BAMAPHIN 22
FinHeaven Elite
Q: Is Steve Blake a possibility at point guard? Who else is out there?
A. "The Heat has liked Blake for years, but the question is whether he can earn starter's money elsewhere. Otherwise, the Heat may have to settle for the likes of a Chucky Atkins, a player who would accept playing behind Jason Williams."
Q: Please tell me the Heat will bring back James Posey. He's the only guy that showed any heart in the playoffs.
A. "It all comes down to money. Point guard remains the priority. Only after that is addressed will Posey's contract be tackled. But I agree, beyond Dwyane Wade, Posey is the Heat player best suited to succeed in the league's move to a more athletic bent."
Q: Isn't it time to get rid of all the dead weight on the roster (Jason Williams, Eddie Jones, Antoine Walker, etc.)?
A. "I don't know if "dead weight" is the way to put it, and I think Williams still has value, if healthy. Jones is a free agent, so that hardly is an issue. As for Walker, he has two guaranteed years remaining, which could require taking someone else's 'dead weight' in return."
Q: Can you believe Pat Riley called out Shaq, telling him he should give back half his salary if he's only going to play hard in half the games? Most coaches aren't that candor in speaking about their star players. How will that go over with Shaq?
A. "Like every other type of criticism, O'Neal will hear only what he wants to hear. But this week, Phil Jackson did mention how O'Neal tends to respond aggressively to failure, and that figures to provide far more motivation than Riley's words. Who knows, O'Neal might actually play 50 games next season."
Q: Didn't the Heat just pay the price for winning the title last year? They were built to win a title -- and they did. Did anyone really expect them to repeat. I think most NBA experts would agree that they would be rebuilding soon after.
A. "Obviously when a veteran team wins a title, it naturally gets older. Still, with better seeding and a healthier Dwyane Wade, who knows? The one thing this team will not do as long as Shaquille O'Neal remains in place is rebuild. You can't be paying a 35-year-old $20 million while also breaking in neophytes."
Q: Why is Erik Spoelstra being tabbed as the next Heat coach? When will Bob McAdoo get the respect he deserves? First he gets passed over for Stan Van Gundy and Ron Rothstein, now possibly Spoelstra. What are the chances Pat Riley returns anyway?
A. "Riley's latest comments indicate he will be back. As for McAdoo, I think Riley has always opted for more of an analytical type. Frankly, I don't think Riley ever envisioned McAdoo as a successor, whether that is right or wrong. If McAdoo does become a head coach, it likely will be elsewhere."
Q: What's your true opinion about Jason Kapono? He is a great shooter, but I've NEVER seen him create his own shot.
A. "Which means it all will come down to his price on the free-agent market. If he's priced as a 3-point specialist, fine. But if he's priced as a starting small forward, then the Heat has every reason to take pause."
Q: Will Dorell Wright and Earl Barron ever turn out to be solid NBA players?
A. "Wright has a chance. Barron has proven to be little more than a summer-league wonder. With Wright, it comes down to consistency, instead of the highs and lows shown in his limited minutes the past three years."
For more see link:http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...a050307,0,5061440.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat
A. "The Heat has liked Blake for years, but the question is whether he can earn starter's money elsewhere. Otherwise, the Heat may have to settle for the likes of a Chucky Atkins, a player who would accept playing behind Jason Williams."
Q: Please tell me the Heat will bring back James Posey. He's the only guy that showed any heart in the playoffs.
A. "It all comes down to money. Point guard remains the priority. Only after that is addressed will Posey's contract be tackled. But I agree, beyond Dwyane Wade, Posey is the Heat player best suited to succeed in the league's move to a more athletic bent."
Q: Isn't it time to get rid of all the dead weight on the roster (Jason Williams, Eddie Jones, Antoine Walker, etc.)?
A. "I don't know if "dead weight" is the way to put it, and I think Williams still has value, if healthy. Jones is a free agent, so that hardly is an issue. As for Walker, he has two guaranteed years remaining, which could require taking someone else's 'dead weight' in return."
A. "Like every other type of criticism, O'Neal will hear only what he wants to hear. But this week, Phil Jackson did mention how O'Neal tends to respond aggressively to failure, and that figures to provide far more motivation than Riley's words. Who knows, O'Neal might actually play 50 games next season."
A. "Obviously when a veteran team wins a title, it naturally gets older. Still, with better seeding and a healthier Dwyane Wade, who knows? The one thing this team will not do as long as Shaquille O'Neal remains in place is rebuild. You can't be paying a 35-year-old $20 million while also breaking in neophytes."
Q: Why is Erik Spoelstra being tabbed as the next Heat coach? When will Bob McAdoo get the respect he deserves? First he gets passed over for Stan Van Gundy and Ron Rothstein, now possibly Spoelstra. What are the chances Pat Riley returns anyway?
A. "Riley's latest comments indicate he will be back. As for McAdoo, I think Riley has always opted for more of an analytical type. Frankly, I don't think Riley ever envisioned McAdoo as a successor, whether that is right or wrong. If McAdoo does become a head coach, it likely will be elsewhere."
A. "Which means it all will come down to his price on the free-agent market. If he's priced as a 3-point specialist, fine. But if he's priced as a starting small forward, then the Heat has every reason to take pause."
Q: Will Dorell Wright and Earl Barron ever turn out to be solid NBA players?
A. "Wright has a chance. Barron has proven to be little more than a summer-league wonder. With Wright, it comes down to consistency, instead of the highs and lows shown in his limited minutes the past three years."
For more see link:http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...a050307,0,5061440.story?coll=sfla-sports-heat
