Livingston an Option for Miami?

With the signing of veteran center Jamaal Magloire, Pat Riley indicated that he expects his team to come into training camp with the nucleus he has tweaked this off-season.

Riley, however, did put an emphasis on "training camp." He will at least give the core of Marcus Banks, Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, and Jamaal Magloire a test-run in late September.

"Anything can happen," Riley said after unveiling an Olympic banner in honor of gold-medal winning Dwyane Wade at AmericanAirlines Arena. "But I think this nucleus probably will go into training camp."

The Heat were represented in Chicago to look at free-agent point guard Shaun Livingston. Livingston, a former lottery pick, is attempting an NBA comeback after a horrific knee injury he sustained two years ago. Riley also added that his team is in talks with free-agent point guard Chris Quinn, whom the Heat extended a $1 million qualifying offer for one year.

Livingston has his pros and cons. He is 6'7", which means he will create a multitude of mismatches on both ends of the court. At 22, he has great vision of the court, takes care of the ball, and has good ball-handling skills. However, he has never been a great threat from beyond the arc; and he was weak before his terrible injury.

With Marcus Banks and Mario Chalmers under contract; as well as Chris Quinn in negotiations, Miami is already three-deep at the one. Livingston is not much of an upgrade of who the Heat already have, if at all. The potential to make a trade for Chris Kaman, which has been nothing more than an invention of the blogosphere, has never materialized. But maybe the Heat could work out a sign-and-trade with the Clippers.

I do not see a need for Shawn Marion on the Clippers. Mike Dunleavy already has a nice starter in Al Thornton. Thornton averaged 13 points and five rebounds a night last season and his productivity is only going to go up. Ricky Davis was signed as his backup. They also have Tim Thomas, who can play some of the three, who averaged similiar numbers to Thornton last season.

I could see a reason why Mike Dunleavy could want Udonis Haslem. While Tim Thomas has been a fine pickup for them, he's on the wrong side of 30 and making more than $6 million. Brian Skinner is a backup at best. DeAndre Jordan, who was thought to go much higher, slipped down to the second round for a reason: all of that "potential" everyone was talking about never translated into the college game.

The problem is that Chris Kaman will make $9.5 million this season and his contract doesn't expire until the summer of 2012. He could give Miami a double-double consistently and is young, but his contract situation could make Riles a little leery.

A trade of Marcus Banks and Udonis Haslem for Chris Kaman and Shaun Livingston (if the Clippers sign-and-trade him to a deal worth roughly $1.3 million) works. The problem is if you are the Clippers. I'm sure for them, Banks and Livingston would essentially cancel each other out. Chris Kaman clearly has the advantage over Haslem. Therefore, Miami would have to add some extra assets to the pot to appeal to the Clippers. The Heat don't have a first-round draft pick. I guess they could add a few million dollars. The ball is in the Clippers' court to make it happen, not in the Heat's.

Magloire Reaches Agreement With Heat

Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have agreed to terms with former All-Star center Jamaal Magloire who has now become a journeyman whose career keeps on sinking.

Some people have already pounced on this decision. "He's this year's version of Smush Parker," "He may be 30, but he plays as if he's 38," etc. Jamaal Magloire signed for the veteran's minimum. He won't have the same financial impact of Parker. A year-and-a-half after the Heat waived him, and Smush Parker is still on Miami's payroll. He is a very low-risk pickup. If he comes into camp in shape and motivated to play, then he'll prove the naysayers wrong. If not, he's just making pocket change by NBA standards and the Heat can simply move on without him.

This year, the bar will be set very low for Magloire. If he can defend the paint, rebound the ball, and be an occasional post-presence on offense, he would have exceeded expectations. We should all just give Magloire a chance to prove his worth before making opinions about the signing. He's nearly seven-feet tall with long arms. I know some people would have been happy with DeSagana Diop coming to Miami. Diop isn't anything more than a space-eater. Magloire can certainly offer that.

Magloire did beat out Lorenzen Wright and DJ Mbenga for the job. Mbenga supposedly wanted an offer larger than the veteran's mimum. No word is out on why Lorenzen Wright was passed up, but maybe Magloire came into the workout in good conditioning. Then again, maybe Wright was asking for more money than the Heat could offer without reaching the luxury tax. Magloire couldn't offer help to the Nets or the Mavs when they were looking for help in their frontline. But as I said, we should give Magloire a chance.

Is this the Heat's last move? Possibly. Will Magloire be at the top of the depth chart come training camp time? Maybe. I still view Magloire, when conditioned well, as a backup center. I've said before that Shawn Marion could be on the trading block. After all, he'll sign with another team next summer. The Heat re-signed Dorell Wright, and I doubt it was for a third-string position. If that had been the case, Riles could have just rescinded the offer. They signed James Jones, who has the potential to be a starting three. They made a cost-effective move for Yakhouba Diawara, who Erik Spoelstra is touting as a defensive specialist. Sound familiar? Marion and Wright both have the athleticism. Marion and Jones both have the three-point prowess (although Jones has it without the ugly shooting mechanic). Marion and Diawara are both perimeter defenders. All signs indicate a trade. But I don't hear anything. Maybe I won't hear anything for the rest of the off-season.

