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.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Only Lukewarm Changes?
In the eyes of some, Pat Riley should be sitting pretty right now. He shrewdly drafted Michael Beasley and later picked up a steal in Mario Chalmers. He then signed James Jones, a three-point specialist with some size. And to top it all off, Dwyane Wade looked very athletic and explosive in his recent game against Canada.
An off-season of these standards would be considered a success for a playoff team. The problem is that this team showed anything but the pedigree of a playoff team. They won 15 games last season. There are still a lot of holes that are needed to fill. Now, August and the Olympics are just around the corner. And the Heat haven't done anything in weeks.
Concern of this team just having lukewarm changes should be growing. The two most pressing needs are a center and a point guard. Pat Riley does have a quality point guard in the making in Mario Chalmers. However, Chalmers is going to have to prove himself among the upper echelon of point guards in the East. Anybody, including Dorell Wright and Earl Barron, can have a good summer-league showing.
Having a defensive-minded center who can rebound and be an occasional low-post threat is also vital for success in the East. Miami is going to have to go up against Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, and Jermaine O'Neal. Those faces will be even more familiar if the Heat make it to the playoffs. They are going to need an experienced big man with good size and skills in order to get back to prominence.
That seems simple enough. Having expendable trade chips such as Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem makes it even more expendable. The problem is that the top free agents have either already signed a new contract or don't have a chance to be with the Heat. A couple of weeks ago, I read an article that Pat Riley rejected a trade offer that would have sent Jamaal Tinsley to Miami in exchange for Haslem. I agree with Riley's decision. The problem is that he shouldn't be reacting to these trade proposals. He should be acting and making the trade proposals. Another team isn't going to want to help the Heat. He needs to do that.
When you have a 15-67 team, you don't want to keep many of those players. If Pat Riley does not make any more significant changes, it's difficult to see them back to the position they were in 2007, much less in 2006. I would take Sean Williams of the Nets if it meant having a starting center with some upside. It doesn't matter if he's going to be a sophomore in the League. He'd be better than Mark Blount and Joel Anthony.
Monday, July 21, 2008
A Large, Yet Unsatisfying Plate
I haven't updated my website over the past few days. Part of it is because I have watched the best film of the year so far, The Dark Knight, twice in the past three days. Another part of it is that Pat Riley has seemed to be on vacation for the summer. Now, I've heard the rumors about Brian Skinner, and he'd be a good pick-up. Luol Deng is all but certain to return to Chi-town. Yet Miami needs to make some trades if they want to keep Dwyane Wade.
Miami currently has Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion, Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers, James Jones, Daequan Cook, Marcus Banks, Mark Blount, and Alonzo Mourning under contract. That's ten names. Also, don't forget the qualifying offers given to Dorell Wright and Chris Quinn. Joel Anthony, Stephane Lasme, and Kasib Powell all have been praised for their strides. All in all, that is 15 names.
Evidently, the Heat need to make some major trades very soon. They only have the $1.9 bi-annual exception left to sign free agents. Pat Riley has apparently not lost interest in Ron Artest, and I have said that he could be a welcome addition to the team. The Heat have also expressed interest in the Warriors' Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, but Riles is going to have to present Golden State with an offer they simply can't refuse.
Whether it's obtaining the volatile forward in Artest or the young talent of Ellis or Biedrins, the Heat would need to add a third team to the mix. However, I haven't heard much more than mere speculation out of the rumors. Pat Riley should stop worrying about what could happen if Carlos Boozer opts out of his contract and make moves for now.
It's late July. So far, the Heat have picked up Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers in the Draft; they also picked up a lengthy three-point specialist in James Jones. All of these are shrewd moves. However, it is not nearly enough for the Heat to compete with Boston, the team to beat in the East.
Brian Skinner's addition would only add to the logjam at forward for the Heat. It would increase speculation of Udonis Haslem's or Shawn Marion's trade possibilities. But Pat Riley should stop dropping hints as to what he might do and just do it. He can't sit around and make a last-minute trade in October and hope the pieces put themselves together. Look what happened then.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Ron-Ron Gone-Gone?
