Miami Heat Regular Season Thread Vol. BAM Please Burst Through that Bubble

[dean456]

I mean, it's like picking between curry and pizza for me - it's a win win situation.

AD would technically 'fit' better, given his shooting range. Both would be absolute menaces on the defensive end paired with Bam and Butler. I'd still take Giannis though - he's just a monster, plus he's slightly younger than AD by a year or two, and my memory says Giannis isn't as injury prone as AD is.

We could quite easily put together complimentary pieces around Giannis too, just as well as the Bucks have. Hell, add Oladipo to the mix for Nunn/Iggy/FRP and we have:

Oladipo >= Bledsoe
Butler >> Middleton
Bam >>>> Lopez

We'd then have either Meyers or KO as the stretch big to pair with him at times, plus Robinson and Herro as other elite shooters too. Add in Crowder and other ring chasing vets and we're gravy.

Honestly, Giannis would be amazing here and I hope he realises that. Doesn't hurt that Bam has become a beast, and they share an agent.

I don't think you can look at those player comparisons in overall player value. You have to take into account their skillset as well.

Butler was a top ten player this season. Middleton was fairly close to that. However, you have to take into account their roles. Middleton played primarily off the ball, while Butler played more of the primary ballhandler role. Khris was also an exponentially better long range shooter, and dish target for Giannis. He shot 42% on 7 threes a game per 36 minutes. He is a perfect match for Giannis, and two years younger than Butler.

Bam is indeed a better player than Lopez. He's also 10 years older. However, his shooting ability is, once again, complementary to Giannis' game. You take Bam every day of the week though. So, not the greatest comparison.

I think the biggest question would be how well Butler plays off the ball. He'd really have to increase his percentages. His shot was off this year.

He'll also be 32 and exiting his premium years as soon as Giannis gets here. Dipo will be 29. I've never been a fan of Victor's offensive game. It's marginal at best. However, he's pretty darn solid as a defender. I'd rather we focus on a younger guy to target more so than a guy who's a BIG question mark. He feels like a definitive lock to come here though. I read that he has a home here, a local business, and some mutual love from the org. I'd happily take a healthy version of him over Nunn since he's a two way player, but that price tag....sheesh.

I'm rambling a bit. Here's a thought, could we somehow manage to get AD AND Giannis? Money was tight before, but we could offer similar money to the insane state tax of California for Davis this offseason, with the promise of Giannis to come?

Bam
Davis
Butler
Robinson
Giannis

I haven't looked at salaries, and cap tables recently. Somebody's got to shoot that fantasy down for me.

Yeah sorry Mourning, I'd say its very unlikely, but it is somewhat do able. If we renounce everyone the most we could offer the both of them would be $32.6mil. That's $2.5mil from Davis' max and $4.9mil from Giannis' max. Now if by some miracle we could somehow shed Anderson's stretched salary with some kind of amnesty provision we could pay AD a max in 2020 then pay Giannis $35.2mil in 2021. In those scenarios we'd have to lose Bam but we would be still be able to retain Duncan and Nunn.

Our team would likely look like this in that scenario.
Nunn/Vincent
Butler/Herro
Robinson/???
Giannis/Okpala
AD/Silva

[MartyCONLONNN]

That would be a better fit anyways and it's the only justifiable reason to let go of Bam. Wildly unrealistic though.

[Wiltside]

I mean, it's like picking between curry and pizza for me - it's a win win situation.

AD would technically 'fit' better, given his shooting range. Both would be absolute menaces on the defensive end paired with Bam and Butler. I'd still take Giannis though - he's just a monster, plus he's slightly younger than AD by a year or two, and my memory says Giannis isn't as injury prone as AD is.

We could quite easily put together complimentary pieces around Giannis too, just as well as the Bucks have. Hell, add Oladipo to the mix for Nunn/Iggy/FRP and we have:

Oladipo >= Bledsoe
Butler >> Middleton
Bam >>>> Lopez

We'd then have either Meyers or KO as the stretch big to pair with him at times, plus Robinson and Herro as other elite shooters too. Add in Crowder and other ring chasing vets and we're gravy.

Honestly, Giannis would be amazing here and I hope he realises that. Doesn't hurt that Bam has become a beast, and they share an agent.

I don't think you can look at those player comparisons in overall player value. You have to take into account their skillset as well.

