Would you be angry if the HEAT traded Haslem?

[Heats_Finest]

They will go after top free agent centers like Nene as is Pat Riley’s custom, and perhaps offer Miller and Udonis Haslem in a sign-and-trade with the Nuggets, who have Nene’s rights. They offered this deal, in fact, to the Nuggets last year. But unless Nene is willing to take a massive pay cut to play for the Heat, this is a pipe dream. More likely, the Heat will attempt to use that $5 million to land center Sam Dalembert, who is interested in coming to Miami.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/miamih ... ike-miller

Haslem is one of my favorite players, I love him as a basketball player and he's a great humble, person in general. He was a part of our first title, and then in the recent free agency came back for well under market value. If we shipped him off to Denver for a trade like Brian says we offered would you be pissed at Riley for trading Miami's second son? Because I believe that Riley has no heart and sees business as business, but if he keeps shafting players like Miller and Udonis no one will sign here anymore.

But yeah original question, would you be pissed if Haslem was traded?

[WD]

If this question was asked a few years ago, even last year, my response would be YES. But I have decided to look at this team the same way the CEO’s look at it, as a business and not let my personal preferences over shadow my business sense.

I run a small business and have made my best/most money when my staff is productive, I really don’t give a sh@t about what you can’t do, only what you can. My clients don’t give a sh@t either.

So the answer is NO - I would not be mad - Whenever you get a player or employee to accept less value for his services, the respect for that player is immediately downgraded. Simple!

These players are chess pieces, they serve one immediate(title hopes) and one long term(trade chip) function.

Times have changed and so have I

[CommonSensei]

I'm actually the opposite of WD. A couple years ago when I was looking for a better 2nd option on the offensive end, I was all for trading UD for the likes of Bosh, Boozer, or Amar'e before the summer of 2010.

Now, I'm against it as I feel UD provides a defensive presence on the floor that Bosh has yet to. UD did a great job in the 2006 and 2010 Finals guarding Dirk and I think he guards the perennial big men in the league the way the Heat needs them to. With UD, Bosh and Sam, we have a much more versatility in our line up compared to just having Bosh and Nene.

I think as long as UD maintains his health which has never been a problem for him, we can a win a championship without trading him. UD gained my respect after taking that pay cut to comeback, and if anyone besides Wade deserves loyalty from the Heat org, Haslem is right behind him at the top of the list.

[Diggity Dave]

I love Udonis Haslem. I love that he's from Miami. I love that he played at UF. I love that much like Keith Askins, he was undrafted and busted his ass to get a roster spot on the Heat. I love that he worked hard enough to become a legit NBA-starter. I love that he took less money to stay with us the first time around. I love that he basically owned Nowitzki defensively in 2006 and won a championship with us. I love that he took less money the second time around. I love that he returned to last year's playoffs and was a deciding factor in the series against Chicago.

I'm proud of Udonis Haslem in a way that I reserve for someone like Alonzo Mourning, who was not only the heart and soul of the Heat for so many years, but a poster-child for hard work and dedication. I'd hate to lose him.

That being said, if Riley has the opportunity to significantly improve one of our gaping holes at center or point guard by moving Haslem, I'd have to understand. I wouldn't like it, but I trust Riley and his decision making. To my point, if Riley moved Bosh to upgrade both center and point guard, I'd be fine with that as well, assuming the center in question had a low-post game.

[Zasterror]

Haslem is probably one the most reliable players this franchise has ever seen. Of course I would be pissed if we let him go, especially since he proven how much of an impact he would had been if he was healthy last season.

[EscapoTHB]

It depends who he was traded for. If it was another superstar I would understand. But if it's for Nene or Dalembert, I think it would be stupid. Haslem is a beast when he's healthy. Heck even when not healthy. He turned the Bulls series around for us.

[Bubstubbler]

I'd be pissed about the dishonor involved.

I think there's an unspoken (if not explicitly spoken) agreement not to trade away someone who willingly sacrificed and took a smaller contract to stay.

Only way it's OK is if Riley explicitly told Haslem at the time, "I will not give you any special no-trade consideration, and will actively look to take advantage of your cheap contract as a trade chip."

I highly suspect that Haslem took less money on the condition he wouldn't be traded away, and that if Riley had refused such a condition, that Haslem would have signed elsewhere for much more money.

[DWadeno3]

Even if we were to get a significant upgrade, I'd be pissed. UD has had so many big moments with this franchise, the most recent one being his comeback against the Bulls which was a huge key to our success. He lives Miami every day and every game, he embraces this franchise like no other player and thus I just can't imagine him being somewhere else. I would understand the business part of a deal that could land us a much better player, but I'm too emotionally attached to him as a HEATer to not be mad at the same time.