In the latest advancement in Miami Heat rumors, Ron Artest's name has popped up. Sure, his name has come around for the past few years or so, but this year Pat Riley could find a deal to entice the Maloof Brothers. Why? Because the Heat now have Shawn Marion.
The Sacramento Bee first reported that the Heat would be interested in the volatile forward, and wouldn't have qualms about parting with Marion. There are the critics who say that trading Marion for Artest is like trading platinum for silver; or that Marion is supposed to be utilized in trading for a more pressing need -- such as point guard or center. I must disagree with both.
While Marion and Artest both have been heralded for their defense, there is one clear-cut winner. Marion has established himself as a great help defender. He can guard the opponent's best shooting guard or small forward, but seldom slows him down. Artest, by contrast, is a lock-down defender. Those kinds of players are hard to come by. Artest has superior physical skills and knows when to steal the ball. There is no question in my mind that every single player should be worried if Artest is guarding him. Defensively, I give the edge to Artest. And while Artest certainly doesn't have the leaping and rebounding skills, six rebounds is nothing to complain about from a small forward.
Artest, 28, has developed a refined offensive game over time. His jump-shot and three-point shooting has steadily improved to a solid 38% in 2007-08. Moreover, Artest does possess a very polished face-the-basket game. Without question, Artest could take tremendous pressure off of Dwyane Wade.
It is true that Miami does need to fill in their point guard and center situations. To be honest, I don't see Pat Riley taking Kenny Thomas or the Maloofs giving up Brad Miller. What I could see happening is bringing in a third team into the equation. Artest makes slightly more than half of the salary of the Matrix. With the NBA's trade rules, more players are going to have to be involved. The Artest-Marion swap would be exchanging expiring contracts. It is what Miami additionally gets that ultimately decides whether this trade was a win. And while Marion and Artest both are small forwards, that doesn't necessarily mean I would shy away from a trade involving the two.
With Orlando apparently losing interest in Jason Williams with their recent signing of Anthony Johnson, Pat Riley is going to have to act quick this off-season. He can't take his sweet little time on the Mo Williamses of the world so that what is left is Smush Parker.
The Sacramento Bee first reported that the Heat would be interested in the volatile forward, and wouldn't have qualms about parting with Marion. There are the critics who say that trading Marion for Artest is like trading platinum for silver; or that Marion is supposed to be utilized in trading for a more pressing need -- such as point guard or center. I must disagree with both.
While Marion and Artest both have been heralded for their defense, there is one clear-cut winner. Marion has established himself as a great help defender. He can guard the opponent's best shooting guard or small forward, but seldom slows him down. Artest, by contrast, is a lock-down defender. Those kinds of players are hard to come by. Artest has superior physical skills and knows when to steal the ball. There is no question in my mind that every single player should be worried if Artest is guarding him. Defensively, I give the edge to Artest. And while Artest certainly doesn't have the leaping and rebounding skills, six rebounds is nothing to complain about from a small forward.
Artest, 28, has developed a refined offensive game over time. His jump-shot and three-point shooting has steadily improved to a solid 38% in 2007-08. Moreover, Artest does possess a very polished face-the-basket game. Without question, Artest could take tremendous pressure off of Dwyane Wade.
It is true that Miami does need to fill in their point guard and center situations. To be honest, I don't see Pat Riley taking Kenny Thomas or the Maloofs giving up Brad Miller. What I could see happening is bringing in a third team into the equation. Artest makes slightly more than half of the salary of the Matrix. With the NBA's trade rules, more players are going to have to be involved. The Artest-Marion swap would be exchanging expiring contracts. It is what Miami additionally gets that ultimately decides whether this trade was a win. And while Marion and Artest both are small forwards, that doesn't necessarily mean I would shy away from a trade involving the two.
With Orlando apparently losing interest in Jason Williams with their recent signing of Anthony Johnson, Pat Riley is going to have to act quick this off-season. He can't take his sweet little time on the Mo Williamses of the world so that what is left is Smush Parker.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Marion on the Block?
