The Heat are as good as anyone in the East

[Androslav]

What makes you believe that?

Because Butler is a prima donna malcontent.

He surely does express his opinion.
But so far he only did it on teams with poor ownership, management and coaching (Chicago & Minny).
Miami doesn't have those issues.
I predict good years for him there.

He is still a very potent two way player.

[jambr380]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

[ETNCeltics]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

Good heavens.

[jambr380]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

Good heavens.

Extreme, I know, but that's why it was a hot take. If faced with the reality of trading Tatum for Bam, I suppose I would really have to think things through, but I am just really high on him and love his overall game. Not only does he possess future DPOY abilities, he is also a fantastic passer/ball-handler, is great around the basket, and is even starting to shoot 3s. It's unlikely he is the next KG or anything, but he isn't just another big, strong, athletic guy.

[OhioGreen]

Kind of surprised to see this post, as I have been watching lots of non Celtic games on League Pass, and Heat have really impressed me.  They're fun too watch.  Have lots of REALLY good youth (Nunn, Herro, DRobinson) who are all lights out shooters, quick, and with high BBIQ's.  Young vets Adebayo and Myers Leonard are playing exceptionally well, and JButler has blended seemlessly with them and really seems to enjoy playing with the young kids.
Their offense is what has really impressed me.  Always moving and cutting (great backdoors!) constantly.  When I think about our offense that often has 3/4 guys just standing around on the line, it's just nice to see what the Heat are doing and what we COULD BE doing!(though we don't have the 3pt shooting like they do)
I think they are going to continue to be really good this year and will be one of our major competitors in the East.

[td450]

I also have the Heat as a top 4 team in the East.
They look well-coached, well-led, deep, motivated and working towards the same goal.
They have many ballhandlers and enough shooting at all 5 positions.
They also have wings that can defend big wings, something that just a few teams in the league have.

They look dangerous.

Better than us or Toronto?

[PhoSita]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

Good heavens.

I just don't think centers are that valuable / hard to replace unless we're talking about a true two-way superstar.


Bam is a nice player but I don't see him ever reaching the level of guys like Embiid / Jokic / Towns.  In my opinion, unless a big man is at that level, they have to have a truly unique and valuable skillset (e.g. Al Horford, Rudy Gobert) to be worth paying a lot of $$ or assets to add them to your team.


Productive big men are not that hard to find in the draft.  Just in the last few years we've seen a number of big men selected outside the lottery enter the league and produce at a good level pretty much right away.

[jambr380]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

Good heavens.

I just don't think centers are that valuable / hard to replace unless we're talking about a true two-way superstar.


Bam is a nice player but I don't see him ever reaching the level of guys like Embiid / Jokic / Towns.  In my opinion, unless a big man is at that level, they have to have a truly unique and valuable skillset (e.g. Al Horford, Rudy Gobert) to be worth paying a lot of $$ or assets to add them to your team.


Productive big men are not that hard to find in the draft.  Just in the last few years we've seen a number of big men selected outside the lottery enter the league and produce at a good level pretty much right away.

I don't know - he is only 22 y/o and he is clearly a better player this year than last. One of the things that has impressed me the most is his ability to rebound the ball, dribble it up the court, and then set up the offense. That is incredibly unique in my opinion; he is averaging over 5 apg.

I generally agree with you that Centers are easier to replace. I am on record as saying that I am perfectly happy rolling with a bargain player like Kanter over trading major assets for someone like Sabonis.

I guess I am on an island in seeing a player like Bam - who can impact the game in so many different ways - as somebody who is as valuable as many of the top young wings across the league. Since we have a surplus of wings, I wouldn't be too disappointed if one of them turned into Bam.

I still have high hopes for Robert Williams. Ideally, he would turn into our Center of the future. The thing with him is he has like Clint Capela potential where I see somebody like Bam having Ben Wallace with a 3 point shot potential.

[Sophomore]

I don't know that they are as good as anyone, but they certainly have progressed more quickly than anybody could have expected.

