Miami Heat Rumors | Hoops Rumors

How The Heat Were Built

June 13th, 2012 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we took a look at how the Oklahoma City Thunder constructed their roster, breaking down how each player on the team was acquired. Now, let's turn our attention to the Miami Heat, a team that was built very differently than the Thunder — whereas Oklahoma City focused primarily on the draft and trades, the Heat's major splash famously occurred in the summer of 2010. Here's a look at how Miami added the players on its 2011/12 roster, in chronological order:

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Miami Heat

Offseason Outlook: Miami Heat

June 13th, 2012 at 9:54am CST by Luke Adams

Guaranteed Contracts

Chris Bosh ($17,545,000)
LeBron James ($17,545,000)
Dwyane Wade ($17,182,000)
Mike Miller ($5,800,000)
Udonis Haslem ($4,060,000)
Mario Chalmers ($4,000,000)
Joel Anthony ($3,750,000)
Shane Battier ($3,135,000)
(James Jones – $1,757,161)
James Jones ($1,500,000)
Norris Cole ($1,082,520)

Options

Ronny Turiaf ($1,146,337, Player)

Non-Guaranteed Contracts

Dexter Pittman ($854,389)

Free Agents (Cap Holds)

Terrel Harris ($962,195 – QO)
Eddy Curry ($854,389)
Juwan Howard ($854,389)

Draft Picks

1st Round (27th overall)

Cap Outlook

Guaranteed Salary: $77,356,681
Non-Guaranteed Salary (including options), Cap Holds: $4,671,699
Total (not including draft picks): $82,028,380

The Heat’s cap situation heading into the offseason isn’t unlike that of the Lakers. Both teams have three huge contracts surrounded by a handful of arguably overpriced complementary players. Both teams are not just over the cap, but well over the luxury tax line as well, with 2012/13 cap figures in the high-seventies. Unlike the Lakers though, the Heat have made the last two NBA Finals, and don’t necessarily have to make a big move this summer to reach that next level.

Of course, if the Heat fall short again in the Finals this year, the calls for Miami to move one of its Big Three will grow louder. LeBron James is untouchable, but there’s a case to be made that trading Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh for an impact player at the point or in the middle could give the Heat a stronger, more balanced roster.

Win or lose against the Thunder though, I just can’t see Miami seriously considering such a drastic move. We’re only two years removed from The Decision, and while anything short of championships may be considered a disappointment for this squad, making back-to-back Finals is a pretty remarkable feat for a roster that hadn’t played together before 2010. You could make the case that the Heat should have won a year ago against the Mavericks, and they’re certainly not massive underdogs against Oklahoma City. Blowing up the roster and having to spend another year adjusting to key new additions seems too premature and reactionary for it to be a real possibility. Particularly when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh agreed to take below-max deals to play together.

If no blockbuster trades are on the horizon in Miami, the offseason could turn out to be fairly dull. The team still has its amnesty clause, but even using it on someone like Mike Miller wouldn’t clear enough salary to matter — it would only reduce the Heat’s tax payment.

The Heat do have a late first-round draft pick, and given how 2011 28th overall pick Norris Cole found his way into the rotation this season, it’s reasonable to expect the team to use the 27th pick on a player that could contribute immediately. This draft class isn’t quite deep enough that an impact point guard or center will be available that late, but a senior like Draymond Green, who ESPN.com’s Chad Ford has Miami selecting in his most recent mock, is an example of a player who could step in right away.

If the Heat hope to find an upgrade at point guard or center, free agency is their best bet, but their resources will be limited. As a taxpaying team, Miami will only have the $3MM mid-level exception at its disposal, along with minimum-salary contracts. There’s a chance that a veteran who wants to chase a title alongside James, Wade, and Bosh would sign a discounted deal for that MLE. But top options on the market, such as Steve Nash, Goran Dragic, or Chris Kaman aren’t likely fits. Perhaps the Heat could kick the tires on guys like Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, Kirk Hinrich, and Derek Fisher at the point. Aaron Gray, Chris Wilcox, Jermaine O’Neal, Ian Mahinmi, and Greg Oden highlight the list of potential center targets.

