 35% and 38% from 3 in 2018 and 2019. He started his career as a bad FT shooter but shot 78%, 81%, and 83% the last 3 seasons.

The guy learned how to shoot. He had a terrible year last season and has dealt w injuries. I don't know what we are getting w him. But Dedmon before last season was an acceptable 25 mpg starter as a 7 foot, rebounding, shot blocking, floor stretching center.

He could be terrible. But he also could be a player that helps us when we are getting dominating by big men. Kelly might be the same height, but Dedmon is much bigger. Kelly has a 9 foot standing reach, while Dedmon's is 9'6". He is much bigger than any player we've had on our roster the past two years.

Obviously he could simply rack up DNP-CD's. Him and Dipo are reclamation projects that I hope can come somewhat close to reclaiming their previous forms, but I'm honestly not optimistic. Clearly Dipo is is on a different level regarding upside.

But if Dedmon can somehow regain his 2019 form, he would be a real player. If that happened he is the type of center that could play some minutes w Bam and allow us to finally not be a team of midgets. But Spo would never allow that even if he happened made a miracle recovery.

Regardless, a healthy 2019ish Dedmon is exactly the type of player we need. That guy was much more than a replacement level rebounder/defender than a Silva/Anthony type. And he was better at those aspects than them as well. He's averaged 13, 12, 1, 1.1, 1.7 per36 over his career.

Let's see what he is in 2021. Fingers crossed.

[SA37]

Spoiler:

So what exactly is the point of you posting Olynyk’s recent statline? We’ve already “replaced” Kelly.

The point is Miami could have chosen (in theory) to trade Iguodala instead of Olynyk.

Miami has plenty of wing players, but a shortage up front. Injuries happen. Covid happens. Iguodala has not been a productive player for Miami, especially if you compare him to Olynyk. From a basketball standpoint, Olynyk was the player to keep.

This is what Olynyk was averaging in the 6 games prior to the trade (since you just pulled 6 games post trade):
7 ppg 5.5 reb 1.8 ast 36% FG 16.4 3P%

But since he is now looting in a riot in Houston we are supposed to feel regret? No my man. One thing you need in the Eastern conference playoffs is versatile perimeter defenders. Iguodala provides immensely more value in that regard, we have enough guys who can score. And its not like Olynyk was someone we can throw on Embiid.

I said before the trade I did not think Miami could afford to lose Olynyk because of his unique skillset and because Miami was going to be thinner than it already was upfront. And it is stupid to use a 6-game sample when you have way more data to pull from.

Miami has enough guys who can score? The Miami Heat who is 26th in the league in scoring? Have you forgotten all the games Miami has failed to score 100 or even 90?

[gom]

Dewayne Dedmon is going to have a great run with us.

[SA37]

Someone texted me "at least we got a big that can stretch the floor and shoot a bit"

Does anyone else have this weird thought in there mind for some reason that Dedmon can shoot 3's?

He shot 0% from his freshman year of college through his 5th year in the NBA, had a couple average years and has been 20%, 22%, 19% in his last 3 years.


He is a helpside defense and rebound ONLY guy. Similar to a Silva or a Joel Anthony (just longer)

It's already been said he had consecutive years he shot 35% and 38% from 3 in 2018 and 2019. He started his career as a bad FT shooter but shot 78%, 81%, and 83% the last 3 seasons.

The guy learned how to shoot. He had a terrible year last season and has dealt w injuries. I don't know what we are getting w him. But Dedmon before last season was an acceptable 25 mpg starter as a 7 foot, rebounding, shot blocking, floor stretching center.

He could be terrible. But he also could be a player that helps us when we are getting dominating by big men. Kelly might be the same height, but Dedmon is much bigger. Kelly has a 9 foot standing reach, while Dedmon's is 9'6". He is much bigger than any player we've had on our roster the past two years.

