Mark Cuban Makes Bold Claim Regarding Miami Heat's Championship

Cuban has publicly complained about the 2006 Finals several times over the past couple of decades. After the series was over, he said the officials did a "terrible job" and reportedly hired a retired FBI agent to investigate the officiating. In 2016, Cuban said the 2006 Finals "will go down in history as the worst officiated Finals in the history of the game."

The main reason why Cuban has been so flustered ever since is Dwyane Wade, who averaged 39 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and a block and converted on 50 percent of his shots in the four consecutive wins to secure the championship.

In that series, Wade averaged 16.2 free throws per game, second in NBA history to his teammate Shaquille O'Neal's 17 free throws per game in the 2002 Finals. His 75 total free throws in the series is tied (with Jerry West) for second all-time in a playoff series, behind Elgin Baylor's 82 in the 1962 Finals.

ESPN Projects No Improvement From Miami Heat Despite Norman Powell Addition

The Miami Heat, entering a new era without Jimmy Butler, suffered through a vicious first round sweep last season after becoming the first tenth seed to make the NBA Playoffs. It seems that, despite some surprising offseason moves, the team is still expected to finish next season in a similar place.

Per ESPN's NBA Summer Forecast, the Heat are projected to finish with a 39-43 record, good for ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

"The Heat won the East finals two years ago, but after trading Jimmy Butler III, it's unclear if they can defy expectations once again," Jamal Collier said. "The teams in this group all enter the season with major question marks that put them below the elite teams in this conference."

Last season, despite about a month of Butler still playing and looking like himself before the situation became toxic, the Heat finished 37-45.

The acquisition of Norman Powell, who nearly made the All-Star team for the first time in his career last season, was the Heat's big offseason move. Although he isn't quite Kevin Durant, Powell averaged 21.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals, converting on 48.4 percent of his field goals and 41.8 percent of his threes for the 50-32 Los Angeles Clippers.

This offseason, the Heat also drafted Kasparas Jakučionis with the 20th pick in the draft, traded Duncan Robinson for Simone Fontecchio, re-signed Davion Mitchell and Dru Smith and traded Haywood Highsmith to get below the luxury tax threshold.

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