Butler was a top ten player this season. Middleton was fairly close to that. However, you have to take into account their roles. Middleton played primarily off the ball, while Butler played more of the primary ballhandler role. Khris was also an exponentially better long range shooter, and dish target for Giannis. He shot 42% on 7 threes a game per 36 minutes. He is a perfect match for Giannis, and two years younger than Butler.

Bam is indeed a better player than Lopez. He's also 10 years older. However, his shooting ability is, once again, complementary to Giannis' game. You take Bam every day of the week though. So, not the greatest comparison.

I think the biggest question would be how well Butler plays off the ball. He'd really have to increase his percentages. His shot was off this year.

He'll also be 32 and exiting his premium years as soon as Giannis gets here. Dipo will be 29. I've never been a fan of Victor's offensive game. It's marginal at best. However, he's pretty darn solid as a defender. I'd rather we focus on a younger guy to target more so than a guy who's a BIG question mark. He feels like a definitive lock to come here though. I read that he has a home here, a local business, and some mutual love from the org. I'd happily take a healthy version of him over Nunn since he's a two way player, but that price tag....sheesh.

I'm rambling a bit. Here's a thought, could we somehow manage to get AD AND Giannis? Money was tight before, but we could offer similar money to the insane state tax of California for Davis this offseason, with the promise of Giannis to come?

Bam
Davis
Butler
Robinson
Giannis

I haven't looked at salaries, and cap tables recently. Somebody's got to shoot that fantasy down for me.

I agree it was a very overly simplistic way to look at it DoM. I guess my point was I believe that 'talent wins out'. IMO, Butler is a more talented 2 way player than KMidd, and the same for Dipo and Bledsoe. I'll agree that it is relatively close though, and from a pure 'fit' perspective, Middleton may fit better than Butler with Giannis.

In my mind, I would 100% be running Giannis at the 5 regularly. Even if the fit is somewhat questionable with Bam, Giannis has improved enough as an outside shooter to be a threat (1.5 3's per game this season on 4.8 attempts). He has improved every year from downtown, I don't see why he won't continue to do that.

Butler
Herro
Robinson
Adebayo
Giannis

Is an elite lineup that offers spacing, elite defense and playmakers at just about every position. Replace Herro with Oladipo, and the defense gets even better with a similar level of spacing. Hard not to like that.

Anything AD or Giannis related in a huge longshot though. We have better odds of hoping Bam becomes our Giannis tbh.

[DayofMourning]

To further the discussion, should Butler come off the bench if we get Giannis? There is a stigma about a player who comes off the bench. As if they are unworthy. However, bringing a player the quality of Butler off the bench is a pretty major boost in the first quarter.

Makes me think of Wade in the 2008 Olympics. He was the leading scorer and best player for that team, off the bench.

Manu did the same for the Spurs.

Having the best fit on the floor at the right time is a very important piece that gets overlooked due to a players value. Duncan Robinson, for example, isn't the best overall player on our team, but in the right situation, hes the most valuable.

Giannis and Bam as defensive anchors, surrounded by shooters, is exactly the right type of fit. Bring Butler in to sub one of the two (Giannis and Bam) and your pace will change, but production should not.

Regardless, end of game, Butler bet have that shot ready.

[MadD23]

To further the discussion, should Butler come off the bench if we get Giannis? There is a stigma about a player who comes off the bench. As if they are unworthy. However, bringing a player the quality of Butler off the bench is a pretty major boost in the first quarter.

Makes me think of Wade in the 2008 Olympics. He was the leading scorer and best player for that team, off the bench.

Manu did the same for the Spurs.

Having the best fit on the floor at the right time is a very important piece that gets overlooked due to a players value. Duncan Robinson, for example, isn't the best overall player on our team, but in the right situation, hes the most valuable.

Giannis and Bam as defensive anchors, surrounded by shooters, is exactly the right type of fit. Bring Butler in to sub one of the two (Giannis and Bam) and your pace will change, but production should not.

Regardless, end of game, Butler bet have that shot ready.

I don't think a player earning MAX Dollars is coming off the bench

[DayofMourning]

To further the discussion, should Butler come off the bench if we get Giannis? There is a stigma about a player who comes off the bench. As if they are unworthy. However, bringing a player the quality of Butler off the bench is a pretty major boost in the first quarter.

