The Retooling Thread: What do we do now

[LEIF]

it should be mentioned in this retooling thread that their is a possiblity Alonzo Mourning returns next season. I have a pipeline to Zo and he has said he thinks he will return next year if this rehab goes well. not sure if that is the right decision for Zo but if he can give us anything he will be more valuable then Earl Barron.

[CB4MiamiHeat]

that is great mews if Zo comes back..call me crazy but hes been just as important as Shaq the past few seasons.

[TheGreatPooter]

that is great mews if Zo comes back..call me crazy but hes been just as important as Shaq the past few seasons.

zo stopped about 10-20 ppg each night.

it was ridiculous how he saved our defense so many times.

i hope he never leaves

[HEATVols865]

Only if he's a Highlander...

[miamiballer]

Someone that I spoke to at the game today-- thought that the Heat would get Marion to opt out then resign him to an extension that pays well over the years but gives us enough cap room to sign Elton in the summer.. How would that work?

I wonder if we ask marion to opt out and trade haslem and parker to orl for arroyo, garrity, 1st, if that opens up enough cap to sign brand...marion's 1st yr would be what 13 mil? that would save like 4 mil + about 9 mil from the haslem, parker deal is 13 mil for brand starting...i dont know if that works money wise

[captain_cheapseats]

From an outside fan's perspective, it seems to me that if Marion doesn't opt-out you guys are actually in really good shape. You've got (1) a legit superstar, (2) as good a "side-kick" type player as there is in the NBA, (3) a coach who has proven he can get it done countless times, (4) two expiring contracts tied to guys who are actually capable players, (5) the "energy guy" that all the good teams seem to have in Haslem, (6) a nice start on a truly top-notch bench in Wright and Banks,** and (7) only one real albatross/cancer in Blount.

I disagree with the two major theories of how this team should rebuild that most people seem to be supporting. Generally they seem to be: #1 trade anyone other than Wade necessary in order to clear the cap-space to make a run at Brand, or #2 trade the two expirings for something of quality right now. I don't like #1 because that's putting an awful lot off eggs into one injury prone basket. I love Brand as a player but so does every other team with cap-space and he's coming off a major injury. Also, I tend to think one superstar with a great supporting cast is better than two superstars surrounded by crap. I don't like #2 because thanks to sun and low-taxes you are one of the top-5 free agent destinations in the NBA, so those expirings are worth more in your hands than they are to almost any other franchise you would potentially trade them to. I'd only trade them if it was necessary to get 'rid of Blount. Anyway, what I would do......

#1: Get 'rid of Blount, using one of the expirings if absolutely necessary, for anything at all. It's hard enough to win in the NBA without a guy like Blount sucking energy from the locker room and $$ from the cap. Any big guy whose rebound and block totals suddenly get cut in half after receiving an extension is not going to contribute to a winning team.....just ask the Knicks.

#2: Use the cap-space cleared from the expirings and the MLE to sign solid FAs who aren't likely to be drastically overpaid, primarily at the Center and PG positions if possible. I'm talking guys like Duhon, Diop, Udrih, Magloire, Arroyo, Thomas etc. Some of those guys will inevitably get monster offers from a desperate team, but at least a couple will be there for you at a solid price.

#3: Pray to the lotto Gods.

#4: Wait patiently to see what you've got. If Wade is really as good as everyone thinks, you should be ready to contend sooner than later.

Optimal Rotation: Udrih, Wade, Marion, Haslem, Mourning, Banks, Wright, #1 pick (hopefully Beasley), Magloire. I think that's easily a playoff team in the East that will keep getting better year after year. To someone who thinks Wade poops ice-cream like a lot of people in Miami do that team would be an immediate contender.

**Banks has always been more than capable of being a disruptive change-of-pace PG for 12 minutes or so a game off the bench. People say he sucks because he never lived up to expectations, but there's a big difference between not meeting expectations and being a useless player.

EDIT: changed my optimal lineup after reading this:

I have a pipeline to Zo and he has said he thinks he will return next year if this rehab goes well.

[Ballwise]

I agree pretty much on everything you said, nice post.

I totally agree on points #1 ,#2,#3 and possibly #4

However, I doubt that Magloire is the answer at Center. Just strange how this former All-Star lost so much in such a short time. Anyway, I'm just amazed by his limited playing time in Jersey.

However, there are almost no decent FA Centers available this offseason, so Magloire would probably be the best one available

Udrih, K. Thomas look like two nice players to add through Free Agency, possibly Duhon as well. I think Diop will stay with Dallas (Cuban pays) as long as no other team offers him more than the MLE, which I doubt.

[captain_cheapseats]

However, I doubt that Magloire is the answer at Center. Just strange how this former All-Star lost so much in such a short time. Anyway, I'm just amazed by his limited playing time in Jersey.

That's true, to me he's the best of some bad options. Though I guess there are some restricted guys Miami could take a shot at too. Anyway, here's the list http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=2008FreeAgents

Udrih, K. Thomas look like two nice players to add through Free Agency, possibly Duhon as well.

Yeah, I especially like Udrih. I don't know as much about the Heat as you and the rest of the hometown fans, but from what I can tell he appears to be almost the perfect fit for your system.

[SmushedPennies]

I believe I heard that if Marion stays, even with Ricky and Jason expiring, we will only have the MLE available to sign new players.

[Lane1974]

I believe I heard that if Marion stays, even with Ricky and Jason expiring, we will only have the MLE available to sign new players.

that's why it's a must that Ricky and Jason be dealt this year for guys under contract for next year, unless Riley plans to keep J-Will and Ricky next year

[SmushedPennies]

mmmhmmm...Well, say we trade those two for someone under contract next year, and Marion opts out. Could we still have enough cheddar to sign a semi-big name?

[Lane1974]

if Marion opts out, they are better off keeping J-Will & Ricky then and letting them walk, that's like 30+ million in expiring contracts

I wonder if Pat has a pact with Marion

[HeatInOhio]

mmmhmmm...Well, say we trade those two for someone under contract next year, and Marion opts out. Could we still have enough cheddar to sign a semi-big name?

It depends on how much they are under contract for next year, but the short answer is not really. If we let JWill and Ricky walk AND Marion opts out and leaves we would have roughly 14ish mill in cap space. So as you can see, by replacing the contracts of Ricky and JWill... even if its just half... we would only have around 7 mill in cap space. That's not enough cheddar. The best bet is hoping Arison will pay the tax, we trade Ricky and JWill for a good player and we extend Marion. Wade, Marion another good player and a top 5 pick could get this thing turning around in a hurry.

[HeatInOhio]

if Marion opts out, they are better off keeping J-Will & Ricky then and letting them walk, that's like 30+ million in expiring contracts

I wonder if Pat has a pact with Marion

I disagree with you Ira-Lane. Ricky and JWill both stink up the joint. My opinion is the best option is to trade them for a good player (i.e. Kidd, Jermaine O'Neal etc). The next best option is to just let them walk (keeping us on track for the 2 year cap space plan) and the worst option is keeping them here at all.

[Lane1974]

I meant keeping them here for the duration of this season

[HeatInOhio]

I meant keeping them here for the duration of this season

Oh well good then. I thought you were talking about bringing them back... which the thought of that almost made me:

[SmushedPennies]

Irane knows better than that. All you need is to have seen yesterday's game.

Ricky officially gets booed/heckled more than Walker did.

[BFO]

Would you do Bogut for our Draft Pick (and fillers) straight up?

[HEATVols865]

Bogut is just as bad as Chris Dudley.

[BFO]

Right....