Replace Lebron with Prime Kawhi on the 2011-2014 Heat

[An Unbiased Fan]

This is a spinoff to the Kawhi on the Cavs thread. If we place prime Kawhi on the Heatles....how do they fair? Can they win 1, 2, 3, 4,none? How does that big 3 work out?

[mademan]

They win 2011.
If Bosh is still injured in the 2012 playoffs against Indy/C's, i give them a 40-60 shot to get to the finals
If Wade is still injured in the playoffs in 2013, than the Spurs dominate
They lose 2014

This is all assuming Kawhi can even hold up over 4 years. We dont know what a 4 year prime stretch of Kawhi even looks like

[LKN]

Yeah I think they def win in 2011...after that MAYBE 2012. Def lose in 13-14.


So I'd go with 1. I feel pretty good about 2011 as I think Wade could have done more playmaking that year and was still at an ATG level

[thebigbird]

I say 0. Maybe 2011, but that team would have serious playmaking problems. Washed Mike Bibby was the starting point guard on that team, and Joel Anthony was the starting center. Kawhi and Wade would have even more overlap than LeBron and Wade. I don't think they even make the finals that season. That team was incredibly thin, and Kawhi is injury prone. If you just stick prime Kawhi in the 2011 Finals then I think the Heat win, but if he plays the whole season I don't think they get to that point.

[No-more-rings]

You can’t really ask this without specifying years. Kawhi doesn’t have a healthy 4 year prime stretch yet.

[Bidofo]

Are we taking a consecutive four year stretch? Because 16-19 Kawhi is playing 54 games a year in the RS. Less games played -> less wins -> lower seeding -> getting trounced early in the playoffs.

[HBK_Kliq_33]

Yeah I think they def win in 2011...after that MAYBE 2012. Def lose in 13-14.


So I'd go with 1. I feel pretty good about 2011 as I think Wade could have done more playmaking that year and was still at an ATG level

Kawhi is going to lose to the young version of himself in 2013 and 2014?

2016 Kawhi would win in 2011
2017 or 2019 Kawhi would win in 2012

2013 and 2014 are impossible to imagine because he's playing against himself.

[RCM88x]

2011 would probably be their only chance at winning, granted you could have replaced 2011 Lebron with any other Lebron and they probably win too.

[_Game7_]

2011 is there best shot while Wade is still in his prime, all down hill after that.

[MisterHibachi]

Not sure they get past Chicago in 2011 but if they do then they would likely win the title. Don't think they win in 2012 with the condensed regular season and Bosh's injury in the playoffs. Then I doubt Kawhi holds up the other two years.

[Laimbeer]

About as well as replacing him with Pippen. Zero. Not on LeBron's level.

[CumberlandPosey]

About as well as replacing him with Pippen. Zero. Not on LeBron's level.

this.the king seems underrated by some

[Sublime187]

And he would probably be the second best player on the team after Wade for a couple years.

[yellowknifer]

Kawhi wins 4 the heat win 2.

[An Unbiased Fan]

About as well as replacing him with Pippen. Zero. Not on LeBron's level.

Miami still has Wade/Bosh though in the East. Both led teams tot he playoffs solo, so wouldn't a Wade/Kawhi/Bosh trio be formiddable? The question is more about that Heat roster in a "what if" situation, than about Lebron. I mean Kawhi is with PG and people are saying they're top contenders, so why would him plus Wade/Bosh not be?

[PaulieWal]

Strong chance they win it all in 2011, lose in 12 13 14. You can't have your two best players both missing 20 games a year and Wade was breaking down in the PS after 2011.

[boomershadow]

Kawhi and Heat vs. Kawhi and Spurs?

[Narigo]

Zero

[Baski]

That's a lot of missed games. It would cost them some seeding and probably they lose before the final all 4 years

[Baski]

Kawhi and Heat vs. Kawhi and Spurs?

Awesome game. Still holds up to this day