After a crushing loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat face some interesting decisions in the 2011 off-season. With that in mind, one thing needs to be clear. The Heat have no need to panic. None at all. While so many believe Miami's season was a disappointment, another point of view is that they actually overachieved. This Heat team defeated tough Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics teams, and still took a red hot, more experienced, deeper team to six games.
Aside from the title expectations straight out of the gates, the Heat faced the added pressure of playing the villainous role in the eyes of most NBA fans outside of Miami. Their problem was that they raised expectations themselves on top of what the media was already doing.
LeBron James constantly referring to himself as "King James," announcing his decision to leave Cleveland with a one-hour, self-promoting special that simultaneously offered a metaphoric slap in the face to Cavaliers fans. He consistently allowing himself to be baited by the media into answering questions in arrogant manners. Chris Bosh admitting that he enjoyed messing around with Toronto Raptors media and fans the season prior when asked if he was leaving. Dwyane Wade and James constantly blamed others whenever they lost, be it the head coach or teammates. These were some of the factors that turned America off the Miami Heat.
Yet, as talented as their big three are, they do not have the ideal supporting cast. Heat management did a great job putting a squad together quickly with what was available to them, but with more time, they should be able to hone the supporting cast to fit the style of play of the big three.
Contrary to popular belief, the Heat are in great shape in terms of salary cap, thanks to the big three taking big pay cuts. They actually only have the 17th highest payroll in the league (out of 30). With a lockout looming, however, Miami may be limited in what they can do this summer. Once the lockout is over, the Heat will have an opportunity to better its team.
Here is what the Heat need to improve upon:
Interior Defense
Joel Anthony is a decent shot blocker, but that does not make him a veteran defender in the paint who can consistently go toe-to-toe with some of the best post players in the league. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is in the twilight of his career, and at 7-3 it's amazing he's able to contribute at all. Erick Dampier was only good for 16 mpg last season in 51 games, and didn't even play in the playoffs. That leaves Bosh, who is not known for defense at all, and James, who though strong as an ox, is still only 6-8 and shouldn't be relied upon as a team's top interior defender.
Upgrade Shooting
Wade and James are both slashers. Some believe they're too much alike to coexist, and while they both complement each other well in the open court, there is evidence to support that argument. What would help greatly would be additional shooting. Mike Miller was supposed to be the guy to complement their slashing games, but he has been mostly hurt.
Upgrade at Point Guard
Wade and James should have the ball in their hands most of the time, so adding a point guard who dominates the ball isn't necessary and is potentially detrimental to the flow of the offense. Ideally, they could find a point guard who can defend, hit open shots and takes care of the ball. He should also be good enough of a floor general so that Wade and James don't have to run the show at point all the time. The Heat need more opportunities to give James and Wade the ball where they're most comfortable, while taking some of the pressure of having to run the offense away.
A young Derek Fisher would be ideal, but he is too old now. Mike Bibby doesn't defend, is too old, and has never been much of a floor general; Eddie House doesn't defend either and isn't a floor general at all. Chauncey Billups would have been a good fit had the Knicks not re-signed him. Some options for free agents to consider might be Jose Juan Barea, Jamal Crawford or Leandro Barbosa. None of these players encompass exactly what the Heat need, but there aren't many great options at point guard available via free agency this season.
Experience and Leadership
The biggest challenge for the Heat in the upcoming years is to learn each other better and for the big three to step up as leaders. It's generally understood that as good as Bosh is, he's not the leader of this team. Many question if he has the ability to be a leader, since he rarely showed it in Toronto. This year, the question has arisen many times as to whether or not James can be a leader. In the final game of the 2011 NBA Championships, there were several key fourth-quarter possessions where James passed up open looks. Some suggest that James doesn't have the killer instinct to be the leader of the Heat, in which case, Wade should assume that role. After an entire season, it doesn't seem that these roles are defined. That would go a long way to overcoming the obstacle of winning their first title.
Odds in Miami's Favor
The Dallas Mavericks will have a tough time defending its title with Dirk Nowitzki getting older and Jason Kidd close to retirement. The LA Lakers need to stay healthy if they plan to make another run for it, and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs told the media that the Spurs are no longer contenders. In the East, the Chicago Bulls will only get better, but the Boston Celtics are getting older each season. Until another powerhouse emerges, the Heat are in great shape to win at least one title in the next few seasons.
Phil Partington - Phil Partington is a writing enthusiast of many years and has been published in national magazines, web publications and other media ...
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