FIO Preview: Miami Heat

2008-2009 Miami Heat season preview and fantasy impact, courtesy of Fantasy Insider Online. Read the team preview here in the Yard, and then visit the FIO link for the rest. - Dan Rossi Last Season Recap: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly How can a team that won the NBA title two years ago, fall off the face of the earth like the Heat did last year? The team went 15-67 last year (worst in the NBA), saw star Dwyane Wade play in only 58 games, and sent Shaquille O'Neal packing to the Suns mid-season. Nothing went right for the Heat last year as they started off 1-8 and went on a stretch from Christmas Day to Feb. 26 when they went 1-25. This awful Heat team proved to be the last one coached by Pat Riley, who went back to the front office to try and fix the mess he saw every night on the floor. Shutting down Wade for the final portion of the season was a smart move by management, as keeping him on the court would only put him at more risk for injury and hurt the team's lottery chances. And Shaq is slowing rapidly with age, so getting a top player like Shawn Marion in return for the big man was a good move for the future. 2008 Draft Impact (High) One of the positives of being so bad is that a team ends up with a good draft pick, and the Heat came away with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2008 draft. Though they wanted Derrick Rose, who went No. 1 overall to the Bulls, Miami got a nice consolation prize in Kansas State forward Michael Beasley. Many thought Beasley should have been taken with the top pick because he was such a force for KSU last year. He led the team to wins over eventual champion Kansas during the regular season and a first round upset of O.J. Mayo's USC Trojans in the NCAA tournament. Miami also got some point guard help with a draft day deal for Kansas PG Mario Chalmers, who hit the game tying shot as time expired against Rose's Memphis team. Chalmers did get into some trouble since being drafted, however, as he was kicked out of rookie camp for marijuana possession. Look for these two to mature and play big minutes for the Heat next year. Off-Season Impact Moves The biggest impact move was the non-move made by Pat Riley in regards to forward Shawn Marion. Marion is in the last year of his deal and was the main piece brought in from the Shaq trade. Though his numbers were down from his time with Phoenix (45% shooting with the Heat, 52% with Phoenix, 14.3 ppg down from 15.8 with Phoenix), Marion could have a big year with Beasley coming in and Wade coming back healthy. Riley has the potential to either let Marion walk at the end of the year or swing another trade around the deadline to improve his team. Marion is a good defender and does well on the boards and shooting, so it appears strange that Riley would not lock up this special talent. Preview for the 2008-2009 Season Team MVP: Dwyane Wade, G - Wade is already the most accomplished star of the talent-loaded 2003 draft, as he already has a ring and Finals MVP honors. His play makes him a risk for injury, but he was shut down for the last few months of the season last year as the team looked long-term and wanted a better shot at winning the draft lottery. Without Wade, this team might have trouble duplicating the 15-win mark of a year ago. Breakout Player: Michael Beasley, F - This guy is going to be a beast in the paint for the Heat for years to come. He has tremendous ability on both ends of the court and proved that he can lead a team last year with KSU. Though Rose would have been a nice addition and will be a star in Chicago, Beasley may be a better fit for the Heat as they needed front court help now that Shaq is with the Suns. Bust Player: Mark Blount, F/C - Just 8.4 ppg and 3.8 rpg can get you $8.5 million next season apparently, if you look at the journeyman's contract. How can you be a 7-footer and not be able to rebound? It's no wonder Riley may be too strapped for cash if he takes his chances at signing Marion long-term after next season. Playoff Contender or Pretender? This may be a bold statement, but in the East, anything is possible. Two teams made the playoffs with losing records last year, and with Wade and Beasley coming in, this team could sneak into the playoff mix. Though they are a few years away from being in the title talks, expect this team to be much improved. The X-factor here could be new coach Erik Spoelstra, who was a hand-picked successor from team President Pat Riley. If Spoelstra can get this group going and can convince Riley to keep Marion, he could get some Coach of the Year votes.