jeez....
like I said...check the dates on all our major moves in the past.
The roster is still good enough to win the east.
The simple fact is that if SHAQ and Wade are healthy come playoff time...we win the EC. Simple as that. It has been that way for the last 3 seasons.
I am off to the Keys for 4 days of fishing, booze and fun. Later....
The simple fact is that relying on those two being healthy + Jason Williams is like relying on President Bush to make proper decisions to help the people -- it's just not happening. This team needs a third option, badly. I do believe Dorell Wright can be that, but who says he's going to get the opportunity? Even if he does play, it means nothing. I remember last year when people asked why Dorell didn't do much offensively. Well, Riley didn't call a SINGLE PLAY for him since Wade was out there most of the time. He told Dorell to go out there and play defense/rebound the basketball. He's probably going to do the same thing this year. We're doomed as of right now. Mickael Pietrus could change that, IMO. But surely, a Jannero Pargo signing would be suicidal.
Latest blurb? Someone with inside info on the Lakers (reliable source, has been right in everything he's said) claims that Smush Parker is close to signing a 2-year deal with Miami. Smush Parker? Smush ****ing Parker? If he plays 30 minutes per on this basketball team (when J-Will gets hurt, as he WILL), I guess I'll only be watching 18 minutes of Heat basketball per night. What a disaster that would be. Not worse than Jannero Pargo, but still, bad. I actually feel bad saying that, as he's an average player who simply cannot grasp the triangle offense. However, in terms of where we stand as a basketball team right now.. bad. No one wants our garbage. Memphis just BADLY wanted to get rid of J-Will/Posey a few summers ago. Those two were regarded in the same breath as Ricky Williams in terms of "cancers"
There is no point for anyone to offer Pietrus the MLE. All that does is allow Golden State to sign him for a bargain while not touching any of their cap exceptions. The only way there was to get him was via sign and trade, and with the Heat that means Posey. If Posey is going to agree to a sign and trade it means signing him to a deal exceeding the MLE by a decent amount....say ~7 mil a year. If you're Golden State do you want Posey for 35 mil when you can have Pietrus for a tenth of that?
I agree. But from everything I've heard, in a sign-and-trade Riley is pretty reluctant to give Pietrus the kind of money he offered for Mo Williams and Gerald Wallace. Me, personally? In a league where Luke Walton gets about $31 million, I'd have no problem handing that to Pietrus. At the very least, he'll score 11-15 points per game for you, play solid defense, and hit that corner triple with the best of 'em. He'll also give you an athletic body to go along with Wade and hopefully Dorell. I was kind of iffy about Pietrus at first, but then I thought of the matchup fits Miami can give teams when flooring Wade-Pietrus-Wright. Golden State hasn't shown Pietrus any love at all, though. They haven't even extended an offer beyond the QO. They're looking for a Posey type.
I'd be upset if Pietrus re-signs with GS for the qualifying offer.
I guess I wouldn't be upset with Matt Barnes, but he's all that would be left.
Smush + Barnes for the mid-level split? That isn't an improvement at all.
The best thing that can happen to this team is getting that Posey/Pietrus deal done, then standing firm on the Doleac/pick for Rafer Alston deal. If not, then it's not like Anthony Johnson is a terrible PG or anything like that, and Ridnour/Watson are still on the trade block. We can probably get Johnson for Doleac straight up, so he's a decent LAST option at the point.
