Sure, the Heat fielded a competitive team to try and repeat for 2006-2007 season, but the Bulls had other plans that season, sending the Heat out of the playoffs in the first round. It was clear Miami’s championship runs had finished with that squad. It was, after all, the acquisition of Shaquille O’neal that lead to Miami’s title runs during the mid 2000′s.

Coming off the heals of a successful 2003 campaign that watched a young team built around Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, and a young rookie Dwyane Wade, the Heat pulled the trigger and gambled it all for Shaq. The architect? Pat Riley. In fact, every significant run the Heat franchise has made has been done with Riley’s sleight of hand.

He is why Miami is in the best position to control this off-season with over $45M in salary cap free to spend. The potential of this offseason is also why Riley curiously said that coaching was not something he would rule out – much to Erik Spoelstra’s surprise. Riley also is the reason why Miami is a legit destination for Lebron James; some even go so far as to put Chris Bosh in Miami despite the impossibility of a sign-and-trade.

This is not something that happens without foresight. Pat Riley has had to shrewdly keep in mind this offseason when acquiring players. Take James Jones’ contract. He had an option for over $4.5M – but it was a team option. Riley had to final say on whether or not to extend James’ contract and since they needed the extra cap space, the answer was “no, thanks”.

Daequan Cook is a solid, promising shooter off the bench. His contract, however, got in the way. Riley shipped him off undervalued, to be sure, along with the 18th pick to get out of the first round for the 32nd pick. Clearly no one would make that deal – unless you are Pat Riley and you have a plan.

Now, the plan is a tough one, but one that Riley has been looking forward to for years. He has to re-sign Wade, and to do that he has to convince him Miami is the place to be. Which means, Riley has to make a splash right away – either a sign and trade for Chris Bosh or a straight up signing of either Carlos Boozer or Amare Stoudemire. Toronto has scoffed at the idea of getting Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers, and Joel Anthony in return for Bosh, but they are open to getting a trade exception (about $16M!) and their first round pick back (which was dealt as part of the Jermaine O’neal deal) so don’t rule them out.

Then, after all of that, King James awaits. Perhaps he stays in Cleveland and nothing happens. But most likely, he is waiting to see how things will shake out. If the Heat can keep Wade, land a marquee power forward, then Riley has everything in place to pull off yet another major acquisition: his biggest yet. Alonzo? Shaq? Drafting Wade? Signing Lebron James just may trump all of those considering all the competition out there – but it wouldn’t have been done without a solid plan and vision in place running on years of creation.

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Call me crazy, but I’m not buying it.

Remember back in the offseason of ’96 when Juwan Howard became the first player to sign a $100M contract? It was on TV and everything. There was Juwan Howard, holding a Heat jersey and all smiles. Then, the NBA rejected the contract, stated that the Heat miscalculated how much money they had to spend against the cap and poof! Howard was back in Washington where he claimed he “always wanted to be”. The Heat were going to pursue litigation but then dropped the charges (boy, there is a story there, huh?).

One of the things about these rumors is that they cannot be validated. Why? Tampering. No player or official can comment on free agency or trades because, well, the NBA has mandated that nothing is allowed until after the July 1st moratorium deadline. So, 12 hours from now – wait and see what hits the blogosphere.

But if any team wants to get the inside track on Lebron, getting Chris Bosh would garner his attention. The Heat need to keep Dwyane Wade and getting Chris Bosh would be a nice way to start the offseason. With Bosh in house, the Heat could lock down Wade and then turn their attention to getting Lebron James. I still think Lebron is going to be one of the last ones to sign – he is going to wait this out and see how things shake out. Getting Bosh may give a franchise the significant leg up it needs to land the King.

We’ll try and sort things out on our twitter feed: Miamiheatwave@twitter

Let’s look at the Heat’s situation – they just failed in their attempt at signing Odom to the mid-level exception. It was a gamble, sure, but it didn’t work out. Heat fans might feel reminded of the Mo Williams sweepstakes just over a few seasons ago. The Heat also let Jamario Moon walk without getting any compensation. Perhaps it was overlooked by the Heat’s attempt to land Odom, but that would be too simplistic. If the Heat re-signed Moon they would be faced with paying double – since they are currently over the league’s $69.9 million dollar luxury tax line.