[brenner]

from the outside looking in YES, but it depends, if Riley explicitly said that just because they took less money it would not give them any reason to believe they where more safe from getting traded then NO. Look, when you are willing to take a pay cut to show it is not all about the money I believe it should go both ways. Atleast that is how the organization I want to root for should operate.

I rather loose in the finals with Miller and Haslem than just dump them for a possible upgrade after they have commited to the Heat. it would be one thing if they where lazy and didn't try their best.

edit: saw bubstubbler's post now, so yea, what he/her said.

[Nupe_1911]

Haslem sucks and has sucked for several years now. No reasonable person should be upset about Haslem being traded assuming it improves the Heat.

[Zombie_Shake]

i wouldnt expect this move from the heat. theyre too much of a family oriented team, haslem is a big part of this franchise. if he was 100 healthy last season we wouldve been much better off. the team wouldve clicked earlier and maybe formed a different identity instead of having to drag corpses like howard,bibby,Z and damp all year.

the same cant be said for miller however. he was only here for one year and never really got a chance to prove his worth due to injuries but thats the business side of BBALL

[FlashTheKilla]

I would be upset. He stayed with this team, foregoing more money, out of a sense of loyalty. It is only right that we return that loyalty.

[Flash4thewin]

No problem what so ever. I find it funny that before the finals UD is the Dirk stopper, he can shut him down etc was all the rage and now its well he can play decent defense. If Pat can get a better player or a center then its a no brainer. Winning is winning period. Whats to stop UD from coming back to the heat at the end of his contract? Take emotions out of the equation and you would be hard pressed to make an issue about trading a bench player for a position of need, not to mention we just got a max PF.

[jmbflame21]

Pat Riley would never trade Haslem. That would upset the chemistry of the team..

[daniel3]

Twice the team convinced him to take way less to stay on board. That would be a ridiculously low blow if they ended up trading him. He's also a starting quality PF, getting paid marginally more than mr. one trick pony, Joel Anthony.

[Pimpwerx]

I would be mad, but I'd get over it if it was a good trade. Honestly, Miller + UD for Nene is not a good trade. Giving up UD's toughness and energy off the bench for a center that won't improve our rebounding much is questionable. I can't be the only person that wants a center to rebound more than for post presence, right? If we can't control the boards, we're right back where we were last year. PEACE.

[DefenseWins]

Didn't the Heat's Big 3, mostly Wade, take a pay cut for Haslem? I don't think they'd trade him. Emotions are going to fly and it'll mess up the chemistry of the team. Especially Wade.

Who would be the backup PF? JOEL? I know Haslem was injured, but points wise Haslem would be more productive when it comes to points. SHoot, even when Haslem was injured he was a better rebounder than Joel...

Haslem is the grit of this team, I really doubt they trade away the hometown guy.

Now Miller, they'd trade.

I guess people forgot he was the reason the Heat started to freakin' win against the Bulls...

Plus we don't have a better backup PF... it's going to put another hole in the team if he were to be traded. Need that bench support. Joel can be PF and Pittman can be C I guess. Then again, this team doesn't play rookies that much unless they have no choice (like with Chalmers back then).

edit : Good point, Haslem and Miller when healthy can produce more rebounds than Nene, and even more points off the bench til the end of the game. It may look like a good trade on paper...

[Tim_Hardawayy]

I wouldn't necessarily be angry, but I'd be disappointed. That would be the point where I'd start to feel like we're really selling our souls for a championship.

[WD]

I am already at the stage of disappointment and feel that we are selling our souls for a championship.

If UD had gotten the same money HERE as Dallas was going to pay him, it'd be a wash, no harm no foul. But(and i've said before and will continue to say) to take a major pay cut to play here. He'll probably never get that again.

At some point, players are not going to like to take pay cuts to play here, then be packaged later in trades in 1 year after signing(Miller/Bibby). Although it's business, it just stinks and for the first time as a heat fan, I am discouraged by the direction we're headed.

I would like to know WHAT PLAYER we're trying so hard to NOW get would have helped us win last year. It's Rileys team, he can do what he wishes. He'll try real hard to get nene or someone of that calibar, using UD in a package as bait. Then when/if the deal falls through, he'll come out in the press and put a positive spin on it.

[Lord Leoshes]

Sure i'll trade Haslem, but only if we are getting Howard, Paul, D Williams, or Rose in return.


If it is between Nene, or Delembert/Haslem/Miller, then i'll take the trio all day every day.

If both Nene, & Dalembert are willing to take the mid, then Nene would come 1st.