Obama Lays Out A Vision

On the 45th anniversary of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, Senator Barack Obama accepted the nomination for the Presidency last night in front of 84,000 enthusiastic supporters in the Denver Broncos' stadium and laid out a vision to put this country on the right track after eight years of high unemployment, economic downturn, and dissatisfication with George W. Bush.

We all know Sen. Obama is a great orator. But he gave one of the best political speeches in decades. I can't fathom how Senator John McCain will even touch the level of exuberance and loftiness in his speech. It was full of soaring rhetoric, but laid out several policy details. Some people on the fence may not know that Obama means when he talks about change. After listening to this 47,000-word speech, they should know. His speech was packed with witty anecdotes, specific policies, and sharp attacks on McCain.

"I don't fit the typical pedigree and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington," Obama remarked in his speech. But he also made clear that he can relate to a large swath of the American people. He was raised by a single mom and his grandparents. His grandfather fought in World War II and his grandmother was a bank manager. His mother was on-and-off food stamps because she was in college while raising Barack. After becoming the President of the Harvard Law Review, he foregoed a high-paying job at a big law firm and chose to serve in the Illinois State Senate.

As I mentioned, the speech also had specifics. He said he would cut taxes for the overwhelming majority of working families and roll back the tax cuts of the rich during the Bush years. He said that everyone from Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki to even the Bush Administration is more than open to the idea of a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. He emphasized focusing on Afghanistan and renewing the fight against Osama bin Ladin. He created a Kennedy-esque promise of making the US energy independent in 10 years by investing $150 billion in alternative energy sources. He said that offshore drilling is a stopgap measure -- not a long-term solution. How can it be, if we consume 25% of the world's oil but only have three percent of its reserves?

What most impressed me was not his vision of post-partisanship, but his sharp attacks on Sen. McCain. Obama accused him of not being in touch with ordinary Americans. He mentioned McCain's gaffe that someone making less than $5 million is not rich, his big tax cuts for corporate America, his employer-paid health care plan, and his attempt of privatize Social Security. He also said that he too picks "Country First", McCain's campaign slogan. It was the most distinct attack on McCain thus far.

Polls have shown that Obama is in sync with most Americans when it comes to the big issues of today: the economy, the War in Iraq, and health care. After Obama's speech, his two young daughters played with confetti. That moment made him seem less like a politician and more like a father. His speech couldn't have been any better than it was.

HRC Hits It Out of the Park

As I write this post, the Democrats have just nominated Barack Obama as their nominee for the President of the United States. Hillary Clinton called to stop the roll call vote and name Sen. Obama the nominee by acclimation. The crowd roared to "second" the proposition by Senator Clinton. You could hear a pin drop when Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi asked for those in opposition to the proposition. Either the party is unifed, or no one was brave enough to not take the lead of Hillary Clinton.

Late last night, Senator Clinton gave a heartfelt speech on the 88th anniversary of women receiving the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment. She didn't spend as much time as I would have expected about women's rights. She gave a strong endorsement of Barack Obama. She said that both her and Senator Obama are fighting for the same goals. She also attacked Sen. John McCain. She quipped, "It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together in the Twin Cities because they're awfully hard to tell apart."

I know some are upset that Sen. Clinton did not say that Obama is ready to lead. I'm not worried about that. Former President Bill Clinton will speak tonight, and he may explicitly say that Obama is prepared to lead. The Republicans are already creating attack ads saying that Clinton said Obama was not ready to lead; and even today, Clinton hasn't said it. If you ask me, these unfortunate attacks are like throwing mud at a brick wall and seeing what sticks. If she said, "Obama is ready to lead," it would have been something else.

Senator Clinton was the headliner of Day 2 of the Convention. However, the Democratic National Convention also featured a multitude of good speakers. On Tuesday, Dennis Kucinich, Mark Warner, Janet Napolitano, and Brian Schweitzer, among others, gave very thorough speeches. I couldn't understand why these so-called "24-hour news channels" only showed one or two speeches a night. YouTube has given me the opportunity to see these speeches. From now on, I'll watch the DNC on the internet. Hearing prominent politicians speaking is more compelling than listening to a couple of talking heads blather.

I abhor how the mainstream media likes to sensationalize everything. Media Matters has a great article on how the press concocted a story after Sen. Clinton gave a strong endorsement of Barack Obama. She hit it out of the park. She could not have said it any better than she said it.

Tonight, Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, will speak. I expect him to be the "bad cop", throwing hard blows at John McCain. I know the Democrats have talked about McCain's house gaffe. But think about it if the flip was switched. If the Democrats nominated an older nominee with the Republicans nominating a middle-aged man, the Republicans would have said, "If he can't remember how many houses he has, how can he remember what happened in his last Cabinet meeting." The Democrats don't usually do that. It's just not in their blood. Maybe Joe Biden has it in his blood.

Biden is competing with Bill Clinton as the headliner of tonight at the DNC. It will be interesting to see what Clinton does in his speech. He has appeared to still have bitterness with coming to terms with the loss of Senator Clinton. He had a spokesperson give out his endorsement of Obama. He's been accused of racism. Clinton actually wants to come out for Barack. Not just because it will lead to a more unified party, but because he can redeem his legacy among the Democratic Party. It should be an interesting night.

