Riley FINALLY raises white flag on this season

[G.cracker]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/bask ... ory?page=2

THE LONG VIEW

Riley finally acknowledged that the current season would not be the focus at the Feb. 21 trading deadline.

"If we were .500 or a little bit above .500," he said, "then I would be looking for instantaneous help for this year. I think we're a little bit beyond that right now.

"I've made a couple mistakes with personnel and those things haven't worked out and it's costing us."

A least we can forget about trading for dumb additions like Bibby or Szerbiak, or getting rid of the pick.

The goal should be getting picks back for JWill and Ricky, or at worst players with one year left. I know Bibby is that kind of player, but f that.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

good..

[Miami's Finest]

Good stuff

[Number34]

Not really much to say to that except "good"

[dflash3]

I'm really relieved to hear this. Its nice to know that Riley has accepted the reality of the situation and is looking towards the future instead of trying to go for the quick fix.

[tsherkin]

It's unfortunate that this season is a total write-off but if they're really lucky, they'll get a top-2 pick and can move on from there.

[GameTime_3]

What is interesting is that he knows this season is over but will it change the way he coaches? OR how is he going to please the fan base by standing pat, alot of us forget its a business and if we bring garbage to the table, how many people renew for season tickets? I think its time to move Jason Williams for mikeal petirus!! also move Ricky to a contender that needs some1 off the bench

[The Z Man]

It doesn't mean he will coach to lose games...

[numbas]

they should keep wade and shaqs min down the rest of year and last couple weeks of the season they should just sit them then with a top 5 pick and sum offseason moves and a rested and fully healthy shaq and wade they can be elite again next year no doubt

[BFO]

How can you guys all give up on the season so quickly?

You are all so fickle. If you were true Heet fans you would never quit on your team or its players with still so many games to play. Don't you know this team won the chip just over a year ago? Don't you know this team has two true superstars? Besides, "when" we make the playoffs Zo will be back and we are gonna be reel scary.

Book it.

[MartyConlonJr]

''We can talk hypothetically now, but we're still into this year,'' Riley said. ``We need to move forward over the next four or five games and see if we can turn it around.''

Don't worry, Riley still thinks we can try to turn it around! He is just no longer ready to leverage the future in a trade. He is sticking with what we've got and seeing if we can turn it around. Imagine, with a 5 game winning streak we'd be 13-32! Almost there Riley!

[heat4life]

Maybe we can get an additional mid to late first rounder by trading our expirings and take back a contract with a year or two left or perhaps a young player that fits our offense. It should be interesting to see what Riley can make happen with the assets he has. We definitely need talent on this team. Reliable shooting is a premium.

[tsherkin]

Reliable shooting is a premium.

Clearly. And that means the reigning 3pt champion should be "worth" $6M, even if it seems conceptually silly to pay a 1-dimensional player that much money. Riles has admitted that this was a mistake (as well as letting Posey and Eddie go) but will he be able to rectify the mistake with the luxury tax looming and with very little in the way of cap space? Expiring contracts are nice but is it really worth it if all you get back for them is a shooter? It's going to be a tough run to the deadline and then in the off-season. We get to see how much of Riles' famed and well-deserved genius he's got left. That should be the most interesting part of this season.

[HEATVols865]

All we need to do is lose 5 more and we'll beat the record of the worst losing streak in franchise history...
I like the idea of trading JWil and Ricky for mid 1st round picks...let's re-tool with youngins!

[Lane1974]

no thanks, let's retool with decent or good vets who have one or two years left on their contract rather than trading for crappy midround picks... unless you want to waste next year and the year after that as well

[DanDanE420]

no thanks, let's retool with decent or good vets who have one or two years left on their contract rather than trading for crappy midround picks... unless you want to waste next year and the year after that as well

Draft Wade's running mate with the first rounder, find a role player who can contribute a specific skill with the second rounder (Joey Dorsey, anyone?) and spend the rest of the money on quality veterans.

Does anyone have a realistic assessment of the cap situation next year? What is the highest annual salary the Heat can offer a frontline starter, assuming one becomes available? $8-9 million a year can earn them a nice, undervalued keeper.

[G.cracker]

^Yes, but if some of them are even just decent (dare I say, simienish), they are good trading chips for S&T, which is still likely the way we'd have to get talent to leave their team so they make all the money (see Rashard Lewis), and if they are not, only the first two years are guaranteed so we can not opt in to clear more cap space.

I'm just saying that teams will try to hose us with mediocre players like Wally and I'd rather stand firm for picks. If we get legit complements like Magette, I'm all for it.

[heat4life]

-= original quote snipped =-



Clearly. And that means the reigning 3pt champion should be "worth" $6M, even if it seems conceptually silly to pay a 1-dimensional player that much money. Riles has admitted that this was a mistake (as well as letting Posey and Eddie go) but will he be able to rectify the mistake with the luxury tax looming and with very little in the way of cap space? Expiring contracts are nice but is it really worth it if all you get back for them is a shooter? It's going to be a tough run to the deadline and then in the off-season. We get to see how much of Riles' famed and well-deserved genius he's got left. That should be the most interesting part of this season.

Indeed. Watching the game last night they posted an interesting stat of the players who were on our roster last season and the number of 3pt shots they made (not considering %)

Kapono - 108
JWill - 100
Posey - 97
Walker - 84
EJ - 56

Only Jason Williams remains from that roster. I am curious to compare the above numbers with the top 5 3pt shooters on this year's roster at the end of the season.

[heat4life]

no thanks, let's retool with decent or good vets who have one or two years left on their contract rather than trading for crappy midround picks... unless you want to waste next year and the year after that as well

That would be good if we could get veterans like Battier etc. but unfortunately our "decent vets" (Smush, JWill, Davis) are not worth much as players. Their value is fully on their expiring contracts. I would be happy with a lateral move as far as talent plus acquiring an extra pick or a young player just for the trouble of giving away their expiring contracts.

[Flash3]

I am curious to compare the above numbers with the top 5 3pt shooters on this year's roster at the end of the season.

I added this to my favs, and will check back after the season.