As the Miami Herald reported today, several teams are interested in acquiring versatile forward Shawn Marion. Barry Jackson, the author of the article, specifically mentioned the Warriors and the L.A. Clippers as teams interested in Marion. Of the two, I appear Oakland appears more plausible. Now that Elton Brand left Clipper Nation, I don't see L.A. having many assets to trade.
Two players whom entice Miami's interest are Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins. Ellis, though not a pure point guard, could handle the ball a lot and take tremendous scoring pressure off of Dwyane Wade. Biedrins, meanwhile, is a lengthy center who is also a good rebounder. Both are restricted free agents, and booking them for a flight to Miami would have to be via a sign-and-trade.
Pat Riley has used the entire mid-level exception, splitting it between newly-acquired forward James Jones and second-round pick Mario Chalmers. What remains is the bi-annual exception, worth approximately $1.9 million. The Heat might be able to pick up someone with the bi-annual exception, but it won't be Ellis or Biedrins.
Shawn Marion is owed approximately $17.2 million next season. Due to Miami and Golden State being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Therefore, Ellis and Biedrins would need to combine their contracts for this upcoming season to be nearly identical to that of Marion. An example would be Ellis signing a deal worth roughly $12 million for next season and Biedrins signing a contract worth $5 million.
Miami would fill in their needs for a point guard and center with Ellis and Biedrins on board, respectively. Golden State, meanwhile, would give fans something to cheer about with Maggette and Marion. This could also give them the flexibility to trade either Al Harrington or maybe even Stephen Jackson.
There are those who may view Ellis' lack of three-point accuracy as a reason to be leery of signing him. During Miami's championship run, Jason Williams was 37.2% from three-point land during the regular season and 27.4% in the playoffs. Antoine Walker shot 35.8% during the season and 32.4% in the playoffs. James Posey shot 40.3% during the season and 42.2% during the playoff run. Gary Payton shot 28.7% during the season and 29.3% during the playoffs on just 58 attempts.
That's all they had. Four players and one of them was a dead-eye shooter. In Miami's current roster, they have James Jones, Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Daequan Cook. Those are four guys also. Moreover, Ellis and Wade are at a young age, so they can develop a three-point shot over time. Say what you want about Monta Ellis' shooting, but I'd take him over Tyronn Lue any day of the week.
Two players whom entice Miami's interest are Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins. Ellis, though not a pure point guard, could handle the ball a lot and take tremendous scoring pressure off of Dwyane Wade. Biedrins, meanwhile, is a lengthy center who is also a good rebounder. Both are restricted free agents, and booking them for a flight to Miami would have to be via a sign-and-trade.
Pat Riley has used the entire mid-level exception, splitting it between newly-acquired forward James Jones and second-round pick Mario Chalmers. What remains is the bi-annual exception, worth approximately $1.9 million. The Heat might be able to pick up someone with the bi-annual exception, but it won't be Ellis or Biedrins.
Shawn Marion is owed approximately $17.2 million next season. Due to Miami and Golden State being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. Therefore, Ellis and Biedrins would need to combine their contracts for this upcoming season to be nearly identical to that of Marion. An example would be Ellis signing a deal worth roughly $12 million for next season and Biedrins signing a contract worth $5 million.
Miami would fill in their needs for a point guard and center with Ellis and Biedrins on board, respectively. Golden State, meanwhile, would give fans something to cheer about with Maggette and Marion. This could also give them the flexibility to trade either Al Harrington or maybe even Stephen Jackson.
There are those who may view Ellis' lack of three-point accuracy as a reason to be leery of signing him. During Miami's championship run, Jason Williams was 37.2% from three-point land during the regular season and 27.4% in the playoffs. Antoine Walker shot 35.8% during the season and 32.4% in the playoffs. James Posey shot 40.3% during the season and 42.2% during the playoff run. Gary Payton shot 28.7% during the season and 29.3% during the playoffs on just 58 attempts.