Obama Settles on Biden

Well, I didn't get the call right this time. In retrospect, I can see why Sen. Barack Obama chose his colleague, Sen. Joseph Biden, to be his running mate. For the past two election cycles, Al Gore and John Kerry have chosen weak running mates who did not go on the offensive against their opponent. Sen. Evan Bayh is not known to be an attack dog. Sen. Biden is.

Sen. John McCain has made countless gaffes. He doesn't know the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite. He's referred to the defunct country of Czechoslovakia. He thinks people making $4 million are middle class. He has so many houses he can't count them. Unfortunately, Sen. Obama has not hit back hard on these gaffes. Biden can and will hit hard on these gaffes. Earlier today, Biden spoke in Springfield, Illinois. He mentioned that regular people sit in front of their kitchen table and worry; McCain has to decide which kitchen sink to sit in front of.

The McCain campaign wasted no time today, and have already released an attack ad with footage of Joe Biden saying that Sen. Obama is not ready for the presidency. They will probably point to his plagiarized speech in his 1988 campaign. However, Biden can hit back just as hard. He can say, "What was I supposed to say? Vote for him and not me?" in response to the attack ad. With the plagiarized speech, Biden can say, "Fair enough. Let's also talk about McCain taking bribes from convicted felon Charles Keating also in the 1980s."

Biden's roots are of a quintessential American person, as are Barack Obama's. He was born in Scranton, PA to a working-class Catholic family. His father was a car salesman. He went to the University of Delaware and then to Syracuse University for his law degree. At the age of 29, he ran for Senate and won -- commencing a seemingly limitless career in politics.

Tragedy struck just a few months after his election. His wife and infant daughter were killed in a car accident, his two sons badly injured. He was sworn in at a hospital, caring for his recovering sons. He decided to commute an hour and a half every day from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to the D.C. to maximize his time with them. Thirty-five years later, he continues this. He is currently the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In addition to his attack dog-style mentality, Biden is very strong on foreign policy. It makes it difficult for the Republicans to attack the Democrats on foreign policy when Biden has been in the Senate for 14 more years than Sen. McCain. John McCain has also never been the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

From an electoral point of view, Biden also helps. A son of Pennsylvania, Biden can easily go into suburbs and rural areas of Pennsylvania to lock in their 21 electoral votes. His working-class roots help Obama's chances in Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and New Hampshire -- all states he wants to win. He will appeal to rural Catholics and is comfortable with being President. There are few, if any, with more experience than Biden.

Biden, like all choices would have some downsides. As mentioned above, he plagiarized a speech in his 1988 run for the Presidency. He also can let his mouth run longer than it should. That could be seen as a positive in that if he's blabbing about McCain, it could get Obama some votes. Biden, 65, will probably be too old to run for President in 2016. There could be a big primary battle. He also brings nothing to the table as far as economics, the biggest concern of voters. That was the main reason I endorsed Evan Bayh as VP.

Joe Biden is a strong pick. If I was Obama, I would have selected Bayh as the VP and encourage my donors to give to the attack dogs such as moveon.org. As I said above, I completely understand why Obama chose Biden. It's a solid pick and they both spoke well earlier today. It will be up to these two men to help put a Democrat back in the White House. I'm confident they'll win.

And In Corner Number...

Pat Riley has apparently decided to hold a try-out session for centers Jamaal Magloire, DJ Mbenga, and Lorenzen Wright. The one that comes out on top is plausibly going to get a small contract offer from the Miami Heat. I don't necessarily have a preference over any of the three. They all are big bodies who can help Miami.

All three of these guys should not be looked at as the future of the Heat. Two of these guys are on the wrong side of 30. Lorenzen Wright had three straight double-digit scoring averages for the season, but at 33, does he still have something left in the tank? DJ Mbenga is very long and strong with his 7'0" frame, but he has no offensive game. Jamaal Magloire, like Wright, had three consecutive years of double-digit scoring, but conditioning is a concern.

Magloire, Mbenga, and Wright can all be adequate backup centers. Mark Blount is perimeter-oriented and never seems to make a solid defensive play. Joel Anthony can be developed more with Erik Spoelstra at the helm. But I anticipate Coach Spo' may develop Anthony at the four considering he is just 6'9".

The Heat still lack a starting center. After the Draft, Riles has signed James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara, and re-signed Dorell Wright. What does this all point to? That Riley plans to move Shawn Marion for a big name center and still have considerable depth at the three. I could be wrong, but it seems to be the most plausible explanation. In the past, Dwyane Wade has publicly lobbied for Riles to fetch him a point guard. He recently spoke on the record, saying, "I really believe in our point guard, Mario Chalmers. I think he can be great for us and surprise a lot of people." The center position appears to have moved to the forefront of Wade's concerns. "We haven't found a five-man," he added.

But what is perhaps the most clear-cut evidence that Pat Riley intends to make a move was another quote by Dwyane Wade. In a response to whether he expects Riles to make a move before training camp, Wade offered, "Of course I do." Riles clearly keeps D-Wade abreast with behind-the-scenes action during the summer. He knows something we don't.