The Heat have several options on the table. They are reportedly looking at Jamaal Tinsley, who would be an affordable addition to the Heat’s roster as he would provide a veteran point guard at roughly $1 million – which raises the total cost to $2M when considering the luxury tax penalty. He would compete with Mario Chalmers for the starting spot and provide more depth. Milwaukee Bucks restricted free agent Ramon Sessions remains available, but reports are that the Knicks are leaning towards extending him an offer which means the Heat’s chances to nabbing Tinsley increase.

There are other free agents that could help as well. A major need for the Heat is rebounding and Memphis has let Hakim Warrick dangle out in the free agent jetstream. The Cavs have apparently extended an offer so it isn’t certain at this time that Miami is even in the conversation. A major hurdle for Miami is the luxury tax, so if Miami is to add another player it is most likely going to be a bargain basement deal so they take a minimal hit.

There is also the Carlos Boozer situation, which has cooled substantially. Don’t expect the Heat to make a deal but then again, this is precisely when Pat Riley usually shocks people with getting a deal. The Heat have tons of contracts that are expiring after this season – the Heat would just have to be willing to take back money in return. If the Heat want to sign a player, they have to free up money. If they want to trade for another player, they have these expiring contracts which would look good to teams like the Utah Jazz – who has the highest payroll in the NBA and paying a lot in luxury tax, around $20M. Who are the expiring contracts for the Heat?

• Jermaine O’neal $22.9M
• Mark Blount $7.9M
• Udonis Haslem $7.1M
• Dorell Wright $2.75M
• Jamaal Magliore $1.2M (re-signed for this upcoming season)
• Chris Quinn $1.05M (re-signed for this upcoming season)
• Yakhouba Diawara $945K
• Joel Anthony $825K (re-signed for this upcoming season)

In order for the Heat to deal these contracts, the situation would have to be deemed an improvement for Pat Riley. That means not taking on any salary that would limit the Heat’s financial flexibility for the upcoming offseason. The Heat’s goal is to re-sign Wade to a long term deal as well as add a potential marquee free agent like a Chris Bosh or, even dare, Lebron James.

Yet right now, the Heat has to shift its focus to this offseason and the upcoming season otherwise, they may have a hard time convincing anyone to come to South Beach to play basketball.

Tell us what you think – discuss the Heat’s next move on our forum.

For the restricted portion, there are Joel Anthony and Jamario Moon. For the unrestricted, there are Jamaal Magloire and Luther Head.

With the Heat drafting Patrick Beverley and re-signing Chris Quinn, it might be safe to say that Luther Head’s tenure with the Heat is over. As for Jamaal Magloire, he is drawing interest from other teams but it is not known at this time if the Heat will bring him back.

Both Joel Anthony and Jamario Moon, however, have qualifying offers on the table. This means the Heat can match any deal and will get the first chance to keep these players on the roster. Moon seems to be of particular importance since Riley had quietly been eyeying him for a while and insisted on getting Moon in the deal for Jermaine O’neal. Joel Anthony offers a tangible NBA skill in his uncanny ability to block shots and keep them in play for his team. If Magloire leaves, Anthony becomes even more of a necessity.

The Heat are most likely not going to be pursuing big named free agents this offseason as they attempt to keep Wade in Miami beyond 2010 and at the same time, the Heat want to keep their options open heading into the 2010 free agent market as many of the marquee names become available.

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.

The Heat are 8-24 and even as Ira Winderman points out, it is with great optimism at this point the Heat could get back to contending for a playoff spot. Let alone a shot at the title. The Heat would have to win 33 of their remaining 50 games to get to that .500 winning percentage which basically assures a playoff spot. That means 33-17 the rest of the way and there is no reason to estimate that as probable.

The season, as it stands, is a failure. The only questions to be answered is how many games will Whaq show up for and how many games will Riley coach from here on out.

The Heat have to commit to the future – that is what Riley himself seems to be commenting about.

