can miami heat team make another run for championship next 2014-2015 season?

[Donoghus]

Sure.

Who in the east is going to beat them next year?

[LooseCannon]

Faf, what's that rule again? I have only the dimmest of recollections of what you're talking about.

http://www.cbafaq.com/salarycap.htm#Q57

Basically means that salary after a player is 36 counts as deferred compensation so it must be charged to the year its "earned" cap. So you can't give long deals to older players likely to retire in order to mitigate the cap hit.

Its pretty complicated, not sure how it'd apply in this situation.

In this situation, if James, Bosh, and Wade all opt out with the intention of signing smaller long-term contracts, the cap hit for giving Wade a four-year deal would be larger next season than his actual salary, decreasing the available cap space if the goal is to create room to add to their roster.

[celticsclay]

They will most likely be back in the Finals next year, mostly because there is nobody in the East that can beat them.  Chicago is the only team that could give them a serious challenge, if Rose is healthy and they add significant talent in free agency.

Roy really surprised you would say this. It seems the Heat, if they could keep everyone (that they wanted) would still need to add 7 or 8 players just to have a legitimate roster. The first 8 guys on this list may retire or be out of the league next season. They than have another couple of players (Chalmers, Beasley) that are very difficult to project and evaluate. While having Bosh and Lebron James is a really nice start to a roster, they can't sign 8 effective rotation players in one offseason can they?

Battier is officially retiring

Haslem is 34 and probably not even a role player anymore may still opt in for a 4 million dollar contract

Anderson is about to turn 36 and his effective bursts seem to be coming more and more limited

Ray Allen is 38 and is considering retirement. Really hard to see him as more than an 8th or 9th guy right now and knowing Ray's personality as we all do, would he happily take on that role?

Oden- Did not work out, even when they desperately needed size. May be out of the league next season

Rashard Lewis - turns 35 next season and had a mostly solid season. Perhaps possible he could retire as well

Tony Douglas is a 3rd string point guard and has been a fringe nba player for his whole career

Justin Hamilton - I don't even really know who this guy is, and I watched a lot of heat game. Probably just roster fodder

Chalmers - looks like more of a backup than a starter

Cole - I think he would be a very good second string point guard, may not quite be a championship caliber starter

Wade - turning 33 next season and history of knee problems. Does not seem to have developed his jumpshot and the rest of his game to offset decline in athleticism

Bosh - still all star level imo, may need to try and develop more of an inside game

Lebron - Obviously still great

Beasely, has always had talent - but after this long in his career can we even still say he has potential?

[celticsclay]

Sure.

Who in the east is going to beat them next year?

I will point out a few things. It is easy to remember the Heat beat the Nets in 5, but do we realize that in game 4 the game was tied with a minute left and game 5 the heat were down 9 with about 4 minutes left? While pierce, Johnson and kg will all decline if they stay put (much like wade, lewis, allen, Anderson and haslem) , they are also getting back an all star center in Lopez. I think the nets are a legit threat.

Raptors - If they keep Lowry, they certainly will have the most internal improvement of any of the teams in the east as Derozen has improved dramatically and just about every rotation player they have is under 30.

Bulls - Noah, Rose, Butler and a ton of salary cap space seems at least as equally promising a starting point than LeBron, Bosh and Wade and no salary cap space.

Bobcats- Quietly had a really successful season and have a bunch of young players that are continuing to develop. Jordan has said they will add another big piece this offseason

Pacers - Who knows what they are, but they at least deserve mentioning

Wizards - Beal and Wall continue to develop, if they can keep everyone they are an interesting team.

Is any of these teams clearly better than Miami? No, but collectively it seems pretty likely 1 of them will be next year based on the salary cap and age of the players on the roster. As we know too well from our Celtics, age closes teams window

[j804]

They will most likely be back in the Finals next year, mostly because there is nobody in the East that can beat them.  Chicago is the only team that could give them a serious challenge, if Rose is healthy and they add significant talent in free agency.

even then they don't score enough you need great shooting and a high powered offense to beat the Heat and no Melo isn't the answer

[Nef-Oracle]

It'll all depends on what the east can do to stop them.

[RJ87]

They definitely need to tweak some things. First and foremost, make Bosh the clear cut #2 on offense. Consider making Wade a super sixth man - but I'm not sure he'd be willing to do that. And call me crazy, but bring back Beasley and give him a bigger role. He's a good scorer and can help them offensively.

In free agency, I think they need to focus on finding a solid PG (Shaun Livingston, DJ Augustin, Steve Blake are all available in FA and probably affordable) and/or at the very least, a big that can give them good defensive minutes (Emeka Okafor, Jordan Hill can probably be had).

[Who]

They definitely need to tweak some things. First and foremost, make Bosh the clear cut #2 on offense. Consider making Wade a super sixth man - but I'm not sure he'd be willing to do that. And call me crazy, but bring back Beasley and give him a bigger role. He's a good scorer and can help them offensively.

Beasley has a lot of potential as a PF alongside Chris Bosh (C) and LeBron James (SF).

Beasley's skill-level offensively and ability to create matchup problems would make those two star player's lives much easier offensively.

I really like the idea for Wade in a 6th man role too ... if Beasley were to start.

[celticsclay]

How is beasely so key? He wasn't even active for some of their playoffs games. It is not like he was a midseason acquisition either, he had all year to get their system and he didn't do it.

[MISSERY]

How is beasely so key? He wasn't even active for some of their playoffs games. It is not like he was a midseason acquisition either, he had all year to get their system and he didn't do it.

i think beasly is done?
i'd rather take anthony randolph than beasly or drew gooden

[RJ87]

How is beasely so key? He wasn't even active for some of their playoffs games. It is not like he was a midseason acquisition either, he had all year to get their system and he didn't do it.

Beasley can flat out score, but he's a terrible defender. For a team that was already not great defensively this year, perhaps Beasley's offensive potential didn't outweigh what he potentially would have given up on the other end.

By all accounts, they were pleased with his work ethic in Miami.

[LilRip]

Next year, I think the floor for the Heat (assuming their big 3 all come back) is an ECF elimination. They will retool this offseason, undoubtedly. Unless of course, all their big names leave which I think is highly unlikely.

[MISSERY]

no battier
maybe no chalmers
maybe no allen
unsure haslem

lets see
bosh wade birdman lebron beasley ennis cole i think its not enough to make it to the ecf
lebro will carry the team until ecf uhm, just guard lebron 1v1 like kawhi did, heat got a problem
even heat sign 7 million bigman or sg, i don't see anyone with 7million below salary to take heats offer and just be a bench player on miami team, (even though the big 3 options out)
loosing ray or battier makes it easier for the nets to past through ecf (bench vs bench), mirza pierce ak47 can somehow contain lebron

and one more thing miami heat adding 5 or 4 player on there line-ups means a new team chemistry (rookies and veterans mix)
unless you still go with same starting 5
cole wade lebron bosh new C

[j804]

I love how the Spurs obliterated them so much that each and everyone of them  are being questioned for their future, to be blown up or not. ****

[Who]

How is beasely so key? He wasn't even active for some of their playoffs games. It is not like he was a midseason acquisition either, he had all year to get their system and he didn't do it.

Not key. Just a player with enough talent to do more than he currently is doing.

One of the few players - heck, the only role player - on Miami's team that is capable of playing a larger role next year than they have had this season.