Holes Remain for Heat

After Sunday's close loss to the New Jersey Nets, the Heat does not take the court again until Saturday's meeting with the Orlando Magic. The Heat returned to practice earlier today, but no questions have been answered since the start of training camp.

Let's start with the center, Miami's deepest hole. Jamaal Magloire's hand fracture is not looking nearly as bad as it was predicted. Although coach Erik Spoelstra did not release a new timetable, but indicated it would not be as long as the six-to-eight-week timetable which was initially predicted. Nonetheless, Spoelstra does not expect to have Magloire ready for Oct. 29's season opener against New York.

The remaining options at center are: Mark Blount, Joel Anthony, and David Padgett. Despite the fact that none of the fives have been appreciatively better than any of the others, Anthony has made an impact. Because of his freakishly long arms and impeccable timing, he is able to compensate for standing at 6'9". He is still very raw offensively, but I would not worry about offense. With Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, Shawn Marion, Udonis Haslem, and James Jones all high-octane offensive threats, Spoelstra can mask Anthony's offensive shortcomings.

Still, we could expect to see Udonis Haslem spend time in the middle. Spoelstra only used the three-forward lineup of Marion, Beasley, and Haslem for a little over two minutes, so any concerns are a bit premature. Those three forwards are Miami's best rebounders, period. But Haslem, while effective defensively, has never been anything close to an imposing defensive force. I expect Spoelstra to use that lineup in certain situations. For example, Mike D'Antoni may start David Lee at center on Oct. 29. A three-forward lineup would be perfectly viable then. But against Dwight Howard and the Magic, it would be asinine for Spoelstra to use Haslem as Miami's center.

Now, I have long advocated for a trade involving Shawn Marion to get a center in return. Although the Antoine Walker trade last season was a (regrettable) exception, many teams do not make trades in the preseason. You do not hear the drums of trade in November or December. It usually happens close to mid-season. If Marion plays well these first few months of the season, Pat Riley may be able to swing a deal for him. I don't want to hear any more of his "we are taxed out" crap. I'm sure those empty seats at the Triple A are more hurtful financially than going a few million dollars into the luxury tax.

Now, Miami's other hole is (you guessed it) the point guard position. Chris Quinn remains an option for the Heat on Saturday. Mario Chalmers has not exceeded the expectations of a typical second-round draftee thus far. He's got some way to go before he can even get himself off the bench when Spoelstra's rotation is set. And Marcus Banks has shown some ability to slash and hit the occasional three, but he hasn't been a floor general. For now at least, it makes the most sense to start Quinn in the backcourt with Wade, and then have Banks as a scorer off the bench.

I would not object to a trade to get a point guard, but I feel the five should be priority number one. I feel the Heat can survive with Quinn as the starting point guard if you have Dwyane Wade next to him. I see many problems defensively and even offensively as far as second-chance points go with the lack of leadership at the center. But holes remain for the Heat. Unless one player for their respective positions shows true effectiveness, Pat Riley needs to call up another GM if he wants to fill up his seats.