That's all they had. Four players and one of them was a dead-eye shooter. In Miami's current roster, they have James Jones, Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Daequan Cook. Those are four guys also. Moreover, Ellis and Wade are at a young age, so they can develop a three-point shot over time. Say what you want about Monta Ellis' shooting, but I'd take him over Tyronn Lue any day of the week.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Summer League Review
The five-games-in-five-days summer league ended earlier Friday, with Miami losing in a nail-biting game against the Orlando Magic. Several players were visibly fatigued from fighting the past week to make an NBA roster. But if the summer league was meant to get a gauge at who has pro potential, it was a week well spent. I have broken down each player on Miami's roster, and give them a standing on if they can make the final cut.
Michael Beasley: The second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft had his ups and downs, but still managed to produce to a strong showing. He proved to be an excellent scorer and a strong rebounder. He needs to work on his defense, but at least the Heat now know where Beasley needs to improve. I expect him to start his rookie season and make a run for Rookie of the Year if not win it.
Mario Chalmers: This second-round pick was arguably Miami's steadiest player. Chalmers proved to be a tough defender and a quick guard who can get to the rim with ease. In addition, he also showed some three-point ability. If Miami does not make a trade for a veteran point guard, he could challenge Marcus Banks for the starting point guard spot.
Kasib Powell: The 6'7" forward has shown versatility to play the three. He has multiple ways to score in his arsenal, including taking the ball all by himself in the open court. He can hit the occasional three and rebounds well for a small forward. I expect he'll make the team and maybe become a rotation player down the road.
Stephane Lasme: Lasme has proven his worth in the little time alloted to him, unfortunately because he is Beasley's backup. Lasme can block shots on the defensive end, or can run the pick-and-pop perfectly on the offensive end. He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty and does all the little things. The Heat need someone like that. I expect he'll make the 15-man cut as well.
Anthony Morrow: The 6'6" guard can flat out shoot. He benefits off of defenders helping to guard Chalmers or Beasley. But as I've said before, Dwyane Wade is going to play 38-40 minutes, and Daequan Cook is going to be asked exactly what Morrow has been doing. Morrow could make the team as a third-string shooting guard, but I wouldn't bet my money that he'll make the team.
Antonio Graves: Graves was one of the quickest players in the Orlando summer league, especially in the open court. The problem is that if he gets the ball in a halfcourt setting, he'll chuck up a shot. Graves has to develop other facets of his game. I don't envision him making the team. Besides, can he pass the ball for once?
Anthony King: It's been easy to forget that King is even on the court. He hasn't done much to make himself stand out. I'd be surprised if he got an invite to Miami's summer league, much less make the final roster.
David Padgett: Padgett is very big and can rebound. He can set screens, but his productivity stops there. He has been foul-prone and has not offered much as far as scoring. I know Miami's center depth is only the perimeter-oriented Mark Blount, but I don't anticipate he'll make the squad.
Jason Richards: The leader in Division I assists is unfortunately backing up Chalmers. However, unlike Lasme, Richards hasn't made any of his performances memorable. He's shown an eye to get Beasley in some of his sweet spots, but has been somewhat prone to turnovers, is a liability on defense, and doesn't offer much on the offensive end of the court. He'll have to wait at least another year to play in the pros.
Marco Killingsworth: Keith Askins has never put in this guy for very long, but he has always been relatively anonymous every single game. He won't make the team.
Dion Dowell: See Marco Killingsworth.
Pat Calathes: Has he even played a game?
Marcus Campbell: Marcus who?
Josh Duncan: A poor-man's David Padgett. Won't make the team.
Michael Beasley: The second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft had his ups and downs, but still managed to produce to a strong showing. He proved to be an excellent scorer and a strong rebounder. He needs to work on his defense, but at least the Heat now know where Beasley needs to improve. I expect him to start his rookie season and make a run for Rookie of the Year if not win it.
Mario Chalmers: This second-round pick was arguably Miami's steadiest player. Chalmers proved to be a tough defender and a quick guard who can get to the rim with ease. In addition, he also showed some three-point ability. If Miami does not make a trade for a veteran point guard, he could challenge Marcus Banks for the starting point guard spot.