Obviously he could simply rack up DNP-CD's. Him and Dipo are reclamation projects that I hope can come somewhat close to reclaiming their previous forms, but I'm honestly not optimistic. Clearly Dipo is is on a different level regarding upside.

But if Dedmon can somehow regain his 2019 form, he would be a real player. If that happened he is the type of center that could play some minutes w Bam and allow us to finally not be a team of midgets. But Spo would never allow that even if he happened made a miracle recovery.

Regardless, a healthy 2019ish Dedmon is exactly the type of player we need. That guy was much more than a replacement level rebounder/defender than a Silva/Anthony type. And he was better at those aspects than them as well. He's averaged 13, 12, 1, 1.1, 1.7 per36 over his career.

Let's see what he is in 2021. Fingers crossed.

I think he is a similar payer to Gorgui Dieng of Memphis, which is going to excite exactly no one. However, Miami is really short on options and Dedmon has at least been ok over a few seasons. It is telling he has not stuck anywhere.

I don't expect him to get much run and see him more as a big body who, at best, would get the Myers Leonard ~8-10 minute courtesy minutes to see if he can score in 10 minutes all the points Iguodala won't score in 20. Perhaps if/when Miami plays a team with a real big he would get a few more minutes to keep Bam out of foul trouble, but Miami has basically been pushed into the same bet Houston made last year.

[abark]

Someone texted me "at least we got a big that can stretch the floor and shoot a bit"

Does anyone else have this weird thought in there mind for some reason that Dedmon can shoot 3's?

He shot 0% from his freshman year of college through his 5th year in the NBA, had a couple average years and has been 20%, 22%, 19% in his last 3 years.


He is a helpside defense and rebound ONLY guy. Similar to a Silva or a Joel Anthony (just longer)

It's already been said he had consecutive years he shot 35% and 38% from 3 in 2018 and 2019. He started his career as a bad FT shooter but shot 78%, 81%, and 83% the last 3 seasons.

The guy learned how to shoot. He had a terrible year last season and has dealt w injuries. I don't know what we are getting w him. But Dedmon before last season was an acceptable 25 mpg starter as a 7 foot, rebounding, shot blocking, floor stretching center.

He could be terrible. But he also could be a player that helps us when we are getting dominating by big men. Kelly might be the same height, but Dedmon is much bigger. Kelly has a 9 foot standing reach, while Dedmon's is 9'6". He is much bigger than any player we've had on our roster the past two years.

Obviously he could simply rack up DNP-CD's. Him and Dipo are reclamation projects that I hope can come somewhat close to reclaiming their previous forms, but I'm honestly not optimistic. Clearly Dipo is is on a different level regarding upside.

But if Dedmon can somehow regain his 2019 form, he would be a real player. If that happened he is the type of center that could play some minutes w Bam and allow us to finally not be a team of midgets. But Spo would never allow that even if he happened made a miracle recovery.

Regardless, a healthy 2019ish Dedmon is exactly the type of player we need. That guy was much more than a replacement level rebounder/defender than a Silva/Anthony type. And he was better at those aspects than them as well. He's averaged 13, 12, 1, 1.1, 1.7 per36 over his career.

Let's see what he is in 2021. Fingers crossed.

I think he is a similar payer to Gorgui Dieng of Memphis, which is going to excite exactly no one. However, Miami is really short on options and Dedmon has at least been ok over a few seasons. It is telling he has not stuck anywhere.

I don't expect him to get much run and see him more as a big body who, at best, would get the Myers Leonard ~8-10 minute courtesy minutes to see if he can score in 10 minutes all the points Iguodala won't score in 20. Perhaps if/when Miami plays a team with a real big he would get a few more minutes to keep Bam out of foul trouble, but Miami has basically been pushed into the same bet Houston made last year.

Don't disagree. Everything positive I implied about what Dedmon could bring this year is just me being overly/unrealistically optimistic. I just wanted to clarify that before last year he was not the player HerroBalls was implying he was. But trust me, I'm aware Dedmon's role will almost certainly be as an emergency big like you are saying.

