Since the addition of LeBron James to a core of Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, Vegas odds have the Heat as favorites to win it all in 2011. And why not? This is a team of which much is expected. These are not players who are new to pressure. Each has been asked, in his time in the NBA, to carry a franchise; now with them sharing one, the expectations to win an NBA championship—or rather, multiple—have never been greater. With a big three in place, the challenge as their former USA Basketball Assistant Coach and Head Coach of Syracuse University Jim Boeheim put it has been to surround the talents of Wade, James, and Bosh with complimentary players.
As currently constructed, I’m not sure that this team is any better than the Orlando Magic (who guards Dwight Howard?). Bosh is not known for his defense. Depending on the health of the Boston Celtics, the Heat may or may not be able to outlast the other, older big three—Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. While the younger big three have an advantage, the Celtics bench is stronger, especially with the recent addition of Jermaine O’Neal (who will start the season as a starter, but will end up on the pine behind the currently injured Kendrick Perkins). President and soon-to-be-coach-again Pat Riley and General Managing Partner Micky Arison have their work cut out for them to make this team a contender for a championship.
As Mike Miller joins a stacked Miami Heat squad of all-stars LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh; the Heat appear to have landed a fourth international champion. Wade, Bosh, and James, of course, helped lead the 2008 Olympic Gold Medal USA team. But, Miller is not new to that type of pressure, nor is he new to playing with all-stars. He’s played with the likes of Tracy McGrady (when he was an all-star), Grant Hill, Gilbert Arenas, and he played four years along side Lakers’ star power forward Pau Gasol. Miller and LeBron James were also members of the 2007 FIBA Championship team.
So far, the Heat has point guard Mario Chalmers, and is in the process of adding forward and three-point specialist Mike Miller, a deal made possible by trading Michael Beasley for a draft pick. Although the Heat tried to lure five-time champion Derek Fisher away from the Los Angeles Lakers, they were unsuccessful as Fisher resigned with L.A. for 3 years. So far, they have started to address their needs for three-point shooting, veteran leadership and champion experience. But, they still need that veteran influence they would have had in Fisher.
Clearly, the Heat got lucky in retaining the services of rugged power forward Udonis Haslem when other teams were offering twice as much (he lost about $10 million by staying). He’s a free agent and, besides Dorell Wright, recently signed by the Golden State Warriors, and Dwayne Wade, he’s the only remaining member of the 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat team. And since a team can hardly ever have too much three-point shooting, they should have tried harder to keep Quentin Richardson, now a member of the Orlando Magic.
When they got James, I had a short list of free agents they should add. Mike Miller (almost done). Raja Bell or Roger Mason Jr. (defense and three-point shooting). And either Brendan Haywood, who the Mavs have signed for $55 million, or maybe someone like Ben Wallace. Although he is old in basketball years, Wallace is a free agent with some miles left, provides defense, rebounding, and adds championship experience.
Only a few items remain on the Heat’s off-season wish list. If they address all of these needs: championship and veteran experience, defense, bench, rebounding, and three-point shooting; I could see putting them right up there with the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers.
But, they’re not playing three-on-three out there, so we’ll just have to wait and see how much help the Heat can get James, Bosh, and Wade; but so far so good.
R.S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. One of his life-long pursuits has been writing and covering anything related to sports, specifically the NBA. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.