My hot take: I would trade any one player on our team for Bam. He is going to be a fantastic player for years to come from the Center position. One of the most versatile players in the league.

Good heavens.

I just don't think centers are that valuable / hard to replace unless we're talking about a true two-way superstar.


Bam is a nice player but I don't see him ever reaching the level of guys like Embiid / Jokic / Towns.  In my opinion, unless a big man is at that level, they have to have a truly unique and valuable skillset (e.g. Al Horford, Rudy Gobert) to be worth paying a lot of $$ or assets to add them to your team.


Productive big men are not that hard to find in the draft.  Just in the last few years we've seen a number of big men selected outside the lottery enter the league and produce at a good level pretty much right away.

I don't know - he is only 22 y/o and he is clearly a better player this year than last. One of the things that has impressed me the most is his ability to rebound the ball, dribble it up the court, and then set up the offense. That is incredibly unique in my opinion; he is averaging over 5 apg.

I generally agree with you that Centers are easier to replace. I am on record as saying that I am perfectly happy rolling with a bargain player like Kanter over trading major assets for someone like Sabonis.

I guess I am on an island in seeing a player like Bam - who can impact the game in so many different ways - as somebody who is as valuable as many of the top young wings across the league. Since we have a surplus of wings, I wouldn't be too disappointed if one of them turned into Bam.

I still have high hopes for Robert Williams. Ideally, he would turn into our Center of the future. The thing with him is he has like Clint Capela potential where I see somebody like Bam having Ben Wallace with a 3 point shot potential.

This is a pretty good ceiling comp. Bam is a freak. Boy would he fit well on our team.

[wiley]

I expect head to head battles with Heat this year to be fiercely
Contested.  Kemba may give us the edge. 

[Moranis]

false

[PhoSita]

I guess I am on an island in seeing a player like Bam - who can impact the game in so many different ways - as somebody who is as valuable as many of the top young wings across the league. Since we have a surplus of wings, I wouldn't be too disappointed if one of them turned into Bam.

The thing is the difference between a guy like Bam and the caliber of center you can find in the 15-30 range of the draft, or the kind of guy you can get for $5-8 million per year in free agency, is not that huge.

Meanwhile the difference between Jaylen Brown and the type of wing you can get later in the draft, or for a discount price in free agency, is pretty huge.


You've got centers like Aron Baynes and Alex Len making $5 million a year or less.


For that kind of price you get a wing like Reggie Bullock, who currently can't break the rotation for the Knicks.

[RJ87]

What makes you believe that?

Because Butler is a prima donna malcontent.

He surely does express his opinion.
But so far he only did it on teams with poor ownership, management and coaching (Chicago & Minny).
Miami doesn't have those issues.
I predict good years for him there.

He is still a very potent two way player.

And even with his issues, you can't argue that he doesn't make his teams better. Minny was a 3 seed before he got injured if I recall correctly and almost ended up falling out of the playoff race without him before he came back.

[mr. dee]

Butler was an X factor for the Sixers last season. Should have resigned him over Harris.

[Moranis]

I guess I am on an island in seeing a player like Bam - who can impact the game in so many different ways - as somebody who is as valuable as many of the top young wings across the league. Since we have a surplus of wings, I wouldn't be too disappointed if one of them turned into Bam.

The thing is the difference between a guy like Bam and the caliber of center you can find in the 15-30 range of the draft, or the kind of guy you can get for $5-8 million per year in free agency, is not that huge.

Meanwhile the difference between Jaylen Brown and the type of wing you can get later in the draft, or for a discount price in free agency, is pretty huge.


You've got centers like Aron Baynes and Alex Len making $5 million a year or less.


For that kind of price you get a wing like Reggie Bullock, who currently can't break the rotation for the Knicks.

Or Garrett Temple.  Or Rodney Hood.  Or Marco Belinelli.  Or Vince Carter at the minimum.  Or countless other vet guards that are similar talents to Baynes and Len.