As I have repeated, Shawn Marion can get Miami a very solid center. Riles should aim for nothing less than someone at least 6'10", a consistent double-double guy, someone who is a good passer, and runs the floor well. A young guy would be preferable, but not required.

Without Marion, James Jones would move up onto the top of the depth chart at the three. Another option is moving Michael Beasley over to the three and having Udonis Haslem at the four, similar to what Riley did with Antoine Walker and Haslem in Miami's championship season. I would like to see Coach Spo' experiment with different lineups with this youthfully exuberant team. This upcoming season should be about creating a positive chemistry with quality players. It is up to Pat Riley to give Spo' the tools required to do that.

The Wright Move(s)?

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel writer Ira Winderman, the Miami Heat have come to terms with forward Dorell Wright. The deal will reportedly last two years, starting at the $2.9 million qualifying offer the Heat extended to Wright shortly after the season ended. Wright was selected 19th overall by Miami in 2004, but has had an uneven NBA career. Over his four-year tenure with Miami, Wright has seen time as a starter to barely getting off the bench.

I know there are people who say that Dorell Wright has had his chances. He was given the starting job over Jason Kapono and James Posey. This past season, he was given the starting small forward position early on in the season and lost it to Penny Hardaway. But Riles didn't make this move to put Dorell on the trading block. By rule, he can't be dealt until December 15, so I doubt there is a trade attached to this deal. What this does is make Shawn Marion more expendable.

James Jones could fit as a nice complement to Dwyane Wade early on in games. Jason Kapono was able to make his way to the starting five by being a dead-eye shooter. I don't see why Jones can be any different. Wright's weak-side blocking and rebounding are positives right now. He needs to work on three-point shooting, defense, and finishing on the break. But Wright can play to his strengths and be a scrappy player off the bench. Pat Riley is also getting Wright very cheap, no more than the qualifying offer he extended to him earlier in the summer.

While the Heat do have a logjam at the three, they need help at the five. They may get it with the potential signing of center Jamaal Magloire. He was initially intended to meet with Miami today, but his plans were delayed one day due to the threat of Tropical Storm Fay. Magloire, who has been cut by teams such as New Jersey and Dallas, would most likely accept a minimum-level contract with the Heat. I have said that Magloire would give Miami some defensive toughness that is lacking. I just hope he would work hard to get in shape with a younger, up-tempo Heat team.

I know there are people who don't want to see Shawn Marion go after less than a season with Dwyane Wade. As I alluded to earlier, the Heat should be an up-tempo team. That would be them playing to their strengths. In the Olympics, Wade has flourished in that system. Dorell Wright is evidently suited for that style. Shooters such as Daequan Cook and James Jones would benefit off of all the open looks.

Shawn Marion cannot create his own shot. Dwyane Wade will be forced to do a lot of the heavy lifting again as an offensive catalyst. Michael Beasley may be able to do that, but he's only a rookie. Marion should be traded for a player who can create shots for others and himself. And I'm not necessarily talking about a point guard. A center who can catch the play in the post and operate to an easy field goal could fit the mold. If he was a good passer and could find cutters, that makes him the perfect fit.

If Pat Riley plans to do nothing else but sign Jamaal Magloire this summer, I don't understand the move to re-sign Dorell Wright. He would be fighting for the position of the third-string small forward with Yakhouba Diawara. Riles has already thrown guaranteed money at Diawara, so he is probably here to stay. But a move to sign Wright, to me at least, screams with "a trade brewing" overtones. I would be very surprised if Shawn Marion is in a Miami Heat uniform past the trade deadline.

Standing Pat ... Or Something More?

On the front page of HoopsWorld.com today, a picture of Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade is accompanied by the title, "Morning Report: Miami Not A Player." The brief article states that Ben Gordon coming to Miami is unlikely (no surprise there). It goes on to mentioned unnamed sources that say Miami will stand pat unless a team is willing to take on Mark Blount's bloated contract. The article then goes on to state that the game plan for Miami to wait until next year and try to entice a top-tier free agent to Miami.

Whether this article is authentic or just a bunch of guessing is simply speculation. There may be a lot of talks behind the scenes. Miami was mentioned as a possible destination for Ron Artest, but reports never said anything more. It wasn't until yesterday's issue of The Miami Herald that revealed that the Heat had discussions with the Kings about Artest. Unfortunately, the Maloof brothers found Dorell Wright and other pieces "unappealing" (in just a few years, Wright has gone from the next T-Mac to unappealing).

One thing about the article on HoopsWorld that I agree with is that Miami will stand pat at the one. Marcus Banks, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Quinn would be adequate as a deep lineup of young point guards. The center position is a different story. Alonzo Mourning has played well despite his age and his rehab is progressing. His return will be inspiring, but the Heat will need to look into longer-term solutions. The Heat have been linked to Jake Voskuhl or Jamaal Magloire, both standing at 6'11". Voskuhl plays with intensity and runs the floor well. Magloire, by comparison, has a great wingspan and is very aggressive. The problem is that both of them won't do much in terms of the stat sheet. At this point, I'd take Magloire ahead of Voskuhl because he can block some shots and give Miami some interior defense.