So the answer is obvious – the Heat are in win maybe mode. They need to refocus on the young players they have (Cook, Wright, Barron, Quinn, Joel Anthony and Alexander Johnson) and see where that takes them. Maybe even Cook, Wright and Wade could turn out to be something akin to the Odom, Butler and Wade lineup that was on the verge of shocking the world (at least Indiana) in the 2003-2004 season.

Even Isiah Thomas, the league’s worst GM, realizes that today’s NBA game is a small man’s game. Riley, for all his coaching talents, has only begun to realize this last season. At least publicly. But let’s not make the same mistake Thomas has made – taking whatever is available and forcing it to work – that seems to be what this past offseason was about.

Sure, Riley tried this offseason: yet as Yoda says, “do or do not, there is no try”. And he did not improve the Heat’s chances with the players he acquired. Thankfully, he did not put the Heat in as bad of a position as Isiah did with the contracts he got in return. Arison wouldn’t sign off on it.

The Heat now are forced to build around what they have. What they have is a frustrated young superstar in Wade who doesn’t like losing. What they have is a grumpy old center that has to find a way to recover his game as it slips from his mighty hands. Shaq’s refusal to reinvent himself in his latter years is the true reason why Miami is faced with the fall from grace few championship teams have ever faced. The Heat look more like a flash in the pan than a sustaining force. A trend more than a classic.

But there is hope if one chooses to see it. Daequan Cook looks to be a legit NBA scorer with star potential – he has the mental makeup to stay in this league and build with Wade. So does Dorell Wright – when Riley actually plays the both of them which injury has forced him to.

Riley’s inability to change also has been his downfall. Stan Van Gundy always showed an ability to work with whatever he was given – just look at how much his team changed from 03-04 to 04-05 and how the Heat sustained success. He did something even Riley in his rigidness could not do.

There should be no deal for Miami unless it is a deal for the future and not for the now. Any deal to try and salvage this season should be predicated on the fact that the Heat are not going to win a championship this season but look to the future instead. If Riley, proving stubborn and ever the optimist, makes the mistake of dealing for parts to win now, he is mortgaging the future on his narrow view as a coach instead of a broader view which is demanded of a GM.

There is no greater illustration of this than Riley’s gamble on Jason Williams knees. The Heat’s 2007-2008 season was bet on his creaky knees being healthy and as a result the Heat franchise has stumbled and now are found on their knees.

Right now, this team is confused. Jason Williams was cleared by Riley to get back to his “White Chocolate” style of playing, but has admitted it is something he is struggling to do. Why all of a sudden was Williams unleashed?

Shaq, frustrated over not getting enough touches, has now realized he has done a terrible job this season and vowed to change. Yet, recent comments have shown Shaq to have lowered his expectations.

What is going on? Miami has no identity – and Riley is not helping matters.

This team doesn’t shoot particularly well, it doesn’t play strong defense, doesn’t have high energy, doesn’t dominate the paint. It is a jack of all trades but a master of none. Their record, 13 games below .500, indicates that as well.

Also, there is a particular pattern you could almost bank on each game for the Heat. They come out sluggish, with no energy, and fall behind by double digits. Then the Heat pick it up and either tie it up or take the lead. When the 4th quarter rolls around, however, Miami slacks off defensively and gives up a double digit run. A loss at the end of the buzzer and Miami shakes its defiant and proud head.

So, even though there is no definite identity for the Heat and their players, their losses follow a particular pattern. What has Riley done to adjust? Too much.

Miami has to make changes, but they need to be changes that address the problems they are facing. Not enough energy to start games? Start the younger players like Cook and Wright. Bad defensive stretches at the ends of games? Play more active defenders – Shaq is not an option for two reasons now at the end of games, his horrible free throw shooting and his lack of defensive intensity.

Speaking of Shaq, he really is better suited to coming off the bench to maintain leads. He slows the game down and can control the pace of a game. He also is playing less minutes these days do to his age and wear-and-tear. Can you convince a massive ego like Shaq to come off the bench? You have to. Statistically, Shaq is not doing anything wrong. Yet chemically, in fitting in with the fabric of the team, he is not helping by becoming a statue on the offensive side of the ball, too.