Makes me think of Wade in the 2008 Olympics. He was the leading scorer and best player for that team, off the bench.

Manu did the same for the Spurs.

Having the best fit on the floor at the right time is a very important piece that gets overlooked due to a players value. Duncan Robinson, for example, isn't the best overall player on our team, but in the right situation, hes the most valuable.

Giannis and Bam as defensive anchors, surrounded by shooters, is exactly the right type of fit. Bring Butler in to sub one of the two (Giannis and Bam) and your pace will change, but production should not.

Regardless, end of game, Butler bet have that shot ready.

I don't think a player earning MAX Dollars is coming off the bench

That's the exact mindset I have a problem with. Why does he have to start if the team could potentially perform better with him off the bench?

Does being a sixth man mean you play 15 minutes a game? The 6MOY winners every year routinely play 30 minutes a game as an average. Giannis plays 30 minutes a game. What exactly is the issue?

[MadD23]

To further the discussion, should Butler come off the bench if we get Giannis? There is a stigma about a player who comes off the bench. As if they are unworthy. However, bringing a player the quality of Butler off the bench is a pretty major boost in the first quarter.

Makes me think of Wade in the 2008 Olympics. He was the leading scorer and best player for that team, off the bench.

Manu did the same for the Spurs.

Having the best fit on the floor at the right time is a very important piece that gets overlooked due to a players value. Duncan Robinson, for example, isn't the best overall player on our team, but in the right situation, hes the most valuable.

Giannis and Bam as defensive anchors, surrounded by shooters, is exactly the right type of fit. Bring Butler in to sub one of the two (Giannis and Bam) and your pace will change, but production should not.

Regardless, end of game, Butler bet have that shot ready.

I don't think a player earning MAX Dollars is coming off the bench

That's the exact mindset I have a problem with. Why does he have to start if the team could potentially perform better with him off the bench?

Does being a sixth man mean you play 15 minutes a game? The 6MOY winners every year routinely play 30 minutes a game as an average. Giannis plays 30 minutes a game. What exactly is the issue?

You don't invest max dollars on a sixth man of the year candidate. You invest max dollars on your franchise players. If you feel Giannis and Butler don't fit together in the starting lineup, then what makes you think him coming off the bench will fix that if he'll play over 30 minutes a game anyways?

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Jimmy is essentially our de facto starting PG, and I assume would remain so even with Giannis on board. Giannis creates scoring opportunities for others via his onball attack but I'm not sure he's really the guy to run/facilitate halfcourt offensive sets

[QUIZ]

Read on Twitter

Nice

[twozeroMM]

This is so dope!

Read on Twitter

[IggieCC]

[IggieCC]

Players might have to get used to shooting in front of flashing billboards but it's a fair game.

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Lol not a fan of that setup. Might as well throw in the Marlins Park homerun sculpture

[MadD23]

Those huge LED screens right behind the backboard is a terrible idea. Sponsorship money I assume is the main reason.

[Heat_Fan_87]

been out of the loop, can someone pls fill me in on bam?

[heatwillbeback]

been out of the loop, can someone pls fill me in on bam?

There have been no reports that they have come to Orlando.

Some articles today said the Heat remain hopeful they will be back for the seeding games.

[Heat_Fan_87]

Read on Twitter

that works

[Wiltside]

Good to have Bam and KNunn back. They may take a minute to get their wind back and get up to speed.

Hard to believe there will be some Heat basketball tomorrow. Whose doing the GT?

Let Iggy restart the szn brehs, was the wors that could happen?

[dolphinatik]

Miami Heat | 41-24

Current seed: No. 4 in East

Remaining strength of schedule: No. 1

Schedule

DEN (47.3% chance to win) | Aug. 1 | 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)

TOR (41.5%) | Aug. 3 | 1:30 p.m. ET

BOS (40.9%) | Aug. 4 | 6:30 p.m. ET

MIL (27.5%) | Aug. 6 | 4 p.m. ET

PHX (63.6%) | Aug. 8 | 7:30 p.m. ET

IND (52.0%) | Aug. 10 | 8 p.m. ET

OKC (52.1%) | Aug. 12 | 8 p.m. ET

IND (52.0%) | Aug. 14 | TBD

[greg4012]

Looking forward to getting a look at KZ Okpala during the scrimmages