Official Heat Offseason 5.0 - Race to the 15 spots

[Mars]

"The HEAT is a different organization now that LeBron James isn’t there. I think the Dolphins are a team that are capturing the imagination of the whole fan base here in South Florida.” © Stephen Ross (July 30, 2015)

[jereseja]

Dragic more settled now, as Heat prepare to open camp

Sep 27, 2015 at 5:07p ET

MIAMI (AP) Goran Dragic is still house-hunting in Miami. Other than that, everything is exactly the way the Miami Heat point guard wants.

That's a far cry from how things were last season.

When Dragic came to the Heat in a trade with Phoenix last February, just about everything in his life seemed unsettled. He was about to enter free agency. His wife was going through a pregnancy that was sometimes difficult. He had to learn a new team, a new system, a new city - without knowing if he was going to be in Miami more than a couple months.

Those days are over. He got the five-year deal he wanted from the Heat. He and his wife's second child, Viktoria, arrived safe and sound in their native Slovenia earlier this summer. An array of aches and pains that dogged him down the stretch last season is no longer an issue. So when the Heat head to Boca Raton, Florida on Monday for a team dinner that precedes the start of training camp there Tuesday, Dragic will be able to play with a clear mind.

''It was a lot of pressure on me,'' Dragic said. ''But I just wanted to play basketball and right now I'm in a happy place. I'm done with all those things. I only have to focus on the team, on basketball and my family. I think that's what's most important and I'm very happy right now.''

His family will remain in Slovenia for a couple more months, meaning the daily Skype calls will be how they stay in touch. Before year's end, everyone will be together in Miami, presumably in a new home and with Dragic running the point for a team that's expected to return to contention in the Eastern Conference.

Miami's probable starting five this season - Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh and Hassan Whiteside - were all with the Heat last season, yet never played a second together. Dragic arrived on the same day that Bosh was ruled out for the season with a blood clot on his left lung, so in some ways there is an element of newness to this team.

''Chris makes a huge difference,'' Dragic said. ''With him it's a totally different team.''

Dragic said he can't envision someone better-suited to work with him in pick-and-roll situations than Bosh. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has also raved about those prospects - after all, it's what Miami had in mind when it made the deal to bring Dragic aboard - and Bosh said he's spent plenty of time studying film of his point guard's tendencies.

''I've played with players that are similar, that have similar games,'' Bosh said. ''With his talent level, I think we'll just be able to read and react off each other, through conversation of course and time on the court. I think it's going to be pretty good when we get to collaborating and talking about things and I think it'll show on the court.''

Everything isn't perfect, yet. There's still that house to find, still some team-building to go through, and Dragic expects camp to have some trial-and-error regarding what works and what won't for the Heat.

Compared to a few months ago, it's all good.

''These are nice problems to have,'' Dragic said.

http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/dragic-more-settled-now-as-heat-prepare-to-open-camp-092715

[Mars]

[QUIZ]

"The HEAT is a different organization now that LeBron James isn’t there. I think the Dolphins are a team that are capturing the imagination of the whole fan base here in South Florida.” © Stephen Ross (July 30, 2015)

"The Heat are a *Real organization"

The Dolphins are a joke.

[QUIZ]

[instagram]https://instagram.com/p/8JvZ7JFCB5/[/instagram]

dwyanewade I can't believe we are only a month away from the season but I'm glad this guy is back and can't wait to take the court with @chrisbosh again... #lucky13 #heatnation

7 more days.

[Chalm Down]

[instagram]https://instagram.com/p/8JvZ7JFCB5/[/instagram]

dwyanewadeI can't believe we are only a month away from the season but I'm glad this guy is back and can't wait to take the court with @chrisbosh again... #lucky13 #heatnation

7 more days.

Wade/Bosh bromance >>>> Wade/LeBron bromance tbh

[QUIZ]

Spoiler:

[instagram]https://instagram.com/p/8JvZ7JFCB5/[/instagram]

dwyanewadeI can't believe we are only a month away from the season but I'm glad this guy is back and can't wait to take the court with @chrisbosh again... #lucky13 #heatnation

7 more days.

Wade/Bosh bromance >>>> Wade/LeBron bromance tbh

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DLJ-IoyL8w[/youtube]

I don't know about that. Wade and LeBron were good together back in the day.

[Seabass777]

Mike Miller just got bought out.

Do we take him back?

[puppa bear]

Mike Miller just got bought out.

Do we take him back?

Never.

[QUIZ]

Mike Miller just got bought out.

Do we take him back?

