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.