The reason Zo’s injury is such a big loss is because he can change a game with his defensive play – one ferocious blocked shot would result in a Heat fast break opportunity. Shaq does not have that ability – or at least, doesn’t demonstrate that desire to do so.

Miami must begin games faster and with more energy. Insert Cook, Wright and Wade. Put Barron at PF and plug in Joel Anthony, a shot blocking defensive dynamo, at center to start. Hey, we are 13 games under .500, why not try something completely different? All these players will defer to Wade who will manage the ball anyway. Cook provides vitality and a scoring threat from anywhere on the floor. Wright gives the Heat rebounding intensity and an athletic presence on the wing that works well with Wade. Barron can spread the floor with his jumper, but also provides a bit of a downside in regards to rebounding – but Haslem has peaked himself and it doesn’t seem like the Heat lose too much with him off the court to start games. Anthony can provide a shot blocking presence that will force teams to think twice about playing in the low block.

This allows the Heat to substitute immediately Shaq at center, if they want to hold the lead or even build on one, and Haslem can come off the bench to provide a further calming influence on the game. You could even slide Barron back and forth between center and power forward.

The Heat have to make a commitment. Based on the patterns in their losses, the Heat are looking at some tough changes or their season will be lost.

MIAMI, July 5 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed center Joel Anthony, guard Jeremy Richardson and forward Marcus Slaughter. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Anthony (6-9, 240-pounds), appeared in 68 games (nine starts) in two seasons for the University of Nevada (Las Vegas) after transferring from Pensacola Junior College. During his senior season, Anthony appeared in 37 games (six starts) for UNLV and averaged 5.2 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 blocks while shooting 59.7 percent from the field. He was named as the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year after setting an MWC record for most blocks in a game with 13 vs. TCU on Feb. 6, 2007. Anthony finished his collegiate career second in school history for total blocks during a single-season with 109.

Richardson (6-7, 190-pounds), appeared in six NBA regular season games, five with the Atlanta Hawks and one with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2006-07 campaign, and averaged 1.3 points, 0.3 rebounds, 0.17 steals and 3.7 minutes while shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three-point range. During his stint in the NBA Development League, Richardson appeared in 33 games (30 starts) for the Fort Worth Flyers after being drafted with the ninth pick of the second round in the 2006 NBA Development League Draft and averaged 17.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 30.8 minutes while shooting 45.8 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range and 81.9 percent from the foul line. While at Delta State University during his senior and junior seasons, after transferring from Copiah-Lincoln Community College, he appeared in 61 games (60 starts) for the Statesmen and averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.15 steals. Richardson finished fifth all-time in school history in three-point field goals made (120) and ranks 14th on the all-time scoring list with 1,001 points.

Slaughter (6-8, 223-pounds), appeared in 29 games with Pinar Karsiyaka SK Izmir of the Turkish League during the 2006-07 season and averaged 13.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.30 steals and 1.3 assists while shooting 51.6 percent from the field. Slaughter was named to the Eurobasket.com Turkish League All-Defensive Team and to the Eurobasket.com Turkish League Second Team. After being selected to play in the Turkish League All-Star Game, Slaughter was named as the All-Star Game MVP after posting 18 points, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 17 minutes while shooting 9-of-10 from the field. Marcus also placed second in the Turkish League All-Star Game dunk contest. After three seasons at San Diego State University, Slaughter went un-drafted after becoming an early entry candidate in the 2006 NBA Draft. In his collegiate career, he appeared in 87 games (74 starts) and averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.23 steals while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Slaughter finished third all-time in school history in rebounds (775), sixth all-time in school history in blocks (78) and 10th as the Aztecs all-time scoring leader (1,211).

Heat.com

Looks like the rebuild continues. Rather, re-load.

Anthony looks like a tough defender with some athleticism. Great shot blocker and post defender, offense needs improvement but can certainly dunk and play physical. Check it out for yourself:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOCHLT5kkXk]

Richardson looks like a scorer that can play at the SF position, good shooter. Very young still, but has seen time in the NBA and NBDL. Got some potential.