Both Voskuhl and Magloire would be cheap options at the center position. Miami would be a very deep team with a starting five of Banks, Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley, and Magloire/Voskuhl. Quality players such as Mario Chalmers, Daequan Cook, James Jones, and Udonis Haslem would be coming off the bench. As presently constructed, the Heat would sneak into the Eastern Conference off-season. But some tweaking could give them an actual run. But that's easier said than done.

Pivoting to the Center

The Miami Heat requested waivers on the journeyman they signed a mere 10 days ago, Bobby Jones. The 6'7" swingman was supposed to get a guaranteed contract tomorrow, but Riles decided to let him ago. The signing of Jones was probably just an insurance move in case Miami did not sign Yakhouba Diawara. I'm glad Riley isn't wasting money on partially-guaranteed contracts these D-League players have gotten in the past couple of years. Some of them haven't even made it past training camp and they are still getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Miami's gaping hole is their center. The Heat have three excellent cogs in Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, and Shawn Marion. Moreover, they also have the "steal of the Draft" in Mario Chalmers and nice role players in James Jones and Udonis Haslem. One or two of the names I mentioned may not be with Miami when the season starts. One or two may not be in South Beach when the trade deadline comes around. If Pat Riley wants a decent center, he is going to have to give something in order to get something.

I e-mailed Ira Winderman, a beat reporter for the South Florida-based newspaper, The Sun-Sentinel, about options at the five that Riles may be looking at. The only name he mentioned was Brad Miller, the ten-year NBA veteran with the Kings. Sacramento clearly appears to be in rebuilding mode, especially with the Ron Artest deal officially going down yesterday. Miller could provide Miami with some rebounding and scoring, but is far from the ideal choice.

For starters, Miller, 32, faces the challenge of overcoming several injuries he sustained last season. In April, Miller had surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow. A stress fracture in his leg caused him to prematurely end his season (although about half of the Miami Heat players ended their season early). But even if Miller works hard as hell to get back in shape, he still won't be able to play in the first five games of the season.

On July 10, the NBA announced that Miller will be suspended for the first five games of the 2008-09 season due to failing the League's drug policy due to marijuana use near the end of the season.

Miller has roughly $23.63 million left on his contract for two seasons. Additionally, Miller has regressed defensively since the start of his career. He lacks athleticism and, as I mentioned earlier, he needs to get in better shape. But for all of the downsides of Miller in the Heat uniform, there are certainly positives to him as well.

Miller is a seven-footer with long arms and great size. There aren't many NBA players who can say that now. Miller is also good passer for a big man. His 3.7 assist-per-game average last season was a league-high for centers. That could be useful for Wade, Marion, or Beasley driving to the hoop or Jones, Daequan Cook, Chalmers, Marion, or Beasley spotting up beyond the arc.

Miller is a good rebounder. He averaged 9.5 boards a night last season. While the Heat have good rebounders in Marion, Beasley, and Haslem, it would help to have a good rebounder close to the basket. He also would bring an impressive mid-range game to the Heat. Dwyane Wade has thrived off of pick-and-roll situations with Haslem, Alonzo Mourning, Michael Doleac, and Shaquille O'Neal in the past. Having a big man occasionally hang around the perimeter also drags out his defender. Therefore, Wade will drive to the rim and may not be met with a seven-footer all of the time. If the defender meets Wade at the hoop, he has the strength to finish over him or he can simply pass it to an open Brad Miller for a shot.

Miller has already played with Dwyane Wade during the 2006 FIBA Tournament, although Miller seldom received playing time. His shooting and passing skills were probably the reasons Jerry Colangelo decided to give this guy a run. Despite his size, Miller is not a true center. But then again, there aren't many true big men in the League right now. With his contract expiring just prior to the 2010 free agent frenzy, Miller could be a starting center for Miami over the next two seasons.

I wouldn't complain at all if the Heat traded for Brad Miller. 13.4 points and 9.5 rebounds while shooting at a 46.3% clip from the field and 84.8% from the line is more than adequate. I guess the question is who the Heat want to give up. They'll probably have to give up Udonis Haslem. Miller's stats are slightly better than Haslem's, but Haslem brings in hard-nosed defense and is young. I said before that the Heat are going to have to give up something to get something.

Mediocre As Usual?

We are 13 days into August. There is no buzz around the NBA about a Miami Heat trade coming up. Some are concerned that James Jones, Bobby Jones, and Yakhouba Diawara is it when it comes to off-season acquisitions. Pat Riley dropped the ball last summer, but he has also pulled off some shrewd moves. And they have been relatively late in the off-season. In October of 2005, the Heat signed Jason Kapono. In September of that same year, Riley (and Shaq) lured Gary Payton to South Beach. In September 2004, the Heat signed ex-Duke star Christian Laettner, who proved to be a solid backup to Udonis Haslem. And in late August of 2003, Pat Riley acquired Lamar Odom.