I think we have fallen in love with small ball too much. I agree w the poster that didn't think Olynyk was easily dispensable w our current roster.

I'm definitely not a fan of Olynyk. He was frustratingly inconsistent and I don't care what stats he's putting up on Houston's garbage team. Dipo was averaging 20, 5, 5 there. But it seems we had no backup plan to add a big that could play next to Bam besides hoping Aldridge picked us over LA and Brooklyn.

We had a 7.5 mill trade exception from the Memphis trade we simply let expire. I get we wanted Ariza bc he "fits our system," but it seems it could have been used to make sure we secured Aldridge instead (by combining it w Leonard's contract).

Or I don't know if it's possible if we could have used Leonard's contract instead of Maple D's to facilitate the Dipo trade. Regardless of how i feel about Kelly, he at least brought some size and was one of the somewhat limited number of bigs that could play next to Bam.

Now we are smaller than we were before. We were already getting beaten inside and on the boards. And our two backups bigs play even smaller than Bam.

I get it worked last year (but I'm kind of glad we didn't play the 6ers). I don't think Bam is a guy that can hold down the fort inside by himself and should be played alongside only wings and guards. Sure he's talented enough to get the job done a lot of the time. But we've also seen it get abused (like tonight against Valanciunas).

Bam has improved his shot at such a rapid pace that I really hope he works on extending his range to the 3 point line next year. That would allow him to be paired with a wider variety of frontcourt sidekicks.

[Bishop45]

I've always wanted Dedmon, great to have him on board.

Probably won't change the team much, but a welcomed addition

[HIF]

Can you imagine this team if Bam is out for the season. Where would we be, do we make the playoffs, do we stay the same etc.

If Bam was out for the season. Why would it matter if we made the playoffs?

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Really like the Dedmon signing. DD has always been a very competent defensive rebounder and he has the ability to hit 3s, so in theory he's the perfect big to pair with Bam. Just remains to be seen where he's at currently but for a final roster move this one has decent potential

[AirP.]

I've always wanted Dedmon, great to have him on board.

Probably won't change the team much, but a welcomed addition

At worst it gives Miami a 7 footer to defend in practice which is a need. It's really hard to work on your defense when there's no true big to go against.

[Beenie]

I just came to a very scary realization..... When Riley retires Spo will be the GM.... game over, he's going to hire only people 6'3 and shorter

I always assumed that they have been grooming Battier for the role.

And if Elisburg stays on after Riles splits, he'll likely have a bigger role.

[Kobewade11]

I just came to a very scary realization..... When Riley retires Spo will be the GM.... game over, he's going to hire only people 6'3 and shorter

I always assumed that they have been grooming Battier for the role.

And if Elisburg stays on after Riles splits, he'll likely have a bigger role.

They are

[twix2500]

I just came to a very scary realization..... When Riley retires Spo will be the GM.... game over, he's going to hire only people 6'3 and shorter

I always assumed that they have been grooming Battier for the role.

And if Elisburg stays on after Riles splits, he'll likely have a bigger role.

Doubt Elisburg will have any bigger role than he has now on player personal decisions

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[SA37]

Spoiler:

It's already been said he had consecutive years he shot 35% and 38% from 3 in 2018 and 2019. He started his career as a bad FT shooter but shot 78%, 81%, and 83% the last 3 seasons.

The guy learned how to shoot. He had a terrible year last season and has dealt w injuries. I don't know what we are getting w him. But Dedmon before last season was an acceptable 25 mpg starter as a 7 foot, rebounding, shot blocking, floor stretching center.

He could be terrible. But he also could be a player that helps us when we are getting dominating by big men. Kelly might be the same height, but Dedmon is much bigger. Kelly has a 9 foot standing reach, while Dedmon's is 9'6". He is much bigger than any player we've had on our roster the past two years.

