The Inevitable Wait

If you've been keeping up with Heat rumors, you'd know by now that we've been linked to Eddy Curry, Mike Miller and Kyle Lowry, among others. I have several opinions regarding these possibilities, and I'll get to them in just a bit.

First off, I have to warn everyone to not get your hopes up for the 2008-2009 season. Because Marion will be unlikely to consider opting out, we won't be major players in free agency. So forget about Gilbert Arenas or Baron Davis. Even if he does opt out, our hands would be tied with the contracts of Udonis Haslem and Mark Blount, neither of which are likely to be dealt by tomorrow's deadline.

According to Barry Jackson at the Herald, even if we were to somehow unload those contracts for expiring ones, we still wouldn't be far enough under the cap to make a major splash. We would need both a salary dump and Marion opting out for an extension in order to be a player. That makes winning a title, even with Wade, Marion and a top 3 pick, unlikely in 2008.

However, were Marion then to sign a new, cheaper deal after 2008, we would be in business. One of our heftier contracts would be easier to unload, and Elton Brand would be available for free agency in that year, not this one. He still has a player option to stay with the Clippers next season, a similar scenario that is being played out with Shawn Marion. It is in the summer of 2009 then, that this team will make it's final push back out of obscurity.

The lineup then will hopefully look something like Rose/Beasley teaming up with Wade, Marion and Brand. That's the best case scenario. The truth is that we still need more production out of our supporting cast. We can't buy quality starters or else we would be way over the luxury threshold.

As for recent rumors, I don't really like any of them. Ideally we would trade Haslem and Blount for expiring contracts and either let the Williams/Davis contracts go away or trade them for some quality players. Mike Miller is productive and would fit well here, but I personally have never been much of a fan. Maybe it's because he plays in the middle of nowhere though. I'd like to see us add Pietrus if possible.

As for Eddy Curry, I wouldn't be a fan of acquiring him because of his long deal. Otherwise, I'm not as skeptical as most about his inability to run with this new up-tempo offense. Sure he doesn't play defense, but that hasn't stopped Riley from signing a guy in the past. He can make him play defense. Heck, maybe we can still pry Ron Artest from Sacramento, who has pretty much mailed it in by now.

In any case, things should be exciting for the next year or so for the Miami Heat. The product on the court may not be up to par with what we've been used to watching these past 4 seasons, but the future is definitely bright now that the Shaq contract has been dumped on Phoenix.