Kasib Powell: The 6'7" forward has shown versatility to play the three. He has multiple ways to score in his arsenal, including taking the ball all by himself in the open court. He can hit the occasional three and rebounds well for a small forward. I expect he'll make the team and maybe become a rotation player down the road.
Stephane Lasme: Lasme has proven his worth in the little time alloted to him, unfortunately because he is Beasley's backup. Lasme can block shots on the defensive end, or can run the pick-and-pop perfectly on the offensive end. He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty and does all the little things. The Heat need someone like that. I expect he'll make the 15-man cut as well.
Anthony Morrow: The 6'6" guard can flat out shoot. He benefits off of defenders helping to guard Chalmers or Beasley. But as I've said before, Dwyane Wade is going to play 38-40 minutes, and Daequan Cook is going to be asked exactly what Morrow has been doing. Morrow could make the team as a third-string shooting guard, but I wouldn't bet my money that he'll make the team.
Antonio Graves: Graves was one of the quickest players in the Orlando summer league, especially in the open court. The problem is that if he gets the ball in a halfcourt setting, he'll chuck up a shot. Graves has to develop other facets of his game. I don't envision him making the team. Besides, can he pass the ball for once?
Anthony King: It's been easy to forget that King is even on the court. He hasn't done much to make himself stand out. I'd be surprised if he got an invite to Miami's summer league, much less make the final roster.
David Padgett: Padgett is very big and can rebound. He can set screens, but his productivity stops there. He has been foul-prone and has not offered much as far as scoring. I know Miami's center depth is only the perimeter-oriented Mark Blount, but I don't anticipate he'll make the squad.
Jason Richards: The leader in Division I assists is unfortunately backing up Chalmers. However, unlike Lasme, Richards hasn't made any of his performances memorable. He's shown an eye to get Beasley in some of his sweet spots, but has been somewhat prone to turnovers, is a liability on defense, and doesn't offer much on the offensive end of the court. He'll have to wait at least another year to play in the pros.
Marco Killingsworth: Keith Askins has never put in this guy for very long, but he has always been relatively anonymous every single game. He won't make the team.
Dion Dowell: See Marco Killingsworth.
Pat Calathes: Has he even played a game?
Marcus Campbell: Marcus who?
Josh Duncan: A poor-man's David Padgett. Won't make the team.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Heat Squander Oklahoma City
After their first loss of the summer league, the Miami Heat (and Michael Beasley, especially) came back with fire in their eyes to spank the Oklahoma City (insert your own outlandish name) in a 101-76 blowout.
Michael Beasley scored the first points of the game on a jump shot. Then, he stole the ball and went the length of the court for a beastly jam. He then shot a turnaround, fade-away jumper. Swish. Beasley turned to Keith Askins -- he had six points in the first three minutes of the game.
Beasley finished with 19 points on eight-of-16 shooting from the field and two-for-four from downtown. Beasley also grabbed five rebounds and improved in the foul and turnover departments -- with two apiece. And he did it all in just 25 minutes. Beasley seemed to make everything look so smooth and effortless. The scoring machine in college has been challenged by summer league coach Keith Askins to develop other facets of his game. He has.
Russell Westbrook got out to a quick start for Oklahoma City. His crossover never failed, as he was able to get to the basket at will. The fourth overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft made it to the free-throw line 10 times and finished with 19 points on seven-of-12 shooting. Despite Westbrook's play, Mario Chalmers, Beasley, and Kasib Powell managed the Heat to hang in there for the entire first quarter. The game was tied at 23 at the end of the first stanza of play.
From then on, the Miami Heat ran away with it.
Michael Beasley continued to dominate in the second quarter, including connecting on a picture-perfect and-one. Chalmers had a quiet night, but still managed to score 11 points on just five field goal attempts. Super Mario wasn't as aggressive in games past, but did develop more chemistry with his teammates. That will be more along the lines of what Chalmers will be asked to do this upcoming season with Dwyane Wade. With Wade and Beasley scoring off the dribble, Chalmers could develop some nice pick-and-roll action with his teammates.
