As we all know, LeBron James made the decision yesterday to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami. Everyone is now thinking the Heat will have a cake-walk to the finals having the three superstars on one squad. In fact, Vegas even gave Miami 8-5 odds to win the title, but can we really call them the favorites yet?
Yes, James, Wade, and Bosh make up a deadly trio, but you can’t win with only three players. You need some role players, some people to provide a spark off the bench. Although they may seem superhuman, they can’t play 48 minutes a game the entire year.
As of now, the Heat’s roster is made up of James, Wade, Bosh, Mario Chalmers, and Michael Beasley. It is rumored Beasley will be sent to the Timberwolves, but only in return for a second round pick to clear cap space. The cap space will be cleared for free agent Mike Miller, who has agreed to a five year, $30 million contract. They also have second-round picks Dexter Pittman, Jarvis Varnardo, Da’Sean Butler, and Latavious Williams, who the Heat can sign for the minimum, but won’t win you a title.
So considering Miami signs them, the roster would be made of James, Wade, Bosh, Chalmers, Miller, Pittman, Varnardo, Butler, and Williams. Eight of twelve players needed to fill a roster, with really only three starters. They want to re-sign Udonis Haslem, who can be another spark off the bench, but not really a starter. That would make nine. Jon Scheyer, the Duke sharp-shooter, is another player signed for the summer league who would be another solid rookie for the minimum. The Heat would now need to sign two players, a point guard and a center, for the veterans minimum.
Two players I can think of: Kwame Brown and Allen Iverson.
Before you think I’m crazy, hear me out. Brown can play some solid post defense, which is exactly what the Heat need. They don’t want him to score, just play defense. Bosh isn’t very good at defending centers, so Brown would be who the Heat need.
Allen Iverson has said he wants to come back because he doesn’t want to leave the NBA how he did. Wouldn’t it be great to end your career on possibly a championship team? Iverson has never won a title, and although it would be a major pay cut, I’m sure he’d be in Miami in a second if he was offered. He is a scorer, but he would take the assist-man role to play with the trio.
So now the starting lineup would be Iverson, Wade, James, Bosh, and Brown. It has some liabilities, but it will be very difficult to stop James, Wade, and Bosh. The bench is good enough, but not elite. This seems like a good team, but does it really seem like a championship squad?
I still think James should have went to Chicago, and it still seems like the best situation. He would still be the star while having Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer, and Joakim Noah around him. Now if the Bulls can sign a solid shooting guard, I would pick them over the Heat.
The Heat may have the top three players in the NBA, but that may be all they have. I would wait to see who they fill the roster with before I call them the clear favorites.
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