Whether or not the Heat top the Thunder in the 2012 Finals, Miami has shown it has a roster talented enough to perenially contend for the title. If the club falls short this year and again in 2012/13, it could be time to start talking about a franchise-altering trade, but for now, it makes sense to stay the course, making minor additions via free agency and the draft.

Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.

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Odds & Ends: Bosh, Battier, Harden, Sixers

June 11th, 2012 at 8:30pm CST by Michael Pina

One of the most highly anticipated NBA Finals in recent history doesn't kick off until tomorrow night, but here are a few links relating to both teams involved—as well as some that, unfortunately for them, are not.

Odds & Ends: Spoelstra, Lakers, Krstic, Marshall

June 8th, 2012 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are certainly in better position to advance to the NBA Finals than they were 24 hours ago, but they aren't out of the woods yet, with a Game 7 looming. Given the high expectations in Miami, ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Twitter link) polled 27 NBA executives on 20 clubs on whether they'd fire Erik Spoelstra if the Heat lose the series to the Celtics — 17 said no, while 10 said yes. While we await tomorrow's winner-take-all matchup and prepare for a night without NBA action, let's check in on some other updates from around the Association….

Atlantic Notes: Allen, Meeks, Sixers, Celtics

June 6th, 2012 at 5:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

For much of the season, there were rumors that Boston's "Big Three" were playing their last games for the Celtics. Now, as Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writes, the Celtics are on the verge of forcing the Heat to break up their Big Three if Miami fails to rally in the Eastern Conference Finals. There's been plenty of speculation today about the future of the Heat, but that team isn't the only one casting an eye toward the future.

Celtics-Heat Notes: Spoelstra, Big 3, Shooting

June 6th, 2012 at 11:05am CST by Daniel Seco

Kevin Garnett reminded the world on Tuesday night that a 36-year-old player can still be a game-changer as the man known as The Big Ticket put up 26 points and 11 rebounds in a 94-90 victory over the Heat. The Celtics, deemed underdogs by perhaps even their own mothers, have willed themselves to come within one victory of beating the Heat and advancing to the NBA Finals. LeBron James is averaging a double-double in the series as he's scoring 31.8 PPG and grabbing 10.0 RPG against Boston. The Heat, losers of three in a row, face a win-or-g0-home game in Boston on Thursday with a Game 7 in Miami looming. Let's catch up on the latest news and headlines surrounding the Eastern Conference Finals…

Latest On Steve Nash

June 4th, 2012 at 8:36am CST by Luke Adams

There was no shortage of Steve Nash updates this weekend, with one report suggesting the Suns view the Knicks, Raptors, and Nets as the top competitors for the free agent point guard, while another report indicated that the Bulls could be in the mix as well. According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, however, Nash is "still days away" from seriously considering his future. Stein and HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler each have a few notes on Nash, so let's round them up….

Odds & Ends: Draft, Sloan, King, Playoffs

June 3rd, 2012 at 3:12pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Chris Bosh-less Heat and Celtics resume battle this evening in a pivotal Game 4 in Boston. A win for the Celtics would continue a Conference Finals streak of the home team coming away with a victory. The Thunder brought their series with the Spurs to a tie as they beat San Antonio 109-103 in Oklahoma City on Saturday night. Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings making headlines from around the league…

East Finals Notes: Bosh, Wade, Celtics, Heat

June 3rd, 2012 at 2:46pm CST by Michael Pina

As the Eastern Conference Finals hits its fourth game tonight, the Celtics and Heat are continuing to make adjustments and counter reactions to one another's personnel and strategic decisions. Here are a few notes detailing just how important the game is, and how each team will try to grab momentum heading into Tuesday night's Game 5.

