So, where do the Heat go from here?

[Dolphin1184]

#1 priority of course: keep shaq. I don't think hes going anywhere. He has already said that "This is the best team he has ever been on, win or lose." He seems to really like Wade alot. Wade doesn't have the ego of Kobe Bryant and lets Shaq mentor him. This is one of the best Heat teams I have ever watched. period. It was a pleasure watching them this year.

I hope they keep Udonis Haslem. He is one of my favorite players and seems to have great chemistry with Wade especially with the ally-oops. Obviously Alonzo Mourning is one of my favorite all time Heat players... ever. My best friend played golf with him at the Biltmore, told me hes a nice guy, bad golfer lol.

 

[Samphin]

Damon Jones can opt out and try his luck, or he can stick around for another year to make $2.5-2.8(I forget) million and have the benefit of wide open shots with Shaquille O'Neal & Dwyane Wade on the floor with him. I think Shaq will have a big influence on urging D.J. to stick around, and in the end I believe he will, especially with how he played in this series(yes, I know he was hurting a bit). He had a season similar to Rafer Alston's 2003-2004 year, but there's one difference....he can't play a lick of defense, and it's very noticeable. I expect DJ back, but he is replaceable.

Udonis Haslem will be a RFA, and we can give him anything up to the MLE without breaking into our MLE. In other words, the Heat will have the MLE to spend this year. However, we can sign Haslem to anything up to I believe 6-years/$38 million, and still have the MLE to use on another player or a split between two. Haslem is an undersized PF who works like none other, but I highly doubt a team is gonna spend big bucks to have his services. Not everybody has a Shaquille O'Neal in the middle where you can survive with a 6'8/228 PF. I expect Udonis back.

Keyon Dooling was signed for the minimum last year, and he should get atleast the LLE from another team, because he's proved to be worth atleast $1.6 million a year. I don't really know about Dooling coming back, especially if DJ is retained and we find another PG, SG, or SF to replace him in the line-up, making him the backup PG. Dooling is obviously replaceable.

Qyntel Woods signed a 2-year contract and has been "dominating" the workouts according to the coaches. The scouting report on him was that if he can stay away from weed & other illegal troubles, he should develop into a nice player. He has a nice size & crazy upside, so all he has to do is live up to it. He's with the right company in the good guys we have on this team. Dorell Wright is obviously the future project. That kid's upside is outta the roof, and he's got an excellent head on his shoulders. Shaq said he's never seen a kid under 21 shoot as well as he does, so lets home he adds some bulk(he has a nice 6'7 frame) & improves his defensive game. His ballhandling skills are incredible for his size and there has been talk about him playing the 1, 2, & 3 throughout his career.

I have a feeling Chris Duhon will be one of the first players we talk to when free agency starts. He'd be a nice pickup for half of the MLE. I wouldn't mind splitting it between he & a guy like Donyell Marshall. We can try & offer the full MLE to Joe Johnson & try to luck out like Indiana did with S-Jax, but I doubt it. Two more players I wouldn't mind offering the full MLE to(more so if Haslem leaves) are Tyson Chandler & Stromile Swift. Sign & trade situations will give us more options........

Finally a post that answers ym questions without lambasting me for living on the west coast. Thankyou X-Con. My only point of contention again, would be Haslem. I think in the East, you can still get by with an undersized PF. If he went West, he would most likely shift to a 3/4 hybrid depending on the team's lineup on the court. I think you underestimate how much money teams are willing to throw around for players at his age with his experience. MehMet Okur got a huge cnotract last year, as did Derek Fisher, Adonal Foyle and Erick Dampier. None of them "earned" it, but yet they got it. Granted three of those guys are big men and everyone gobbles them up, but you see my point. Haslem will be a hot commodity.

Section asked if I knew who Woods was, yes I do. He was a member of the Jailblazers originally and has done squat in this league. Donyell Marshall would be a good pickup imo. He could the the answer to replacing Haslem for a season if needed.

Oh, I noticed you quoted Shaq a lot in your post in regards to Heat players. Take it with a grain of salt. We heard all the same type of quotes about everyone in L.A. for years. He is trying to play the media. I don't believe the quote he said about the Heat being the best team he has ever been on either. The guy has won three championships with the Lakers and is sent packing when he can't shutup or co-exist with Kobe so he starts making potshots. He is acting like a scorned women and trying to hurt Buss's feelings every chance he gets.

Anyhow, thanks for your post though, tons of info and insight from someone who obvisouly follows basketball.

 

[phunwin]

The biggest problem Miami will face is Shaq's contract. If The Big Cap Albatross doesn't get an extension, he'll probably sulk and complain and be a massive pain in the @$$.

The Heat have $43 million committed to salaries next year. That jumps to $57M if Eddie Jones exercises his option (and he'd be crazy not to). Given that over half that is committed to Shaq, their ability to make moves is limited. Udonis Haslem will be a free agent, and Miami can only offer him the mid-level exception. They need him back and will probably have to offer the full mid-level to do so.

Dooling probably parlayed his playoff performance into a ridiculously inflated contract elsewhere (think of him as the Speedy Claxton or Derek Fisher of this year's playoffs), so he's probably gone.

