There is one thing on the mind of this franchise, and it is probably directed by its superstar. Last season, the Heat amassed the worst record in basketball, sinking down to same amount of wins they grabbed in their first season back in 1988. What a 20 year trip; what a two year trip. From the champions of the NBA to the basement.

Most of it had to do with some bad roster moves, trading away Antoine Walker was not a bad move, but not replacing James Posey, Jason Kapono and finding a healthy point guard to step in and play didn’t help matters. So, the Heat fell out of the Eastern conference penthouse.

Yet, the architect of this team is still here. Pat Riley stepped down as the Heat’s head man, for the final time, and went back to being full time president of the franchise. In his stead he hired one of the youngest head coaches in the NBA when he moved 13 year assistant Erik Spoelstra into the lead seat on the bench.

Spoelstra will have his work cut out for him but don’t think he hasn’t been preparing for this moment. There have been whispers, even as far back as when Stan Van Gundy and his moustache were pacing the sidelines, that Spoelstra was being groomed for this spot. In fact, many of the Heat’s players lauded Spoelstra for helping them refine their games – such as Dwyane Wade and helping develop his jump shot. Spoelstra has the tools to communicate with his players and also to get them to work for him and improve their games. He has been the summer league coach and has worked on scouting players and setting up film, breaking down opponents weaknesses as well as the Heat’s.

The challenge for Spoelstra will be to forge an identity and to get the Heat team culture back to where it was. In part, this will change due to the roster moves President Riley is making. Gone are the me-first players who plagued the franchise and hamstrung its efforts. It is clear Shaq was in this camp, only looking out for himself. He had valid complaints but the Heat could not offer him the superstar cast he wanted in part because of Shaq’s immense contract. Now, that is the Suns’ problem. The Heat, for their pain, got back Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks – both of whom have worked tirelessly on their games and getting them to fit into the Heat’s philosophy.

In fact, Shawn Marion, in the final year of a $17M contract, still has yet to work out an extension. That could prove to the Heat’s advantage, but it also shows Marion’s professionalism and character, too.

Yet, with so much change on this roster, there is still some things that remain the same. Dwyane Wade will return for his 6th professional season with the Heat and coming off his amazing gold-medal Olympic run, there is a new buzz about him. Perhaps playing among and with the world’s best has helped him rejuvenate his sense of competition. It can be said that Wade is one of the few players in the game that has that hot sauce, intangible item that comprises a great player – an insatiable competitive spirit backed by an iron will. When Wade pits his will against anyone in the game, he stands to prove the test. Just check that 2006 NBA Finals. Check this 2008 summer Olympic run. Wade is playing with a chip on his shoulder – and the league should be put on notice.

Oh, yeah – and he’s healthy.

Which brings us to Michael Beasley; what can be expected of such a gifted rookie? He has all the physical talents to be a prime time player in this league for years to come. The only question is, how long, or short, is his learning curve going to be? The Bulls saw Derrick Rose as too tantalizing to pass up, but questions bubbled about Beasley’s character and work ethic which prompted the OJ Mayo discusssion for the Heat. Don’t believe it – the Heat had their eye on Beasley the entire time and when it became clear the Bulls were going to pick Rose, you got to believe the Heat felt they were truly getting the best value in this draft. Any other season, Beasley is the unquestionable #1 draft choice over all. You may debate him going up against LeBron James in the draft, or even Greg Oden, but that only is a testament to the kind of player that Beasley is.

The Heat did make some minor moves that could prove helpful. Jamal Magloire is looking for redemption as he will start the season injured but look to prove he is the kind of player he was once known to be. Yakhouba Diawara, the French forward from Pepperdine, will prove not only is his name hard to spell, but that is defense is hard to get free of, too. Although injured, James Jones homecoming may help the Heat as they make a push for the playoffs this season. Yes, think playoffs. Because a team with the kind of talent found in the trifecta of Wade, Marion and Beasley is the kind of team that is playoff caliber. This team, however, is starting to feel a bit like the 2003-2004 team – a young, fun team that could run. That team was guided by then-first year coach Stan Van Gundy, who injected youth and offense into the picture. This team will look to do the same.

There are some solid pieces that were brought in to help replenish the roles abandoned when Posey and Kapono left. Arguably, we see those replacements in Diawara and Jones. Yet don’t discount Dorell Wright, who is returning after knee surgery this past offseason. With Jones out for a while, Wright is going to get one final chance to prove himself – and without Riley’s quick judgement and lack of faith, maybe this year Wright breaks through. Spoelstra is looking to create a more dynamic offense and Wright offers up several tangible skills that could be used. Not to mention, the expectations are not as high for this team as in the past, yet there is a bit of a wild maverick feel to this team. Nothing to lose. While this team is looking for redemption, Wright is looking for affirmation.

The guard position might be the most surprising of any in Heat camp. The Heat were expected to dig for a starting caliber point guard this offseason. They retained Marcus Banks, who looked to be the starter but has since gotten into a dogfight for the reserve role with rookie Mario Chalmers, the Jayhawk who hit the game-tying three to send his team into overtime for the eventual championship. Chalmers speed and defensive presence have helped him garner minutes but it is Chris Quinn who quietly has stolen the starting role. Quinn looks more like starting waterboy than starting point guard, but the heady Notre Dame alumnus offers precisely what the Heat needs on offense – efficiency. He is not going to turn the ball over and will not do anything beyond his game and abilities. Shaun Livingston is a project who is just trying to rehabilitate, let alone find redemption in this league. He may be a factor in the mid season, but look for him to focus on 2009 as his real return.

What can we expect? Expect Spoelstra to tweek the offense into something fast paced and open court. There are a lot of athletes and size will be a problem for this team defensively who will have to rely on its athleticism to close out and cover opposing players. Expect excitement – this team has Dwyane Wade who is like a pit bull at the end of games – when healthy, which he is now. Coupled with the dynamic attack of players like Beasley and Marion, this team has a lot of options. Look for Haslem to quietly establish himself again as the hard-nosed captain of this team.

Expect surprises: this team has the makings of a dark-horse playoff team. They don’t quite look complete enough to get deep into the Eastern Conference, but they could upset a team in the 2nd round – much like they almost did back in 2003-2004. Yet, I just can’t rule out Dwyane Wade – there is just too much for him to play for now. Feel the redemption; it’s coming.