Still, the memories of last summer seems to dampen hopes a little. These same arguments about how Riley likes to make trades late was said around this time in '07. What did Riles do? He may have gotten rid of Antoine Walker's contract, but the Heat still have Mark Blount. And the Heat won just 15 games that season. The excellent Draft helps make Miami's offseason more run-of-the-mill, more mediocre. But the Heat need more than mediocre if they can get back to the Eastern Conference elite.

It is important that the Heat do not rush into deals. The three-team deal that sent Mo Williams to Cleveland may look fine to the 'Cavs at face value. However, Williams' deal also goes through 2013. And while already making over $8 million, it will be harder for Cleveland to outbid other suitors for LeBron James in 2010. Meanwhile, the Heat have expressed interest in Delonte West earlier this summer. Will they try to go after him now that the Cleveland front office apparently wants to pair up James with Williams?

As I have said before, the Heat should not go for a point guard unless it is an upgrade over what they already have. I can't see anything that Delonte West can do that Marcus Banks, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Quinn can't. The Heat have a big hole at the center position. That is their biggest concern at the moment.

Some have said that the point guard position is the most important in basketball. I beg to differ. Miami got to the Eastern Conference Finals with Damon Jones. They won a championship with an injured Jason Williams. The Bulls dominated with a post-Cleveland Ron Harper. The center position is a different story. While Kendrick Perkins is nothing special, the Celtics do have a low-post presence and defender in Kevin Garnett. So far, Michael Beasley hasn't proven he can be either.

Udonis Haslem doesn't have the size nor the strength to be a center. Neither does Joel Anthony. Mark Blount can't rebound and doesn't play defense. Alonzo Mourning is still far away from recovery. Riley needs, at the very least, someone who can rebound, block shots, run the break, and have somewhat of an offensive game. There are a bunch of people who can do that. Whether Pat Riley will be as innovative as in summers past, or just as innovate as last summer, is a question that still goes unanswered.

Uh...What?

Free agent Jason "White Chocolate" Williams signed with the L.A. Clippers earlier today. He will fill in the backup role to Baron Davis. I'm not surprised that J-Dub wanted to leave, especially after his "high-paid prostitutes" remark around mid-season. What I am surprised about is why the Clippers seem to be enamored with all of the Heat's leftovers. First Smush Parker, then Ricky Davis, and now Jason Williams. I wonder if we can get them to take Mark Blount.

I will be the first to admit, I am not the biggest J-Will fan out there. The one thing I can't get out of my mind whenever I remember Jason Williams in his Heat days was when Miami had a four-on-one break and J-Dub chucked up a three. It went out of bounds. Williams has not been known for making the right decisions. I'm sorry, but I don't think that his performance in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2006 (which was excellent) compensates for a multitude of bad decision-making. But his mishaps and ordeals with Miami is not all his fault. His knee tendinitis were a real nuisance for the team. It's unfortunate that his injuries got the best of him and he wasn't able to be the point guard Pat Riley wanted.

This now leaves Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem as the lone members of the 2006 NBA Championship under contract for Miami. I'm not upset about that. Because when the Heat brought back their entire championship team, they became complacent and got swept out of the playoffs.

Pat Riley has been making very odd moves. His latest infatuation is apparently with small forwards. Just three days after claiming Bobby Jones off waivers, the Heat signed free agent Yakhouba Diawara this afternoon. Diawara was a bencher for the Denver Nuggers last season, appearing in 54 games while averaging 10 minutes of playing time. Diawara has been known for his perimeter defense, like Bobby Jones.

What do I anticipate Diawara's future to be with the Heat? I expect him to compete with Bobby Jones for the position of an insurance option at the three during training camp.

Miami's small forwards are currently: Shawn Marion, James Jones, Bobby Jones, Yakhouba Diawara, Dorell Wright (whom the Heat have given a qualifying offer of $2.4 million), and free agent Kasib Powell. Riles has signed both Joneses and Diawara all in the past month. I'm thinking a few of Miami's forwards are going to be leaving via trade.

As I have said, I do not mind Williams leaving. What I am getting concerned about is that Pat Riley may do the same thing he did last off-season: waive goodbye to mediocre players, and sign D-League players. With the recent signing of Bobby Jones and Diawara, it is sure looking to be more like the 2007 summer by the minute. These moves have some Heat fans scratching their heads, saying "Diawara? Uh...What?" I know that was my first reaction when I heard this news.

While Miami has a glut of small forwards, they also have vacancies at the center position. Joel Anthony is still an unknown commodity at just 6'9", Alonzo Mourning is months away from full recovery, Mark Blount is a perimeter-oriented guy, and Udonis Haslem is not a center. Pat Riley does not need to get himself a star center, but at least someone who can rebound and block a couple shots.

I look to Oklahoma City, a team with seven players 6'10" or taller on their roster. Miami has mentioned interest in Luke Ridnour, and he could be a nice stopgap starting point guard for the next two seasons while Mario Chalmers and Chris Quinn develop. He's not very cheap, but at least his contract ends before the 2010 free agent frenzy.

A trade consisting of Marcus Banks and Udonis Haslem in exchange for Ridnour, Johan Petro, and Mouhamed Sene works under the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Petro is a seven-footer who can rebound the ball and maybe get a block or two. He's similar to DeSagana Diop in that he won't do much on the stat sheet, but he's a big body that has great mobility.

