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Daequan Cook and Draft Pick Traded on Eve of NBA Draft

June 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Well, the Heat have pulled a trade – and is it a sign of things to come? The Heat traded Daequan Cook and the 18th draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 32nd pick.

Yep, that is not a misprint. The Heat traded down and had to give up Cook to do it, a once promising shooter who is still very young. Not so fast, ye cynical ones. This was definitely a cost-cutting move and will put the Heat even closer to where they want to be financially to re-sign Wade and possibly two other max-level players.

The Heat shed Cook’s $2.2 million contract and also the potential $3 million for the 18th pick. Coupled with the fact that this is not as deep of a draft as they Heat would like, they decided to deal out and ante up for the free agent market.

Of course, there is much speculation about where Lebron James will sign. Again, the Heat seem to be right there with the best suitors and in many ways, make the most sense. If James wants to win, he can power up with Wade and soak up the South Florida lifestyle and burn his image in the retina of every post season basketball spectator for the next 5 or so years.

As for Cook, it seems his potential has taken a dive for the Heat. Sure, he is still very young and possesses a quick release on his shot and the ability to get hot from outside and score in bunches. The question is will he live up to that billing on another young team, the OKC Thunder? Good luck to Cook – but this move for the Heat seems more akin to a power building team as opposed to a rebuilding team. We’ll see if the architect, Pat Riley, can put it together.

Filed Under: NBA Draft, Offseason Tagged With: , , , ,

Heat Kick Off 2009-2010 Season Tonight

October 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The boys are back! Finally, after a long summer waiting to see what the Heat would do to build upon their momentum of getting back into the playoffs this past season, we get to see what the big plan is. Or was there one?

It seemed that Riley is staunchly fixed on waiting for this offseason to re-sign Dwyane Wade and add someone else to the mix. This has forced the Heat to be very crafty in regards to its financial picture, which the Heat have been able to do. They have tons of money coming off the books as only Michael Beasley and Daequan Cook are guaranteed to be on the books after this season.

So it’s audition time for this team – and the entire franchise is trying to show Wade that this is his current and future home. What to expect?

First of all, who’s in and who’s out. In: Carlos Arroyo, Quentin Richardson and Shavlik Randolph. Out: Mark Blount, and Jamario Moon. The Heat finished 43-39 last season, and lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.

What about who’s playing when and where? Expect to see the shift is on as Michael Beasley is going to start at PF while fan favorite Udonis Haslem shifts to the bench. Also, it has been rumored that Q-Rich has jostled his way into the starting lineup at SF, where Beasley was playing last season. Rounding things out will be Jermaine O’neal at C, Mario Chalmers at PG and Dwyane Wade, as always, at SG.

The bench looks intriguing. Questions abound over the role that Carlos Arroyo, Daequan Cook and even Dorell Wright will play. What kind of minutes will they get? When Chris Quinn returns, what is the point guard situation going to look like? Haslem will try his hand at coming off the bench, but it will only be successful if Beasley can show that he can rebound and defend better. Beasley, coming off a tumultous offseason, has seemingly gotten things on track in his personal life and is looking to take the next step in his professional career. Again, the growth potential of this young team is what will be assessed, and the result will be how far they can reach into the playoffs.

This is an audition of sorts. Dwyane Wade wants to be in Miami but only if it is in his best interests – he wants to win, not just make money. If this team can show growth, perhaps get into the 2nd round or deeper, then Wade should be a lock to stay. Who will remain with him, however, will remain to be seen.

Expectations: This team has enough youth to create a higher ceiling. Cook, Beasley, Chalmers – all can take drastic steps forward. The bench is stronger as there are more options to play with – let’s not forget James Jones’ ability to contribute to this team. There doesn’t, however, feel like there is too much of a difference between last year and this year so it is reasonable to expect a 40+ win season and a berth to the playoffs. The difference might be once the Heat reach the playoffs – I’m expecting at least a 2nd round appearance. Can Wade play another MVP-like season? We’ll soon find out.

Filed Under: Regular Season Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Quentin Richardson Comes to Miami

August 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Q Dog? Really?

Miami just changed its offseason fortunes a bit by dealing center Mark Blount to the Timberwolves for Quentin Richardson, who has been shuffled around so much the guy must be dizzy.

Both Blount and Richardson are in the final year of their contracts, so financially this fits into the scheme of things Pat Riley is trying to do – keep it financially flexible for next year’s offseason. Blount was scheduled to make 7.9M this season while Richardson is due 9.4M. For Blount it is a return to the Timberwolves, the team the Heat originally acquired him from (along with Ricky Davis) before the 2007-2008 season for Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien and a first round pick. The debate on whether or not that deal worked out rages on.

