AirP. wrote:SoFlaKingReal wrote:NBADraft2003 wrote:I think Miami couldn’t get James because:
1.He always WANTED to go to Brooklyn.
2.I don’t know why people keep saying it but it had nothing to do with Tyler being included. The problem was, we didn’t have 4 first round picks to give along with 4 pick swaps. If we had the picks which is what they wanted most, that would’ve been done.
b-b-b-but what about AirP's narrative?
As I stated earlier, Miami could have went out and got draft picks, Brooklyn had to send Allen to get a 1st from Cleveland to send to Houston.
Could Miami have gotten 1-2 1st rounders for Robinson? I'd say yes. Under contract for a low number this year, Bird rights next year.
Could Miami have gotten MORE for Herro on a rookie contract for the next 3 years... I'd also say yes, OKC seemed to want him last year so I'm guessing they'd still be interested in him this year.
Could Miami given OKC some compensation(or included in a Herro trade) to have unlocked another 1st rounder... I'd also say yes.
Give them all the swaps they want, it's going to be a long time before they'd have a team better then Miami with Harden, Butler and Bam to want to make the swap.
BTW... Harden tried to recruit Butler to Houston for a few years(Houston offered Minnesota 4 1st for Butler) and this offseason and Harden said he'd be open to joining Miami, I'm sure he was although it was not his preferred location. He has his money and wants to win a ring for his legacy.
You can forget about that; Riley does not build through the Draft. I can't remember a single trade where Miami made a deal with the purpose of adding draft picks; since Riley has been in Miami, he has traded away A LOT of picks. He wants to win and he knows that means veterans (just look at all the veterans that have rolled through Miami in the last 20 years; it's a pretty impressive list.) The only time I can remember Miami ever trying actively to get into the top-5 of the Draft to get someone was when they tried to get Lamar Odom.
As for your assessment that the Heat's success has been all due to Wade: just about every franchise that has been relevant has needed 1-2 perennial All-NBA HOF to build around (Magic/Worth/Jabbar, Bird/McHale, Jordan/Pippen, Duncan/Robinson, Shaq/Kobe..etc), so you have a valid point; BUT, you can't just gloss over what Riley has built in Miami.
Miami came into the league the same year as the Hornets and a year before the Magic and the T-Wolves. Compare the franchises' success since their inception. The FAs Miami has been able to sign and the players Miami has been able to trade for is incredible. Miami has become a place where undrafted players have been developed into NBA starters and coaches have gone on to be head coaches in the NBA and NCAA. In the last 30 years, the only teams that can claim that kind of infrastructure and success are the Spurs, the Lakers, and maybe Toronto.
















