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.