What Really Matters

Late Monday night, General Manager Randy Pfund announced that he had resigned from his position to pursue other business opportunities, a move that all but solidified Pat Riley's position as czar of the Heat.

There have been several reports that Pfund was forced out of the job. Pat Riley has vehemently denied that he was squeezed out. Was he? I don't know. I would not even guess. The facts in this case have not been revealed. Maybe Pfund was upset that Riley had too much of a voice in front office decisions. Maybe it was something different. But whichever side of the fence you're on, it doesn't really matter.

Let's be straight. Pat Riley's absolute control over the organization has been well-documented over the years. I know that Pfund pressed for Riley to pick Dwyane Wade in the 2003 NBA Draft, but notice it was not Riley pressing Pfund to draft Wade. It went through Riley. Pfund knew that.

What really matters is who the Heat put on the court. The quality of that team is what will lead to victories. I realize that quality upstairs can lead to quality on the court, but it's always been about Riley in the past. Now, it's only clearer.

Both coach Erik Spoelstra and Wade praised Joel Anthony's effort in training camp. Wade acknowledged that he enjoys having a shot-blocker behind him, which gives him more liberty to gamble on the defensive end. I find it perfectly conceivable that Anthony could get a lot of minutes. It's going to be an open field, with Mark Blount and Jamaal Magloire with Anthony on the center depth chart.

The problem is that Anthony is just 6'9". Now, just because he's 6'9" and can block shots does not make him Ben Wallace. Blount and Magloire both have the height advantage, but Blount has a tough time defensively and should grab many more rebounds. Magloire has the ability to block some shots, especially with his long wingspan. But if you're 6'11" and you can't even break the Mavericks rotation or the Nets rotation, something must be missing. Therefore, Anthony can be a center if he shows that he has the ability to defend people three or four inches taller than him.

Staying with the center position, Udonis Haslem has found himself playing the five in training camp. A three-forward lineup consisting of small forward Shawn Marion and power forwards Michael Beasley and Haslem is a viable option. In the East, the only dominant center is Dwight Howard. A three-forward lineup would certainly create a more up-tempo style of play. Moreover, Marion, Beasley and Haslem are all good rebounders, dispelling a conception that going small leads to less rebounds.


Don't forget that Riley can certainly trade one of his forwards away. The clear frontrunner is Shawn Marion. His contract is going to expire after this season and he's going to leave for another team. Additionally, Marion was clear in his opposition to his role as a third wheel behind Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire in Phoenix. Now, Marion finds himself behind Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley with a worse supporting cast. Marion has been saying all of the right things in interviews, but I still feel trading Marion for a pressing need would behoove the Heat.

In a tidbit, Wade has said that he is working on his outside shot in training camp. Does that mean we'll see the one thing Wade has been missing from his offensive arsenal showcased this season? Wade started to shoot (and make) some long-distance shots in the 2006 playoffs and Finals, but we didn't see him attempt many triples the next season. Still, there is still a possibility that Spoelstra wants to see Wade add to his offensive repertoire.