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Gatornation to Miami: Heat Re-sign Udonis Haslem and Add Mike Miller
The Heat continue in their pursuit of hand-crafting a dynasty in an instant. In signing Mike Miller the Heat get the outside presence they haven’t had since Glen Rice. As reported earlier on MiamiHeatwave, Miller is expected to receive a 5 year deal worth about $30M. In order to do that, the Heat had to land the big three first (to give Miller incentive to sign with Miami) then trade away their #2 pick from the 2008 draft in Michael Beasley to free up enough cap space.
Then the Heat, wishing to retain the other remaining member from the 2006 season, re-signed Udonis Haslem. In fact, UD took much less to stay in Miami – a four year deal that is worth $20M (Haslem made $7.1M last season). Most likely, it will be the last contract of his career and will keep him in Miami with the possibility of adding hardware.
“That’s my college roommate,” Haslem said. “He’s like Dwyane is to me, just a different color.” In signing both Miller and Haslem, the Heat not only gain two quality players to bolster this roster but they also keep building a locker room culture that is very palatable – it is quickly becoming a dynasty that is being built among friends. Haslem turned down bigger offers from the Jazz, Mavericks, and Nuggets to play with Miller who he calls “my boy from day one.”
Haslem will look to wrap up his NBA career in his hometown, averaging 10 points per game and 8.1 rebounds. He came to Miami as an undrafted free agent that lost a ton of weight after his college days. Meanwhile, Mike Miller has earned a reputation for being a very good scorer and shooter, averaging 13.7 points per game throughout his career. Both will reunite in Miami, recalling their Gator Final Four appearance back in 2000 while contending for championships in the NBA.
Discuss this latest move with us on the MiamiHeatwave forum!
Heat Pushing Appreciation of Wade; Riley Pursues Lebron
So, officially, this is not Dade County but Wade County until July 8th – when the free agents are officially allowed to put their signatures on contracts. The Heat have not been shy in trying to show their appreciation for Dwyane Wade in the hopes of keeping him in Miami. There is the WeWantWade.com website which is the official hub for the Heat’s pursuit of keeping Wade. Then there is also this promotion:
The Heat certiainly aren’t showing that a re-signing of Dwyane Wade is something to take for granted, and that is a good thing. Udonis Haslem seems to think Wade will stay in Miami even though he admits anything can happen. Fans of the NBA know this – see Carlos Boozer and his Cavs contract and also the Juwan Howard “signing” back in ‘96 for the Heat.
The key thing here is to gauge Pat Riley – he seems to be extremely confident in the process right now. The Plain Dealer in Cleveland has noted that Riley has even already met with James’ agent last night in anticipation of today’s official meeting. Riley didn’t show his hand with any comments to the media, but with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade having dinner in Chicago last night together at the end of the day, there has to be something brewing.
If the Heat are able to land all three marquee free agents, a coup the likes of which the NBA has never seen, there will still be the issue of how to round out the roster. Riley must be on top of his game to convince Lebron James to come out of Cleveland, where he is very comfortable, and come to Miami to win titles and establish a dynasty. The issue of who will make the lion’s share of salary must be tread carefully, too. There is talk that the three will actually take a slight pay cut to make this work – highly doubtful despite the good feeling that it would invoke. The Heat would be left with a mid-level exception ($5.8M last season) which can be used on one or split among several free agents and an minimum salary exceptions (“veteran” exceptions at about $1.5M each and max up to two years).
An interesting sidebar to this is that Haslem shares the same agent as Wade and Bosh. If indeed both sign with Miami, then where does this leave Haslem? Would he be willing to come back at a paycut just to have a chance to get another title with the home town team? Another key possibility is putting Haslem at center to spell whomever takes over that position because if Bosh is going to play in Miami, most definitely it will not be at the center position.
But let’s not get ahead of things. Riley still has to meet today with Lebron and the Heat still have to ink Wade to a deal. Getting Bosh to commit to a sign-and-trade will be crucial for bridging these two possible events together. If that is the case, will the Heat do all signings at once or spread them out?
Stay tuned: jonnylons@twitter and miamiheatwave@twitter
Heat Kick Off 2009-2010 Season Tonight
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.
Fallout From Failed Odom Signing Could Prove Crucial For Heat Future
Now, there is a saying that there is no such thing as a must win game. Well, for the Heat, this might be a crucial offseason looking like a must win situation. The pressure may now have shifted to Pat Riley as well, who is faced with paying luxury taxes on a team that got into the playoffs last year and is faced with proving itself a good fit for Dwyane Wade’s future as he looks forward to next offseason’s big boon.
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.
I Want Revenge: Game 6 in Miami
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?
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