Obviously he could simply rack up DNP-CD's. Him and Dipo are reclamation projects that I hope can come somewhat close to reclaiming their previous forms, but I'm honestly not optimistic. Clearly Dipo is is on a different level regarding upside.

But if Dedmon can somehow regain his 2019 form, he would be a real player. If that happened he is the type of center that could play some minutes w Bam and allow us to finally not be a team of midgets. But Spo would never allow that even if he happened made a miracle recovery.

Regardless, a healthy 2019ish Dedmon is exactly the type of player we need. That guy was much more than a replacement level rebounder/defender than a Silva/Anthony type. And he was better at those aspects than them as well. He's averaged 13, 12, 1, 1.1, 1.7 per36 over his career.

Let's see what he is in 2021. Fingers crossed.

I think he is a similar payer to Gorgui Dieng of Memphis, which is going to excite exactly no one. However, Miami is really short on options and Dedmon has at least been ok over a few seasons. It is telling he has not stuck anywhere.

I don't expect him to get much run and see him more as a big body who, at best, would get the Myers Leonard ~8-10 minute courtesy minutes to see if he can score in 10 minutes all the points Iguodala won't score in 20. Perhaps if/when Miami plays a team with a real big he would get a few more minutes to keep Bam out of foul trouble, but Miami has basically been pushed into the same bet Houston made last year.

Don't disagree. Everything positive I implied about what Dedmon could bring this year is just me being overly/unrealistically optimistic. I just wanted to clarify that before last year he was not the player HerroBalls was implying he was. But trust me, I'm aware Dedmon's role will almost certainly be as an emergency big like you are saying.

I think we have fallen in love with small ball too much. I agree w the poster that didn't think Olynyk was easily dispensable w our current roster.

That poster was me I don't remember anyone else really sharing that sentiment.

I completely agree on the small ball; I forget the exact stats, but Miami is ~top-10 in 3pt attempts and in the bottom 3rd in percentage.

I'm definitely not a fan of Olynyk. He was frustratingly inconsistent and I don't care what stats he's putting up on Houston's garbage team. Dipo was averaging 20, 5, 5 there. But it seems we had no backup plan to add a big that could play next to Bam besides hoping Aldridge picked us over LA and Brooklyn.

We had a 7.5 mill trade exception from the Memphis trade we simply let expire. I get we wanted Ariza bc he "fits our system," but it seems it could have been used to make sure we secured Aldridge instead (by combining it w Leonard's contract).

Or I don't know if it's possible if we could have used Leonard's contract instead of Maple D's to facilitate the Dipo trade. Regardless of how i feel about Kelly, he at least brought some size and was one of the somewhat limited number of bigs that could play next to Bam.

Olynyk is an inconsistent player; had he been a more consistent player, he'd basically be another Davis Bertans and would command a lot more than 150% or so of the MLE.

My understanding is Bjelica was acquired with the TPE you mentioned. Unfortunately, you cannot combine other players with a TPE to make a trade (this is why Miami couldn't acquire PJ Tucker, who was making ~$600k too much).

I am not an Oladipo fan. I know a lot of people are really high on him, but I just don't think he is a difference maker. That said, he is an asset that could eventually help facilitate a trade if he doesn't ever become the player people thought he might become pre-injury.

Miami made good trades and is better for it. I still think Miami is betting it can sign K Lowry and combine Iguodala and Dragic's contracts next season and add Bradley Beal or Karl Anthony Towns, with Beal being the most likely to be available.

[HIF]

I just came to a very scary realization..... When Riley retires Spo will be the GM.... game over, he's going to hire only people 6'3 and shorter

I always assumed that they have been grooming Battier for the role.

And if Elisburg stays on after Riles splits, he'll likely have a bigger role.

It will have to be bigger if Andy takes over.

[JLop]

This word comes from the Miami Herald, a highly respected source.

Spoiler:

Find a chair so you don't fall over, Wiltside.