It was the 4th time Richardson has been dealt this offseason – from the Knicks to the Grizzlies, to the Clippers and then the Timberwolves. The Heat, however, seem bent on keeping Richardson for the duration of the season:

“We are very excited to add Quentin Richardson,” Heat President Pat Riley said. “Over the course of his career, he has proven to be a fierce competitor, a great locker-room presence and a very prolific three-point shooter who may be one of the strongest perimeter players in the NBA. We feel that he will be able to match up well against the top scorers in the league.”

Richardson has been eyed by the Heat brass for some time now, actually. His ability to score is going to offer the Heat more punch, but where exactly he will fit remains to be seen. Richardson can play SG or SF, and will offer some depth to the Heat’s options of Dwyane Wade and Daequan Cook. Cook’s minutes seem to be potentially the most impacted of all here and with the Heat losing Jamario Moon to the Cavs, the depth at SF just regained itself a bit with Richardson adding to the rotation of Dorell Wright, James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and an occasional appearance from Michael Beasley.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

There Will Be a Game 7: Heat Beat Hawks to Force Showdown on Sunday

May 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The Heat defeat the Hawks 98-72 to force Game 7. Series tied 3-3.

Quicklook:

  • Wade quietly scored 41 points (11-23 from the field, 16-17 free throws). The Heat just got out in front and never really looked back.
  • Beasley came up huge with his 22 points and 15 rebounds. He was a big factor in the success tonight – especially without Jermaine O’neal.
  • BBC Index – Beasley, Daequan Cook and Mario Chalmers all needed to combine to get 30 points for the win tonight. They got 36.

Tonight was a night defined by injury and who was not on the floor – but it was the guy stepping into the lineup that made the biggest difference: Joel Anthony.

Those who have been following the Heat all season, and following what we write on MiamiHeatwave, know that Anthony is a defensive juggernaut despite his size. As an undersized center, what he loses in size he tends to make up with his uncanny shot blocking ability – which, in all seriousness, rivals the skill of Alonzo Mourning. Anthony managed to get 3 blocks, but his blocks usually result in possessions for the Heat, much like Zo’s. He also grabbed 8 rebounds and had 6 points – which is not overwhelming to look at. The biggest difference is how Anthony controlled the painted area and set perfect screens that allowed Wade to get space and operate.

With Anthony’s hustle and desire to do the little things, the Heat made the jump they needed on both ends of the court. That is why tonight, I think this guy is the real MVP for the Heat. No doubt Wade did his part and played MVP – more importantly, his back looked fine out there tonight – but Anthony’s contribution paved the way.

There will be a game 7 Sunday. Many questions will surface – will Jermaine O’neal be healthy enough to play? Will Joel Anthony continue to start and get minutes? Can the Heat continue to play strong defense and frustrate Josh Smith – who clearly has a limited game that is based on dunking the basketball? Whatever question that comes up and needs to be answered the ultimate one will be answered – who will advance to play a rested Cavs team in the next round. For Miami to be that team they will have to bring a strong game and not only match but exceed the intensity and energy the Hawks bring. That has been the defining characteristic of the victor in this series.

Filed Under: Postseason Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

I Want Revenge: Game 6 in Miami

April 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The Heat is fighting for their playoff lives and frankly, the Hawks tried to embarrass them in Atlanta.  Something has to be done.

Dwyane Wade was beaten up, booed, and held down by the officials who made several questionable calls.

But he can’t do it all himself. He needs help. Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook and Mario Chalmers have to step up and score points. Neither Cook nor Chalmers have been able to defend Flip Murray – who is the real MVP of this series right now.

Jermaine O’neal battled and is quickly showing why he was a valuable asset for those tough Pacer teams. Udonis Haslem battles but his hand clearly still bothers him.

None of this matters though as the Heat need a win tomorrow night. Game 6 in Miami has to be a statement game. The Heat need to shake off the embarrassment and come out firing in front of the home crowd. Call it the Black Hole, with every Heat fan decked out in black.

With a win, the Heat can erase the painful memories of two straight losses in this series. With a win, they can erase the achievements the Hawks think they have acquired. With a win, the Heat have an even greater chance for revenge – to close out the series on Atlanta’s home court, where it all began. What greater motivation would they need at this point?

Filed Under: Postseason Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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