Mourning will probably come back for the vet minimum, but Damon Jones also might be gone. If Jones AND Dooling leave, Miami's in big trouble at the point unless they want to put Wade there and take their chances on finding a shooting guard from somewhere.

So the primary pieces are in place, but the supporting cast is likely to change.

 

[Amars]

shaq will get a fat contract. I wonder how much weight he'll gain. They should put a wieght clause in his contract.

 

[Ferretsquig]

Finally a post that answers ym questions without lambasting me for living on the west coast. Thankyou X-Con. My only point of contention again, would be Haslem. I think in the East, you can still get by with an undersized PF. If he went West, he would most likely shift to a 3/4 hybrid depending on the team's lineup on the court. I think you underestimate how much money teams are willing to throw around for players at his age with his experience. MehMet Okur got a huge cnotract last year, as did Derek Fisher, Adonal Foyle and Erick Dampier. None of them "earned" it, but yet they got it. Granted three of those guys are big men and everyone gobbles them up, but you see my point. Haslem will be a hot commodity.

Haslem cant play the three. Okur got paid b/c he is 7 ft. Foyle and Dampier b/c they play defense. Fisher got around MLE dollars. Noone is going to pay Haslem more than the MLE.

 

[Ferretsquig]

The biggest problem Miami will face is Shaq's contract. If The Big Cap Albatross doesn't get an extension, he'll probably sulk and complain and be a massive pain in the @$$.

The Heat have $43 million committed to salaries next year. That jumps to $57M if Eddie Jones exercises his option (and he'd be crazy not to). Given that over half that is committed to Shaq, their ability to make moves is limited. Udonis Haslem will be a free agent, and Miami can only offer him the mid-level exception. They need him back and will probably have to offer the full mid-level to do so.

So the primary pieces are in place, but the supporting cast is likely to change.

As con pointed out the MLE deal that Miami can offer Haslem doesnt take away that 5 mil cap exemption. That money is still there to be offered to a point. Antonio Daniels is going to opt out and look for around MLE money....Brevin Knight, Duhon, Watson...there are a bunch of average points out there that are much better options for running a team than Damon.

 

[phunwin]

As con pointed out the MLE deal that Miami can offer Haslem doesnt take away that 5 mil cap exemption. That money is still there to be offered to a point. Antonio Daniels is going to opt out and look for around MLE money....Brevin Knight, Duhon, Watson...there are a bunch of average points out there that are much better options for running a team than Damon.

Unless I'm mistaken, Haslem has only been in the league 2 years. Bird rights don't attach until after the third year. As such, offering Haslem the MLE WILL take the exception away.

A check of ESPN.com confirms this. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/statistics?statsId=3765

 

[Ferretsquig]

Unless I'm mistaken, Haslem has only been in the league 2 years. Bird rights don't attach until after the third year. As such, offering Haslem the MLE WILL take the exception away.

A check of ESPN.com confirms this. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/statistics?statsId=3765

Bird rights have nothing to do with RFA. They apply to those who want a contract extended based on the previous contract's value. Somehow I doubt Haslem would want the "early-Bird" rights offered to him of 130% of his previous base salary.

 

[Section126]

Unless I'm mistaken, Haslem has only been in the league 2 years. Bird rights don't attach until after the third year. As such, offering Haslem the MLE WILL take the exception away.

A check of ESPN.com confirms this. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/statistics?statsId=3765

Haslem....does not against the MLE.....so no phunwin...the MASH unit Heat that pushed Detroit to seven games....WILL GET BETTER...

GET ME ANTONIO DANIELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Fresh]

We have Haslem's bird rights. This has been confirmed 372 times from last summer to now.

 

[Samphin]

Are you guys facotring the ginormous amount of money that will be needed to re-up Shaq? Or, how in two years Dwayne Wade will most likely command the max?

 

[Section126]

Are you guys facotring the ginormous amount of money that will be needed to re-up Shaq? Or, how in two years Dwayne Wade will most likely command the max?

Of course....SHAQ has already started negotiations and they are starting BELOW what he had asked the Lakers for.....so he is not counting anything extra.....

When Eddie Jones goes in two years....we then would have the ability to offer a max contract...if we don't trade him before......and as for Wade....please read up on the NBA salary cap before you ask questions about Wade's extension in two years.........and how that counts against the "cap"......

The HEAT is in good cap shape...especially for the future.

 

[gonick1]

Home I Hope

 

[Den54]

I must have missed Shaq's bellyaching. He's been cool in Miami. Just sucks that he had to labor thru the playoffs instead of having fun and dominating them.

I'll leave the second part of your question to someone else. But I'll add Washington to the list of up-and-coming teams. The East is rising again.

Yes the east is rising and the epicenter is Orlando. :D

 

[NaboCane]

We have Haslem's bird rights. This has been confirmed 372 times from last summer to now.

Pistolz, what do you think the chances are for a S&T involving Eddie Jones? Who could be a target?

I don't dislike Jones anymore after this season, he performed well at times during the playoffs; but he also continues to earn the big knock for coming up short when it counts. I think we could upgrade from him for less $, or get more players for the same amount.