It’s whale season again, and here’s why Miami Heat landing Kawhi Leonard could happen | Opinion

By Greg Cote
April 07, 2021 01:00 PM



Kawhi Leonard to the Miami Heat.

How’s that for getting right to the point?

Kawhi Leonard to Miami demands a question mark at the moment, but that could turn to an exclamation point by this summer if the smoke we’re seeing becomes a fire involving the Heat.

This is what sports has become. How it has evolved through the years for both fans and media. It’s less and less about what is and more and more about what’s next. The result of a given game is seldom as big or important as where your team is headed. In the draft. In trades. In free agency.

What’s next? As players broker increasing power, and more so in the NBA than in other sports, the landscape is in constant flux. Smart teams (or lucky ones) are one seismic move from instant relevance and championship contention.

So: Leonard to the Heat. It exists for now in that murky world where rumor and speculation are in a Petri dish and might or might not grow into eventual truth. But the possibility of it, the plausibility of it, is so tantalizing as to demand a public airing.

It is the whim of one player from happening. From giving Miami a Big 3 era 2.0 with Kawhi, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

It feels like there could be a legit chance this time.

Heat president Pat Riley, at 76, is cast in this drama as Santiago, the fisherman in Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea.” Santiago was obsessed with a giant marlin. Riley prefers whales.

We have seen in recent years his lines cast in expeditions involving Kevin Durant and then James Harden and then (until he signed an extension with Milwaukee) Giannis Antetokounmpo. But Miami landing those whales never seemed likely.

Now feels different.

Leonard is in his second season with the Los Angeles Clippers but has a player-opt allowing him to become a free agent this summer. The Clippers fizzled in the playoffs last season and Leonard’s chemistry with Paul George has not always seemed a great fit. If LAC fails again to make a title run there is talk Kawhi might leave.

Writer Evan Massey of NBA Analysis Network quoted an agent saying Leonard would be “intrigued” by Miami.

“Joining forces with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo is something [Leonard] would absolutely have interest in,” said that source.

On the “Dan Le Batard Show With Stugotz” this Tuesday (with me on as guest co-host), ESPN NBA insider Amin Elhassan said of Leonard-to-Miami: “It’s logical that he would explore that option.”

Leonard is a tier-1 superstar in his prime at 29, a 6-7 forward averaging 25.8 points and shooting almost 40 percent on 3’s. A five-time all star. Two-time champion. Twice the Defensive Player of the Year.

He also is a selfless star all about winning, a dovetail fit for Heat Culture. He just watched Butler, Adebayo and a strong supporting cast reach the NBA Finals while his own team, an assembly of B-listers after Leonard and George, fell short.

Leonard has wanted to play with Butler — tried to recruit him for the Clippers in the summer of ‘19. Only when Butler signed with Miami did Leonard turn sights to George.

Miami swung a trade-deadline deal to land Victor Oladipo, a nice, sizable fish but far from the whale Leonard is. And with Oladipo able to leave after this season in free agency, Miami expects to have ample cap space to boat Leonard. Even if Oladipo re-signed there would still be room to sign Leonard and give the Heat a Big 3 1/2.

That, augmented by the likes of Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic, would form a roster to make Miami championship-formidable on both ends of the court to a level not seen down here since LeBron James took his talents elsewhere in the summer of 2014.

The Heat hosts the Lakers on Thursday night. No LeBron or Anthony Davis, though; both remain out injured.

Funny enough, LeBron, whose Lakers beat Miami in the 2020 Finals, might have a role in Leonard opting out and maybe joining the Heat. It could happen if Leonard continues to see LeBron and A.D. as a championship roadblock for him and George — but thinks he would have a better title shot with Butler and Bam, et al.

It is far from inconceivable. Anything less than a Clippers championship could set the wheels in motion.

It is out there, that giant whale, in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Miami. Can’t see it, yet, but it is out there.

Full Article

Spoiler:

I hope you all have enjoyed this article as much as I did. And please, remember to visit the author's site.

