The NBA free agency period of this past summer turned out to be hotter than the actual weather itself. It definitely had me glued to the television awaiting any news on my beloved Heat like an old woman watching her favorite afternoon soaps. The Heat had the potential to finally be a legit playoff contender. No more sad seasons watching Jermaine O’Neal try to be the JO from the early 2000’s, no more Daequan Cook being the second scoring option, and no more Pat Riley wasting meaningless dollars on players like Ricky Davis and Smush Parker to fill out the roster.
As I suffered through the 15 win 2007-2008 season, I knew that big things were coming. Pat was clearing cap room and wiping his dry erase board clean. Riles cleared up enough cap room and pulled off arguably the greatest signings in NBA history. The Heat getting Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and keeping DWYANE WADE felt like a fairy tale and put me on cloud 900.
However, what if that fairy tale ended in a different way? What if Lebron James kept his talents in Cleveland or took them to Chicago or New York? What would this year’s Miami Heat team possibly look like?
First off, lets say Bron Bron stayed in Cleveland. This means the Heat most likely would have kept Michael Beasley (who is slowly starting to come into his own in “Rambis World”) to play alongside CB1. The Heat would have also had enough money to have been able to sign a solid point guard to go along with Wade and Bosh. Possibly Raymond Felton, D-Fish, or Steve Blake (preferably Mr. Fisher.) All three are guys who are capable of running an offense and knocking down shots when needed. Fisher would have provided Wade and Bosh with a heady, veteran point guard who can knock down the big shots and help lead a team to multiple championships. With a point guard like that in the lineup, DWade can be the closer and can get into attack mode in the open court. Then Bosh can play second chair in Riles’ band, score in the post, demand defenders away from Wade, and kick the ball out to the likes of Fisher, Mike Miller, and James Jones. Not to mention they would have someone to go toe to toe with Rondo, DWill, and CP3, who have dribbled circles around the Heat this season.
Go ahead and sprinkle some Brendan Haywood on top of that and you have a solid five. The crop of quality centers in the NBA today is scarce and Haywood is in the upper echelon of centers in the league. Haywood would fill the void in the middle that the Heat are currently struggling with. A big body in the middle of the lane who can hold his ground defensively and rebound. Bosh hates playing center and isn’t very aggressive on defense. With Haywood, the Heat would have a last defender behind Bosh to protect that orange, circular thing called a basket.
Throw in all the role players and the Heat would have a lineup maybe a little something like this: Fisher, Wade, Beasley/Miller, Bosh, and Haywood. Then Chalmers/Arroyo, James Jones, Udonis Haslem, and Eddie House coming off the bench.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that Haywood and Fisher would be better than King James because they are not. I wouldn’t trade the BIG 3 for anything. But, it could have still made the Heat a very good basketball team.
Slowly but surely the Heat are getting into their groove and finally starting to look like a basketball team. Arroyo and Chalmers are allowing Lebron and Wade to get the ball in the open court where they are at their best and Chris Bosh is actually starting to look like a big man. The team chemistry is blooming and was showed after Monday night’s 88-78 victory over the Bucks, their 5th straight. Wade had 25 points and 14 rebounds, Bosh added 16 points and 12 boards and then Bron capped it off with 17 points of his own. Over the last 5 games the Big 3 have accounted for 67% of Miami’s scoring. Now try stopping that. Sadly, I’m starting to feel like a school girl with her first crush. As their number 1 fan since Alonzo and Timmy Hardaway ran the streets of South Beach, a father couldn’t be prouder!!!
So Pat Riley, will you marry me?
Alex Rosencutter is a basketball player and kinesiology major at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. Originally from Kenosha, Wisconsin, this hoops addict and die hard Miami Heat fan, who is obsessed with old school hoops, has a fever for basketball and the only prescription is more basketball.