Mouhamed Sene was the 10th overall pick in the 2006 Draft, but had microfracture surgery earlier this summer and will probably not play at all this season. The good thing is that he is still in his rookie contract. He could be a very low-risk guy with the potential for a lot of reward if the Heat are willing to develop this guy.

Luke Ridnour would fit nicely into a starting point guard next to Dwyane Wade. I know he lost his starting job to Earl Watson, but he still has that sweet shooting stroke and still can get teammates involved. A starting five of Ridnour, Wade, Marion, Beasley, Petro with Chalmers, Cook, James Jones, Blount, and Anthony off the bench is not bad. Chris Quinn, Bobby Jones, Kasib Powell, Stephane Lasme, and Alonzo Mourning filling in the obligatory third-string positions is a very deep team. That is a very solid squad that would probably get the Heat into the playoffs, maybe even get a fourth or third seed.

Mulling the Options...

The Miami Heat's 82-game schedule was announced earlier today, with 10 nationally-televised appearances. Michael Beasley will make his debut on Madison Square Garden on October 29 against the New York Knicks. The Sacramento Kings will then visit Miami on Halloween, in the Heat's home opener. Down the road, Beasley and Rose will face off on December 26 on ABC and Shaq's lone visit to the AmericanAirlines Arena will come on March 4.

It is nearly certain that the Heat will win more than 15 games, the total amount of wins last season. Pat Riley and rookie coach Erik Spoelstra have consistently said that their goal this season would be to make the playoffs. As it stands right now, a trio of Beasley, Marion, and Wade could very well make it to the post-season. However, the Heat are still a few quality players away from being up there with Boston and Detroit in the East.

The most recent rumor for Heat fans to chew on is that Riles is reportedly interested in Luke Ridnour, Jannero Pargo, and Shaun Livingston to fill in their hole at the one. I know I haven't held this position earlier in the off-season, but Miami should not try to get another third-tier point guard. I wouldn't mind putting Marcus Banks as the starting point guard for now. His contract is ugly, but he could offer Miami some shooting and defense; and was mentored by Steve Nash. He could be a stopgap guy until Mario Chalmers is ready to take on the role as the starting point. Maybe Banks can prove himself enough that the Heat would be able to find a trading partner for him. I wouldn't object to a trade involving Banks that would get us some better pieces. But until that trade comes around, I'd stick with Banks.

Recently-claimed forward Bobby Jones cannot be traded for 30 days. I wouldn't mind keeping him, either. There won't be much competition for his services, as he's already bounced halfway around the League. Still, I would be very surprised if the Heat kept all of their forwards. Restricted free agent Dorell Wright may have interest in some teams. If Pat Riley plans to keep Marion, Udonis Haslem is also on the table. And vice versa.

More than anything, the Heat's most dire need is the center position. A point guard lineup of Banks, Chalmers, and Quinn (who started to come around towards the end of the season) is not the best in the world. But it is three young guys who can contribute. At Miami's center position, Alonzo Mourning is still months away from recovery, Mark Blount is perimeter-oriented, Joel Anthony is just 6'9", and Earl Barron is, well, Earl Barron. The Heat need a defensive-minded center who can eat up space.

I would still be open to a trade with Portland in an attempt to acquire LaMarcus Aldridge or Channing Frye. Nazr Mohammed of Charlotte could be available after Charlotte threw all of that money to Emeka Okafor and drafted the 7'0" Alexis Ajinca. Luke Ridnour of Oklahoma City keeps on popping up. Maybe a trade could be worked out. Keep in mind that Oklahoma City's roster features seven players 6'10" or above. The Heat could definitely use some of that size.

Heat Re-Welcome Bobby Jones

Earlier today, the Miami Heat announced they have claimed forward Bobby Jones off waivers, essentially re-welcoming the 6'7", 215-pound journeyman.

This is a very subtle move that will go very much under the radar. I doubt it will even appear on SportsCenter's bottom line, much less devoting a few minutes to talk about the move. The move appears particularly odd, especially considering the logjam at the small forward position. Recently drafted Michael Beasley, recently signed James Jones, Shawn Marion, Dorell Wright (who has been offered a qualifying offer), and Kasib Powell (a free agent, but was impressive during Miami's summer league run) could all be back. There is certainly the possibility Pat Riley will use Jones as a third-string three and have Beasley play primarily the four, have Wright sign with another team, and wave goodbye to Kasib Powell. Or it could be a part of an imminent trade.

During his college career at the University of Washington and with his brief stint with Miami, Jones has established himself as a tough-as-nails defender who could hit the three from beyond the arc. It is a little too immature to compare him to Bruce Bowen, but he is definitely a Pat Riley-type of guy. It is important not to immediately assume that he will be part of a big trade.

Miami does have plenty of other holes to fill. However, Riley may want to go with a small forward lineup of Marion, James Jones, and Bobby Jones while having Beasley exclusively a power forward. That still leaves open the possibility of using Dorell Wright in a sign-and-trade. At 22 years old, there may be a team willing to sign Wright. At the very least, Jones has found his niche in the League: defense. Dorell Wright has been playing in the NBA for four years and we still don't know what he's best at.

