Miami early offseason in review (HW/bondom34/dbrandon/caliban)

[RexRyan]

I hate the Heat, but I have tons of respect for what they did. Wade wasn't the long term solution, and they kept plenty of flexibility going forward. Obviously the product this season will depend on Bosh playing or not, but either way, they're in good shape going forward.

I would give them an A, but the Tyler Johnson match was a head scratcher to me. B+

[gom]

Overall D-.

Whiteside was paid market value. It's good we kept him, but we shouldn't act like we got anything more than expected value. It's a big contract and the responsibility is huge. I'd give his signing a B-.

TJ was paid well above what anyone would expect. If we had offered 4/40 on day 1 of free agency, he would have likely signed. Maybe even 4/32. This signing is a C-. I hope he proves me wrong.

Wade was lost. The player that helped bring us 3 titles... gone. Just like that. F. F. F. F!!!!

Damn.

Deng was lost. I really liked Deng. Losing him is heartbreaking. We had no chance to keep him, but still... it's hard. No grade.

Joe Johnson is gone too - off west to play with the Jazz. I also had little faith we could resign him.

Good luck to all our players who moved on.

Stoudemire retires a Knick too. I'll miss him. I won't miss Gerald Green, but oh well. I like him more than Ellington.

As for the players we signed:

Trading for Luke Babbitt = C- (I have lowest expectations)
Derrick Williams = B- to C- (has some skills but is he our starting PF now? ug)
James Johnson = C (bench player on any other team - might start for us...)
Dion Waiters = D or D- (at least he's cheap, but I'd rather see those minutes go to J-Rich, TJ, McGruder or Weber)
Willie Reed = B (good backup center - I agree that it's a pity we don't have a team option on his deal)
Okaro White = B- (will play for Sioux Falls)
Stefan Jankovic = B (will play for Sioux Falls)
Rod McGruder = B- (will play for Sioux Falls)
Wayne Ellington = D (terrible)

Not signing Beno Udrih = D (a player that was actually very useful and sacrificed for us to have a chance last year with JJ)

We still have time to do worse. If we lose Briante Weber or make some kind of stupid trade to make a doomed run for the playoffs, you can change the grade to an F.

[gom]

Signing Beno Udrih changes my opinion somewhat, moves this to a D+. If we cut Weber, however, I think D is still valid. We're either making an investment in our youth or we are not. There is no middle ground.

Right now we have the following players on contract:

PG: Goran Dragic, Beno Udrih, Briante Weber
SG: Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington, Rod McGruder
SF: Justise Winslow, Luke Babbitt, Okaro White
PF: Chris Bosh, James Johnson, Josh McRoberts, Udonis Haslem, Derrick Williams
C: Hassan Whiteside, Willie Reed, Stefan Jankovic

We only have 15 roster spaces. I colored blue the players who I feel are guaranteed, green the players who I believe may be waived to make space for an outsider, and red the players I feel who are outsiders.

* Waiters has a player option for year two, meaning that waiving him could be costly indeed.
* Reed has a two year deal. (thanks HartfordWhalers)

I would cut Wayne Ellington and keep Weber and Reed. Wayne Ellington does not make our team better.

[HartfordWhalers]

Signing Beno Udrih changes my opinion somewhat, moves this to a D+. If we cut Weber, however, I think D is still valid. We're either making an investment in our youth or we are not. There is no middle ground.

Right now we have the following players on contract:

PG: Goran Dragic, Beno Udrih, Briante Weber
SG: Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington, Rod McGruder
SF: Justise Winslow, Luke Babbitt, Okaro White
PF: Chris Bosh, James Johnson, Josh McRoberts, Udonis Haslem, Derrick Williams
C: Hassan Whiteside, Willie Reed, Stefan Jankovic

We only have 15 roster spaces. I colored blue the players who I feel are guaranteed, green the players who I believe may be waived to make space for an outsider, and red the players I feel who are outsiders.

Reed should be blue, he has 2 years. And maybe Babbitt because they paid cash for him? But definitely Reed.

[gom]

Signing Beno Udrih changes my opinion somewhat, moves this to a D+. If we cut Weber, however, I think D is still valid. We're either making an investment in our youth or we are not. There is no middle ground.

Right now we have the following players on contract:

PG: Goran Dragic, Beno Udrih, Briante Weber
SG: Josh Richardson, Tyler Johnson, Dion Waiters, Wayne Ellington, Rod McGruder
SF: Justise Winslow, Luke Babbitt, Okaro White
PF: Chris Bosh, James Johnson, Josh McRoberts, Udonis Haslem, Derrick Williams
C: Hassan Whiteside, Willie Reed, Stefan Jankovic

We only have 15 roster spaces. I colored blue the players who I feel are guaranteed, green the players who I believe may be waived to make space for an outsider, and red the players I feel who are outsiders.

Reed should be blue, he has 2 years. And maybe Babbitt because they paid cash for him? But definitely Reed.

Good point (& one that makes me happy). I left him green, like Babbitt, meaning I think he's got a good chance, but not guaranteed.

[RSCD3_]

My first thought about Miami's off-season is a cautionary one for fans here. I see so many posters suggesting the stars on their team will want to take less to stay in their city. Yes some players have done it. Tim Duncan being exhibit A, B and C. We were told over and over by multiple Heat fans here that both Whiteside and Wade would gladly take less to stay together and allow them to keep/replace Deng/Johnson.

Well Whiteside made it clear he was taking the full max--as he should having not really gotten paid yet. And we saw that Wade didn't appreciate being taken for granted money-wise. As a Dirk fan, what just happened in Miami was my personal WCS. Luckily Cuban and Dirk have a great relationship and Cuban makes sure he and Dirk are on the same page and when they aren't, Dirk gets what Dirk wants.

Now that said, I agree with caliban that basketball-wise letting Wade go rather than give him a contract like Dirk just got was absolutely the right move. Miami still has a roster and a lack of assets that make trying to hit big in free agency next year the best path forward.

I liked most of the moves. Whiteside was necessary. Johnson worth matching, and they made good value signings around their core. Hard to project a record for them as Bosh is such a huge question mark, and the team as a whole, and Whiteside in particular played better with just one big on the floor.

I'd like to see Miami play Richardson, Johnson, and Winslow together with Dragic and Whiteside a bunch. I think potentially this is their best lineup. They can play super-fast which suits Dragic perfectly.

Yeah and Improtant to remember duncan and dirk weren't taking paycuts until they were at least 33 years old, they werent cutting the check in their primes. I'm also skeptical how much " pat riley charm " or " miami magic" was based on the large talent level of the big 3, with Wade being a huge draw in 2010 and Bosh also himself when they recruited lebron. I dont think they could say "Max Level Player, would you like to be here, however he'd have to start you off at only 20 Million...."

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[melo mvp 15]

I was going to give them an F because the way the handled the Wade situation was beyond awful and was 99% their management's fault (Riley specifically).... but they did keep Whiteside (even if they basically chose him over Wade) and I like how they added two low risk, potentially high reward players in Waiters and Williams... so I'll say D.

Personally I would also say they overpaid for Johnson and Ellington, although in terms of Johnson, I see why they'd rather overpay than lose him for nothing with the new huge hole in the backcourt...

I don't think Miami is going to be terrible next year becuase Spo is an incredible coach and if Dragic can rekindle his ball dominant game, then they have a good line up around him and Whiteside. But I also don't think they're going to going to make the playoffs.