Money Time: Upcoming Free Agents In The Playoffs

June 2nd, 2012 at 1:54pm CST by Chuck Myron

Three of the four conference finalists should return next season with their rosters largely intact, as the Thunder, Heat and Spurs all have at least eight players with fully guaranteed contracts for next season. By contrast, the Celtics only have four such players, so this week's Money Time has a heavy Boston influence. This week, we'll expand our look at free agents in the playoffs to include players with option years and non-guaranteed deals for 2012/13, and next week we'll wrap it up by identifying the free agents who've had the best and worst postseasons overall.

Winners:

Kevin Garnett, Celtics: His scoring keeps improving with each round of the playoffs, from 18.7 points per game in the first round, to 19.7 PPG in the second, to 21.7 PPG against the Heat. His 9.7 RPG has helped the Celtics, a woeful rebounding team in the regular season, record just three fewer rebounds than the Heat for the entire series. Yesterday Steve Aschburner of NBA.com suggested Garnett might retire this summer, but if he does, he'd be leaving a lot of money on the table from the Celtics, Nets or anyone else in need of a game-changer at power forward.

Keyon Dooling, Celtics: Seeing increased playing time with Avery Bradley out and Ray Allen hobbled, Dooling helped the Celtics clamp down defensively against the Heat in Game 3. Yet his greatest impact has been on offense, as his 6-for-10 shooting from Game 7 against the Sixers through the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals has kept defenses honest and helped replace the second-unit scoring lost with Allen back in the starting lineup. He probably won't get another $2.246MM payday like he got this year, but his recent performance has shown his value as a part of a backcourt rotation.

Gary Neal, Spurs (non-guaranteed deal): His 3-for-11 in Game 3 against the Thunder notwithstanding, Neal has been a subtle offensive weapon for the Spurs as they've trounced their way through the playoffs. He's the team's sixth leading scorer in the postseason despite playing just 15.2 MPG. That's in large measure because he's nailed 14 of 28 attempts from beyond the arc during the playoffs, but he's more than just a spot-up shooter, as his 20-for-37 rate on two-pointers demonstrates. He's miscast as a backup point guard, but there's no reason to expect the Spurs won't bring him back, especially since his non-guaranteed deal is only for the minimum salary.

Losers

Nazr Mohammed, Thunder: As much as Kendrick Perkins has struggled against the Spurs, it's a little curious why Mohammed has played less than five minutes the entire series. He played in all five games of the conference semifinals against the big bodies of the Lakers, but coach Scott Brooks has gone away from him against the more perimeter-oriented Spurs. Mohammed, shooting 50% in limited action this postseason, could be Oklahoma City's best offensive option inside, and as an ex-Spur, he might know a defensive trick or two that could stymie Duncan. Still, it seems unlikely the Thunder will re-sign Mohammed this summer, and the chances he equals the $3.75MM he made this year are just as remote.

Ronny Turiaf, Heat (player option): Turiaf has started all three games, but he's received fewer minutes than anyone else in the Heat's rotation against the Celtics so far. He's 4-for-5 from the floor against Boston and 10-for-18 in the playoffs overall, but his offense is not why the Heat picked him up midseason. The opposing starter at center in this series is Garnett, and while he hasn't done all his scoring against Turiaf, coach Erik Spoelstra's lack of confidence in his big man is likely to be reflected in the way NBA executives would regard Turiaf as a free agent in the offseason. He'd be wise to take his $1.146MM for next season and stay with the Heat.

Greg Stiemsma, Celtics (non-guaranteed deal): He's had his moments, like his 5-for-5, 10-point game against the Sixers in the second round, but Stiemsma has largely fallen out of the rotation in the playoffs. He's averaging just 8.5 MPG in the postseason, and just 7.0 MPG against the Heat. When the Celtics have used a backup center, Ryan Hollins has most often been the guy. Still, Stiemsma has the team's best postseason defensive rating, per Basketball-Reference.com. Since he's due only the minimum salary if the Celtics guarantee his contract next season, he's a decent candidate to be back in green next year.

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