[Dr_Heat]

Oof

[Dr_Heat]

Like I been saying over and over , we are not going anywhere unless we start catching WHALES. We are wasting prime Jimmy B by catching sardines and sardines on steroids. There I said it.

[abark]

Spoiler:

I think he is a similar payer to Gorgui Dieng of Memphis, which is going to excite exactly no one. However, Miami is really short on options and Dedmon has at least been ok over a few seasons. It is telling he has not stuck anywhere.

I don't expect him to get much run and see him more as a big body who, at best, would get the Myers Leonard ~8-10 minute courtesy minutes to see if he can score in 10 minutes all the points Iguodala won't score in 20. Perhaps if/when Miami plays a team with a real big he would get a few more minutes to keep Bam out of foul trouble, but Miami has basically been pushed into the same bet Houston made last year.

Don't disagree. Everything positive I implied about what Dedmon could bring this year is just me being overly/unrealistically optimistic. I just wanted to clarify that before last year he was not the player HerroBalls was implying he was. But trust me, I'm aware Dedmon's role will almost certainly be as an emergency big like you are saying.

I think we have fallen in love with small ball too much. I agree w the poster that didn't think Olynyk was easily dispensable w our current roster.

That poster was me I don't remember anyone else really sharing that sentiment.

I completely agree on the small ball; I forget the exact stats, but Miami is ~top-10 in 3pt attempts and in the bottom 3rd in percentage.

I'm definitely not a fan of Olynyk. He was frustratingly inconsistent and I don't care what stats he's putting up on Houston's garbage team. Dipo was averaging 20, 5, 5 there. But it seems we had no backup plan to add a big that could play next to Bam besides hoping Aldridge picked us over LA and Brooklyn.

We had a 7.5 mill trade exception from the Memphis trade we simply let expire. I get we wanted Ariza bc he "fits our system," but it seems it could have been used to make sure we secured Aldridge instead (by combining it w Leonard's contract).

Or I don't know if it's possible if we could have used Leonard's contract instead of Maple D's to facilitate the Dipo trade. Regardless of how i feel about Kelly, he at least brought some size and was one of the somewhat limited number of bigs that could play next to Bam.

Olynyk is an inconsistent player; had he been a more consistent player, he'd basically be another Davis Bertans and would command a lot more than 150% or so of the MLE.

My understanding is Bjelica was acquired with the TPE you mentioned. Unfortunately, you cannot combine other players with a TPE to make a trade (this is why Miami couldn't acquire PJ Tucker, who was making ~$600k too much).

I am not an Oladipo fan. I know a lot of people are really high on him, but I just don't think he is a difference maker. That said, he is an asset that could eventually help facilitate a trade if he doesn't ever become the player people thought he might become pre-injury.

Miami made good trades and is better for it. I still think Miami is betting it can sign K Lowry and combine Iguodala and Dragic's contracts next season and add Bradley Beal or Karl Anthony Towns, with Beal being the most likely to be available.

Thank u for clarifying the TPE rules. And I thought it was u but I didn't feel like bothering to check. I actually had a similar post that I wrote before u did about KO that was lost on a refresh. Then I lost interest.

We got Belly for Harkless and Silva. I am sure that we let the trade exception expire. But now I know why.

And if you have ever seen my posts on Dipo pre-trade you'd know I was not high on him. A torn quad is actually a worse injury than a torn ACL. He has said his quad muscles in that leg are still somewhat atrophied, but that's one of the serious complications of that injury. It is not not easy to restrengthen the muscle, and recovery is far from guarenteed.

Dipo has been very inefficient for 2 years since that injury, so I don't know why people were expecting that would change. That said, I was still in favor of the trade considering it only really cost us a (likely late) pick swap in 2022. The experiment was worth it bc what we had wasn't working.

[DayofMourning]

Thank goodness we got Dedmon. He's going to save our season. Put him in the middle and let him Wilt Chamberlain this Era of mid sized players.