Outside of Beasley and Chalmers, there were other players who stood up to contribute to Miami's easy win. One of the players I have been most impressed with is Stephane Lasme. He has a great shot to make the team and may become a solid rotation player down the road. Lasme has shown he can defend by developing a nice shot-blocking game. Lasme's jump shot also looks very fluid. He is also a workhorse reminiscent of Udonis Haslem. The 6'8" forward scored 14 points on just five field goal attempts and made it to the charity stripe seven times in just 16 minutes of action.
Another player who has done well night-in and night-out of this summer league is Kasib Powell. The 6'7" forward has shown an ability to shoot three-pointers as well as cut to the basket. He never gets lazy on the floor, especially in the fast-break. Powell finished with 10 points on four-of-eight shooting. I expect him to make the cut as well.
Anthony Morrow can flat out shoot. Morrow connected on three triples on his way to 16 points. It's unfortunate Miami already has Dwyane Wade and Daequan Cook at that position. As I've said before, you have to give the edge to Cook right now because he's the one that has proved himself on legitimate NBA talent. I can't see Morrow anything more than a third-string shooting guard if he makes the team.
The 3-1 Heat will wrap up their summer league against the Magic at 7:00pm.
Michael Beasley scored the first points of the game on a jump shot. Then, he stole the ball and went the length of the court for a beastly jam. He then shot a turnaround, fade-away jumper. Swish. Beasley turned to Keith Askins -- he had six points in the first three minutes of the game.
Beasley finished with 19 points on eight-of-16 shooting from the field and two-for-four from downtown. Beasley also grabbed five rebounds and improved in the foul and turnover departments -- with two apiece. And he did it all in just 25 minutes. Beasley seemed to make everything look so smooth and effortless. The scoring machine in college has been challenged by summer league coach Keith Askins to develop other facets of his game. He has.
Russell Westbrook got out to a quick start for Oklahoma City. His crossover never failed, as he was able to get to the basket at will. The fourth overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft made it to the free-throw line 10 times and finished with 19 points on seven-of-12 shooting. Despite Westbrook's play, Mario Chalmers, Beasley, and Kasib Powell managed the Heat to hang in there for the entire first quarter. The game was tied at 23 at the end of the first stanza of play.
From then on, the Miami Heat ran away with it.
Michael Beasley continued to dominate in the second quarter, including connecting on a picture-perfect and-one. Chalmers had a quiet night, but still managed to score 11 points on just five field goal attempts. Super Mario wasn't as aggressive in games past, but did develop more chemistry with his teammates. That will be more along the lines of what Chalmers will be asked to do this upcoming season with Dwyane Wade. With Wade and Beasley scoring off the dribble, Chalmers could develop some nice pick-and-roll action with his teammates.
Outside of Beasley and Chalmers, there were other players who stood up to contribute to Miami's easy win. One of the players I have been most impressed with is Stephane Lasme. He has a great shot to make the team and may become a solid rotation player down the road. Lasme has shown he can defend by developing a nice shot-blocking game. Lasme's jump shot also looks very fluid. He is also a workhorse reminiscent of Udonis Haslem. The 6'8" forward scored 14 points on just five field goal attempts and made it to the charity stripe seven times in just 16 minutes of action.
Another player who has done well night-in and night-out of this summer league is Kasib Powell. The 6'7" forward has shown an ability to shoot three-pointers as well as cut to the basket. He never gets lazy on the floor, especially in the fast-break. Powell finished with 10 points on four-of-eight shooting. I expect him to make the cut as well.
Anthony Morrow can flat out shoot. Morrow connected on three triples on his way to 16 points. It's unfortunate Miami already has Dwyane Wade and Daequan Cook at that position. As I've said before, you have to give the edge to Cook right now because he's the one that has proved himself on legitimate NBA talent. I can't see Morrow anything more than a third-string shooting guard if he makes the team.
The 3-1 Heat will wrap up their summer league against the Magic at 7:00pm.
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