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics right around the corner, Pat Riley may have a move up his sleeve that will not get the traction that some other big trades will get, but teams may realize they should have. I'll go out on a limb and say a big trade is coming. But I've been wrong before.

Who Obama Should Tap

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the Conventions coming quickly, it is time for the presumptive nominees of each party to pick their running mates. This is the most important pick the nominee will make. Presidents pick a vice president to get re-elected, but nominees pick a running mate to get elected. For Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, they should pick running mates who work well with them and can help them win.

For Sen. Obama, the three reported running mates on the short-list are: Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, and Senator Evan Bayh in Indiana. All have notable qualities. For Kaine, a Catholic, he could turn Virginia from a toss-up to leaning towards Obama, and he brings executive experience as a governor. Biden has loads of foreign policy credentials and has been in the Senate longer than McCain. Bayh was a former Clinton supporter and could quell some doubts the Clinton supports may have.

The three also have their downfalls. Kaine does little to help with the assertion that Obama is too inexperienced. Biden has spent a lot of time in Washington, which could undercut Obama's message. And Bayh is from a state that is next to Illinois, Obama's home state; not to mention the GOP could use the slogan "Obama Bye, Bye." There is no perfect choice. But if you ask me, the best choice is Evan Bayh.

Possibly the most important thing about Bayh is that he supported Senator Clinton during the primaries. Having Bayh as an olive tree could brings some disaffected Democrats to Obama's column in November. There are some who will never vote for Obama, even if Hillary is his running mate. It's unfortunate it was such a bitter campaign, but it's simply one of those "live and let die" moments.

Bayh was the governor of Indiana earlier in his career. As governor, Bayh issued a $1.6 billion tax cut -- the largest in state history. He did not raise taxes in his eight years in the governor's mansion. His welfare-to-work social programs led to the creation of 350,00 new jobs. There are some disaffected Republicans who could be undecided who to support. Having a tax-cutter on the ticket could bring some of them over and debunk the McCain ads that Obama will raise taxes. For the Republicans whose chief issue is abortion, gay rights, or guns, I doubt they'll vote for Obama even if he picks a Republican. But Bayh could bring over independents and moderate Republicans.

Going beyond our borders, Bayh may not have the credentials of Biden, but he isn't bad. Bayh outlined a resolution to deal with Iran's nuclear program over two years ago. With the recent missile tests, advertising Bayh's plan wouldn't be bad move. Moreover, Bayh holds a position on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Bayh was an early supporter of the War in Iraq and voted to reauthorize the Patriot Act in 2006. This will anger Obama's base to the left, which was confused when Obama voted for the FISA bill. But I can only speak for myself as someone who aligns himself to the left on his political views when I say that I trust Obama with upholding our civil liberties more than George W. Bush and John McCain. I do not agree with Obama on all of the issues, but I echo the words of former Congressman Ed Koch when he famously declared, "If you agree with me on 9 out of 12 issues, you should vote for me; if you agree with me on 12 out of 12 issues, you should see a psychiatrist."

Bayh would have Indiana go from purple to light blue, attract fiscally conservative voters across the nation, potentially help Obama in Virginia (he was an alumnus of UVA), and dispel some fears about Obama's experience and foreign policy. He is from a state that is directly next to Illinois, but wasn't Al Gore's state directly adjacent to Bill Clinton's state? And didn't they spend eight years in the White House?

Months Leave, but Players Don't

We now move from July to August. There is still plenty of time left in the offseason, but Pat Riley could be confident enough with his current squad to let Miami stand pat. I certainly hope Riles doesn't think that way. The Heat are still a few quality players away from becoming a quality playoff team.

I have caught those early-morning games of the USA Basketball team. Dwyane Wade is phenomenal. He is back to his explosive, athletic, amazing self. Yet whenever I see Wade throw down a windmill from an alley-oop pass or dunk it in transition with two guys on him, I always get this bitter taste in my mouth. I can't stop but think that Pat Riley is leaving Wade out to dry by not giving him a post presence. Shawn Marion also plays from the perimeter-inwards. Same with Michael Beasley.

Wade has also emphasized acquiring a point guard. It's been so nice to see how Wade can be when he doesn't handle the ball all the time. Mario Chalmers is certainly a quality point guard in the making, but Miami needs at least a stop-gap guy for a season or two. I wouldn't mind going after someone like Jannero Pargo, a cheap free agent who can give Miami some shooting.

As far as the options at big man -- I would like Riles to call up the Blazers and see if he can wheel in either LaMarcus Aldridge or Channing Frye. Both are 6'11" guys who could play center in the East. Dealing Shawn Marion should not be out of the question. Portland could use a defensive-minded small forward who can give you 15 points without taking many shots. They'll also have Oden, Przybilla, and either Aldridge or Frye (whomever Miami chooses not to trade for) to man the paint. I wouldn't have any qualms about taking on Raef LaFrentz's contract, with one year and $12 million left.

A starting lineup of Pargo, Wade, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, and either Aldridge or Frye shows a great improvement over last year. The young nucleus would excite fans and give Miami financial flexibility in the years to come. However, more importantly, it would also excite Dwyane Wade.