James Jones was playing ahead of him. Hell Delly was playing 40+ minutes per game in the finals, the Cavs only had 7 healthy players and he still couldn't crack the rotation. He is beyond washed.

[Burnie Riley]

With training camp beginning Tuesday, we assembled a panel of two veteran scouts, two general managers and a respected veteran assistant coach to assess the Heat’s offseason moves. Some of the feedback:

### Most, but not all, of the response was positive on Justise Winslow.

“He was a top seven talent, and he’s going to be a better player than the two kids taken ahead of him [Stanley Johnson by Detroit, Frank Kaminsky by Charlotte],” one of the GMs said. “Winslow rebounds, he defends, he plays the game the right way. The shooting will come. At the very least, he’s Michael Kidd Gilchrist [10.9 points, 7.6 rebounds for Charlotte last season] but better offensively.”

One of the scouts said Winslow will become a quality starter: “He has to learn to shoot better; he’s got a funny release off the side of his hand. Anytime he shot a jump shot in Orlando, he missed left. The Heat coaches will correct how the ball is coming off his hands.

“But remember, Dwyane [Wade] also had to improve his jump shot and Winslow might have a better body than Dwyane at that age. He’s definitely the heir apparent to Wade. He can handle, can take it in transition, can distribute. He can get in the lane and score or pass.”

Another scout expressed some concerns: “I was a little underwhelmed by him in Summer League. What he does great is in transition. He can rebound and take it coast to coast. He handles well and he got to basket a lot in Orlando, but I’m not sure he will get to the basket like he did in summer league or get the calls he did. He struck me more as a complementary NBA guy than a major piece.

“He’s not super athletic. His shooting is worrisome. I don’t think he’s a lock-down defender. I didn’t like his body language. He seemed to be projecting that he was too good for summer league.”

### Those who watched rookie second-round guard Josh Richardson came away impressed. “He was better in Summer League than I thought after watching him at Tennessee,” one of the scouts said. “Very good athlete. Can be a defensive factor. Good size if he’s a point. Probably a good combo guard. His progress will depend on his shooting.”

### All agreed Gerald Green was great value at the $1.4 million minimum, with one GM saying he rates Green among the five most explosive bench scorers in the NBA.

“Excellent pickup,” one of the GMs said. “But he’s not the sharpest guy. Sometimes he forgets plays. Has some JR Smith in him.”

One of the scouts: “He’s still mindless with his shot selection. If he’s hot, keep him in. If not, bench him. But he’s a little more under control than he used to be and he’s one of the best athletes in the league.”

The assistant coach said: “He’s a solid team defender but suspect as an individual defender. He will be better in Erik [Spoelsta’s] system. Offensively, they’ve really upgraded their bench.”

### The view on Amar’e Stoudemire: He’ll help but only in measured minutes.

“For what Miami needs right now, for someone to come off the bench, he’s OK,” one of the scouts said. “He can face up and shoot. If he catches the ball in the paint, he can do something with it. But his agility is diminished. It’s hard for him to move laterally like he did.”

Said the assistant coach: “Against younger players, he’s going to get calls because he has the respect of officials. And I still would double team him at times.”

### All rated the Heat a playoff team, but mostly among the bottom tier. “To me, they’re a sixth seed --– maybe better if they have no injuries,” said one of the GMs, adding that might be unrealistic with Wade’s history.

The other GM rated Miami a bit higher, seeing great potential with the Chris Bosh/Goran Dragic tandem Miami never had on the court together last season: “I love what they’ve done,” that Western Conference GM said. “Green can take over a game, and there’s not a lot of bench guys you can say that about. Miami didn’t have that on their bench last year.”

One scout said “they’re in that sixth, seventh, eighth slot. Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington, Chicago are better and I can’t say Miami is better than Milwaukee. But you have to like what they’ve done. They’ve got really good bigs, good size, and don’t forget what Josh McRoberts will give them” after being limited to 17 games last season.

[Chalm Down]

"The HEAT is a different organization now that LeBron James isn’t there. I think the Dolphins are a team that are capturing the imagination of the whole fan base here in South Florida.” © Stephen Ross (July 30, 2015)

[dancing2thabeet]

Mike Miller just got bought out.

Do we take him back?

I'd rather put my cock in a blender.

[FlashFlare]

Mike Miller just got bought out.

Do we take him back?

I'd rather put my cock in a blender.

[gom]

It's his contract year. Watch Chalmers dialing in 6 assists per game off the bench and 40% 3 point shooting! It'll make Pat want to resign him again so he can suck next year for us.

Let's go Mario!